Darling Girl

As many suspected, darkness lurks below the fantasy of Neverland particularly in the relationship between the Darlings and Peter Pan. After multiple family tragedies, single-mother Holly Darling relocated to Manhattan, founded Darling Skincare, and focused on protecting her son Jack. Then, after a decade, Holly’s comatose daughter Eden vanishes from Cornwall. Holly can’t involve the authorities who believe Peter Pan is entirely fictional from Barrie’s story. As the plot unfolds, Knowelden gradually shifts Holly’s voice from the aristocratic tones of a woman in control to an increasingly desperate mother whose omissions, half-truths, and lies have isolated her. Emotions drive Knowelden’s narration as Holly is forced face her show more long-buried grief and her self-justified exploitation before Eden can be rescued and the nefarious Pan stopped. This darkly twisted fairy tale includes blood magic and rape as well as a through exploration of motherhood and family bonds leading ultimately to a happier future. show less

"The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease forever to be able to do it."
Life is looking up for Holly Darling, granddaughter of Wendy-yes, that Wendy. That is, until she gets a call that her daughter, Eden, who has been in a coma for nearly a decade, has gone missing from the estate where she's been long tucked away. And, worst of all, Holly knows who must be responsible: Peter Pan, who is not only very real, but very dangerous. Holly is desperate to find Eden and protect her son, Jack, from a terrible web of family secrets before she loses both her children. And yet she has no one to turn to-her mother, Jane, is the only other person in the world who knows that Peter is more than a story, but she refuses to accept that he is show more not the hero she's always imagined.
Okay so I am in love with Peter Pan retellings and this one has quickly become one of my favorites. I loved the idea behind this one. Peter Pan is the villain of this piece. This book takes place outside of Neverland and thus presents a different look at Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, Captain Hook and the Darlings. This was a story of family, love and a mother's devotion to her children. Even when faced with unimaginable odds.
Holly is a successful woman with a son who she adores and a wealth of secrets that could damage that relationship. Eden is perhaps her biggest and most important secret. A secret that has life changing consequences for Jack and Holly both. A trip to London soon unravels the life Holly has created and she has to confront her secrets and the fallout that comes with them. And she finds she must also face Peter again.
This book was hard for me to put down. It felt like every page was a new bit of information to the story and unraveling the mystery that was Holly's biggest secret. I adored the way the author made this a story about a mother's love for her children. One she showcases in various ways. I think this is now my favorite Pan retelling. It was so well written and engaging I honestly don't know what else to say besides go read it.
"The stars are not only above us, they are in us. May we shine brightly, dream deeply, and fly high all on our own." show less

There have been a number of books in the past years that have taken old fairy tales and turned them on their ears, as the saying goes. With Darling Girl it’s Peter Pan’s turn – or really Wendy Darling’s – to get a new story out into the world.

This book takes place in today’s world albeit with still a bit of fantasy abounding. For it’s Wendy’s great granddaughter who is in trouble as she is kidnapped. There are so many secrets swirling in this family; at it’s nuclear level and through the generations.

Holly is the mother of the taken girl, Eden and she also has a son, Jack. Eden’s blood has special characteristics that are needed to help keep Jack alive but Holly hasn’t shared this with anyone so is is more than show more panicked at Eden’s disappearance. She is confident she knows who did it – Peter Pan – but her mother refuses to believe anything negative about him.

How will all of this play out? There are a lot of considerations; family drama, history, backstory and hidden agendas. Ms. Mikalski handles all of the various subplots well and ties them together quite nicely with a quick, clean ending.

I rather enjoyed this novel even if a few things were easy to see coming – others were not. Peter Pan was not one of my favorite fairy tales as a child so looking back on it with adult eyes was interesting. It certainly is a compelling thought to “never grow up” but then one would never really be at all human, would one? show less

I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher (Dutton Books) for promotional purposes.

Wow! What a book! This was a dark retelling/reimagining of Peter Pan that managed to creep me out quite a bit. This book won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but for me it worked.

I loved the dark take on Peter Pan. There is something inherently a little sinister about the original story and this book really delved into that. It made me rethink the classic story and want to rewatch the Disney movie.

The story moved at a good pace, with everything unraveling at the right time. There were a lot of twists and turns that kept me hooked and turning the pages. This book kept me guessing until the very end.

As for the characters, I liked the show more incorporation of the original Peter Pan characters. The main characters from Peter Pan (Peter, Wendy, John, Michael, Tinker Bell, and Captain Hook) are either characters in this book or mentioned/incorporated in some way. I also enjoyed the dynamic between the main character, Holly Darling, and her mom, Jane Darling (the daughter of Wendy). They had a very complex mother-daughter relationship that grew as the story went on.

Overall, if you love Peter Pan and want to explore a darker side to the classic tale, then read this book! show less

Darling Girl: A Novel of Peter Pan by Liz Michalski
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#FirstLine ~ Prologue: In a very tall tree sits a girl.

I loved this book so much. It is hard describe how it made me feel other than satisfied and sad to see it end. It was beautifully told, original and unforgettable. It is everything you want in a book. It consumes you in the best possible way and holds on tight. You will want your friends to read this book, so you can talk. So, with that being said, I encourage book clubs to pick up this book and read it together. Be ready for some great conversation!!!

** This book contains what I believe to have trauma triggers involving rape, just a heads up** I found this to be a different take on Peter Pan's story or what happens after Wendy. I enjoyed the modern spin to this because of I mean why not drugs and Peter Pan, Neverland and fairies probably make sense lol. It was a good take on the story I just wish there was a little more depth to some of the characters but overall great. I'd recommend and would read again.

“How much do we really know about Neverland?”

3 to 3.5 stars. I may change my rating. I really did enjoy this. I found the different twist on Neverland and the characters that were there, interesting beyond measure. I liked the feel of not being sure of the story and who was selling the pretty picture to whom. I loved the idea of Wendy and then Jane and now Holly, all the Darling women and their legacy - how it affected their lives and shaped their future.

And who doesn't love the idea of a skincare line about pixie dust from the Darling family? I'd be all over it too! It was fun to revisit this classic with new eyes and an interesting story. I liked it.