Review: Hook & Jill by Andrea Jones (a must read!)

Hook & Jill Book Cover

by Kris, The Cajun Book Lady
Friday, January 29, 2010

In this startling new vision of a cultural classic, Wendy intends to live happily ever after with Peter Pan.

But Time, like this tale, behaves in a most unsettling way. As Wendy mothers the Lost Boys in Neverland, they thrive on adventure. She struggles to keep her boys safe from the Island's many hazards, but she finds a more subtle threat encroaching from an unexpected quarter. . . . The children are growing up, and only Peter knows the punishment

My Review:

Let me start off by saying I'm a HUGE fan of retold fairy tales. Andrea Jones blew me away with her rewrite of Peter Pan.

"Hook and Jill" will totally make you question everything you have ever thought of Peter, Wendy, and Neverland! This book fluidly portrayed the dark and sinister side of this tale. It definitely made you stop , reflect on the story you know, and then look at it from an adult perspective.

Sweet little Tinkerbell isn't so sweet...she's more of a murder plotting pixie. She's dark and jealous; scheming against Wendy at every chance. Then there's Peter who I've always thought to be innocent; well let's just say this tale was spun to show the dark part of everyone. Your usual impression (and visual) of Hook is ripped right out from under you to be replaced by the misunderstood and beautifully handsome pirate.

My eyes were popping at some of the things I read in this story. There are just so many shocking moments in a story that we grew up knowing so well. THAT is what made me keep coming back for more. I never knew what to expect or what terrible secret would be revealed next!

Andrea Jones is an wonderful storyteller in her own right and I highly recommend this book if you can handle having the fairy tale you've known so long turned upside down!

I give this book five stars and I honestly can't think of enough good things to say about it. I'll also be adding this one to my top 10 of 2010!