Review: Wendy and the Lost Boys
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 12, 2012
My memories of the story of Peter Pan are several decades old, so any comparison I make to that story and this one are likely to be inadequate and miss many points of comparison. However, I suspect Silkstone's goal wasn't a retelling of the children's classic, but as a jumping off point for a story of her own, possibly with some of the same lessons to take away. That is just one reason these fairy tales are "fractured." Some of the characters have names from the fairy tale: Wendy, Charles Hook (not the captain, but the owner of the yacht), and Peter Payne, a high school boyfriend of Wendy's who doesn't want to grow up. There is even a dog, named Tinkerbelle.The plot of "Wendy and the Lost Boys" is a mystery, with plenty of tension and suspense. This provides the needed conflict to keep the reader involved, but it is the humor that makes Silkstone's writing unique. In her book The Love Investigator ..., her humor made a book that could have easily been depressing into an entertaining read. In "Wendy and the Lost Boys," it adds the needed spice to make this more than just another okay mystery. Sometimes the humor comes from being a touch over-the-top. Examples are a problem Hook experiences (which is a good reason for his name to be Hook, since his hands are both intact) and a visit to Hook's roots, which couldn't be much different from his current life. Other times the humor comes from an offbeat observation or smartass dialogue."Wendy and the Lost Boys" may be a fairy tale, but I never made the mistake of thinking I should be reading it aloud to my grandkids. A fun read for adults with a sense of humor.**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **