Astoundingly creative, but subtly perverse

books:

	• Peter Pan (100th Anniversary Edition) J. M. Barrie Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), 2003 - 176 pages average customer review:based on 22 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

childhood memories

i recently started looking for a copy of this novel and stumbled upon this version. i was very excited about the illustrations. the story brings floods of memories back from my childhood and it's refreshing to see that a story so old still holds merit in our society. as an illustrator, the images in this version are so striking and beautiful that it inspires me to keep a youthful perspective in all of the work that i do.
this is an amazing book! a must have for any peter pan fan!

"To Die Would Be a Great Adventure!"

Most people think they've read - or at least know - the story of Peter Pan. The figure of the boy who refuses to grow up has become so infused in Western culture that he's taken on a life beyond his literary beginnings, starring in countless theatrical productions, movies, television series, prequels and sequels, his image used in merchandise (everything from records to peanut butter), and on several famous statues around the world (the most famous being the one in Kensington Gardens) and even providing the namesake behind a psychological condition (we've all heard of people with a "Peter Pan syndrome," referring to those who refuse to accept the responsibilities of adult life). And then there's that *other* Neverland which lends unfortunate connotations to Barrie's work.

The origins of "Peter Pan" are quite muddled, first appearing in an adult's book titled "The White Bird," after which the relevant chapters were transferred into a children's book titled "Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens" (which involves Peter's escape from his home into the company of fairies who live in Kensington Gardens). From there, Barrie used the titular character in his children's play "Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up," and later adapted the story into a novel called "Peter and Wendy" - though now it's usually simply titled "Peter Pan."

It's complicated, but the fact of the matter is that if you haven't read this original text of "Peter Pan" by J.M. Barrie, then you really don't know the story at all. The Disney movie, the stage productions (especially those that aren't based on Barrie's own script), or one of the myriad of abridged picture books, simply don't count. And don't even get me started on Steven Spielberg's "Hook." These adaptations don't even begin to scratch the surface of one of the deepest, most intriguing, and darkest children's books ever to be written. Would you believe me if I told you that "Peter Pan" contains scenes of the pirates brutally massacring the "redskins"? That Tinkerbell doesn't live to the very end of the story? Or that Barrie includes a scene that casually mentions fairies returning home from an orgy? And Neverland may well be the land of the imagination, but that doesn't stop Barrie from portraying the Lost Boys from being a rather bloodthirsty group of feral children, who at one stage consider chaining up Wendy in order to prevent her from abandoning them.

And these are just periphery details, not touching on the heavy themes of death and rebirth, the relationship between parents and their children, the loss of innocence and price of adulthood, the pain of loving someone and the terrible passage of time that permeate the entire book. It's pretty dense stuff for a children's book, but so much more rewarding than all the sanitized versions out there that strip the original manuscript of its potency. At its core "Peter Pan" is a modern fairytale, providing hidden commentary on impending adulthood, though simultaneously existing as a celebration of childhood in all its joy, egotism, wonderment and heartlessness. It's not hard to recognize Neverland itself as the landscape of a child's mind, full of adventures and bereft of any parents - a wonderful place to visit...but would you really want to stay there forever? And that's not meant to be a rhetorical question: Barrie seriously asks the reader at times whether eternal childhood is a boon or a curse. Given the circumstances of his own life, I don't think he himself ever made up his mind.

This review is already quite lengthy, and I haven't even given a synopsis yet - though it may seem a bit redundant. Everyone knows that the eternal-child Peter Pan comes to the Darling household one night and spirits away Wendy (and her two brothers) in order for her to act as a mother for himself and the Lost Boys. Without a thought to the grief of their parents left behind, the siblings leap at the offer and soon find themselves showered in fairy-dust and flying through the London air toward Neverland, a place they've visited only in their dreams. Although Neverland is full of beauty, there is danger as well, especially in the dark figure of the notorious Captain Hook, who despises children - especially Peter Pan.

Of course, you probably already know the famous events that follow: the thimble/kiss, the runaway shadow, the ticking crocodile, the house that is built around Wendy as she lies unconscious, the rescue of Tiger Lily at Mermaid's Lagoon, the jealous rages of tiny Tinkerbell and her sacrifice to save Peter's life, and of course the battle-royale on Hook's pirate ship, but if you haven't read the book, I bet you've never heard of the Never-bird, or Wendy's pet wolf, or Mrs Darling's hidden kiss. There are so many treasures in this story, and it's all told in Barrie's fascinating narrative voice, which can go from poetic to whimsical to satirical to philosophical within the space of a few paragraphs.

