Starred review from May 14, 2012
Much has been written about Peter Pan, but Tiger Lily, the girl he spurned in Neverland, has remained more of a mystery. In this evocative tale of unrequited love, Anderson (Peaches) gives Tiger Lily new psychological depth. Told from the perspective of Tinker Bell, the novel explores how Tiger Lily meets and falls in love with Peter, despite being betrothed to another villager, a man Tiger Lily despises. Tiger Lily and Peter’s complicated inner conflicts emerge as they sort out their feelings about freedom, power, loyalty, and responsibility. When a girl from England arrives, Tiger Lily feels the flame of jealousy for the first time, and the results could be deadly. The mythology of Neverland is eloquently woven into the story, and characters are reborn in fascinating ways—Hook is an alcoholic, Smee a serial killer, and Tiger Lily’s adoptive father a “two-spirit” shaman, “born to be two genders.” Readers will find it hard to resist being drawn into Tiger Lily’s world, where dangers and emotions are painted several shades darker than in J.M. Barrie’s classic fantasy. Ages 14–up. Agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio.