Common Sense Media Review
By Michael Berry
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Steampunk version of Peter Pan takes a dark turn.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
EVERLAND reimagines Peter Pan as a dystopian steampunk adventure. London has been destroyed by German aerial bombing and the ravages of a deadly virus. Few adults survive, so it's up to 16-year-old Gwen Darling to protect and support her younger siblings, Joanna and Mikey. When Joanna's kidnapped by Captain Hook and his deadly Marauders, Gwen sets out to save her and, in doing so, connects with a mysterious and charismatic boy named Pete, who leads a ragtag group known as the Lost Boys. Before they face off against Captain Hook, Gwen and Pete must endure hardships and betrayals and learn to trust each other.
Is It Any Good?
Author Wendy Spinale delivers a rougher Peter Pan adventure full of skullduggery and genuine jeopardy in her debut novel. It takes quite a bit of ambition to reimagine and remix an enduring classic beloved by millions around the world, but Spinale is up to the task. She uses Peter Pan as a template for Everland, but Gwen, Pete, and Hook are more complex characters than those imagined by James Barrie, and the story has been stripped of its sentimentality. Older, more sophisticated readers are more likely to appreciate the cleverness of Spinale's world-building and look forward to the next volume in the series.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Everland reshapes a well-known story. Why do readers like to see favorite stories updated?
What role does violence play in Everland? How do the characters use the threat of physical violence to get what they want? Is violence the only way to achieve their goals?
How do Pete and the Lost Boys help each other to survive? What characteristics make a person a good leader?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic , Fairy Tales ) , Adventures , Book Characters , Pirates
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Scholastic Press
- Publication date : May 10, 2016
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 12 - 18
- Number of pages : 312
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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