Betwixt and Between
In an impressive debut, Stilling deconstructs the body of lore surrounding Peter Pan, reimagining Neverland as an in-between place where boys who die too soon wait until their loved ones are ready to heal and move on, with Peter as their immortal leader and ferryman to the After. Ten-year-old Preston Tumber eats a poisoned cookie and wakes up in Neverland. While his grief-stricken parents attempt to find closure in the real world, the man accused of murdering Preston is quickly sent to prison. When Preston's best friend is likewise poisoned, the boys realize their killer is still at large, and Preston vows to find a way to cross the boundaries and save their last living friend. Meanwhile, flashbacks unravel the true history behind Peter's relationship with Winifred, aka Wendy Darling. Stilling's take on this familiar tale is provocative and poignant, rich with emotion and powerfully described, laced with profound contemplations about dying too soon and growing up too quickly. (Dec.)