It's so very tempting to go on about the deep symbolism and meaning inherent in almost every passage in the story (Freud would have a field-day with "Peter Pan", even without the original play's tradition of casting the same actor in the parts of both Mr Darling and Captain Hook) but it is so much more rewarding to discover it all for yourself. "Peter Pan" is one of those rare books that grows richer, more heartbreaking and meaningful with each read.

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A child again

I could not remember reading Peter Pan as a child but now that I have this book I remember I must have. With 12 grandchildren I am sure there will be alot of people reading this delightful story.

Astoundingly creative, but subtly perverse

Although I give Peter Pan only three stars, there are aspects of it I love: the writer's astounding creativity, the magic he weaves in giving children the ability to fly, and his glimpses into the perfection and timelessness of childhood. But I think what I loved most were the childhood memories the book brought up for me, though this might just have been the book triggering my own memories of the Disney movie!

Okay, now to the negatives.

The mild: The book DRAGGED, and had so many pointless tangents. A good modern editor could have worked wonders here. Even the opening - it took FOREVER. But considering it was written a hundred years ago, pre-TV, pre-movies, and pre-Disney, I can overlook this flaw.

The extreme: The perverse sexual dynamics. I feel the author set up Peter Pan and Wendy and Tinker Bell as a vile little love-sex triangle. If you think I'm nuts writing this, look at all the obvious romantic dynamics between Peter and Wendy alone, and then add in the EXTREME jealousy and rage of Tinker Bell over this, and note how the author radically sexualized Tinker Bell - how she was an adult woman, how she flaunted her sexuality, how she dressed in ways that best showed off her body. (Even the OLD version of the book I have shows Tinker Bell as a definite woman, not a girl, dressed sexy and flirting with a DEFINITELY pre-pubescent boy.)

To back up my point, imagine the genders of the characters flipped, with Peter Pan being a little prepubescent girl and Tinker Bell a man, constantly flaunting his adult body for a girl's attention, and flying into rages and trying to literally kill off the romantic competition? Sick!! It would be called pedophilia.

And then the whole dynamics with Wendy being Peter's mother-lover: not healthy!

My question: Why is an adult man writing about slightly veiled sexual dynamics that use children as props?

When I read the author's personal history (impotence, asexuality, accusations of pedophilia), I wasn't so surprised.

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Pure fantasy the way it should be told

Excuse me for sounding crazy and mushy, but this is truly a children's classic of the most fantastic and best sort. Is it any wonder that this incredible story has the fanatic following that it does? I have read this book several times over the course of my life and am still blown away by its sheer power.

Barry writes the story like he is speaking in a conversation with all the whimsy, character, and vocabulary of any educated British gentleman who happens to be privy to the adventures of Pan and his band. Which sadly makes this a little difficult for a read-aloud to first graders (is it just me, or is our society getting dumber and dumber?) Sigh, maybe if they were a grade up. Anyway, it is the very style of writing that instantally grabs you and pulls you to Neverland.

While the story does have a smattering of deep adult philosophies, it is primary in a "What you see is what you get" state that simply tells the story of some children, mad at their father, who fly away to Neverland to have adventures with Lost Boys, Indians, and pirates. And that's that and that is why we love it so: the simple magic of childhood. In fact, the aforementioned smattering of deep adult philosophies pretty much revolve around the longing for the magic of childhood.

Barry also provides wondrous characters--it is interesting to see just how many people are irritated with Peter Pan's cockiness (just as was Captain Hook!). Contrary to popular opinion, they are hardly one-dimensional. Even Hook, while never sympathetic, is shown as a human who is "not wholey evil".

The intertwining mini-plots are also rivaling adult stories in their imagination and intricacy. This is nothing but a fantastic story intended to delight children and maybe provide adults a little reminiscence.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

A fabulously redesigned edition of a Michael Hague backlist classic

Peter Pan, the book based on J. M. Barrie's famous play, is filled with unforgettable characters: Peter Pan, the boy who would not grow up; the fairy, Tinker Bell; the evil pirate, Captain Hook; and the three children-Wendy, John, and Michael-who fly off with Peter Pan to Neverland, where they meet Indians and pirates and a crocodile that ticks.

Renowned children's-book artist Michael Hague has brought the amazing adventures of Peter Pan to life. His beautiful illustrations capture the wild, seductive power of this classic book. This newly designed edition will be enjoyed by fans young and old alike.

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