Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Challenge #34 ~ “A book with a person’s name in the title.”

tigerlily

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

My opinion in three sentences:

There were several things I found interesting about Anderson’s take on the classic children’s tale – the focus on Tiger Lily and her community, the side-lining of Captain Hook and Peter Pan as main characters and, of course, telling the whole thing from Tinkerbell’s perspective. Each, partnered with Anderson’s incredibly descriptive writing, put a twist on the traditional tale of Neverland, bringing the world to life in ways I’d never before imagined. That being said, it was much more of a character-focused book that any other Peter Pan retellings I’ve read, lacking any substantial action scenes amidst it all.

(Without spoiling anything) the best bit:

Despite never having actually read Peter Pan, I’ve read many a retelling and seen many a stage adaptation. Tiger Lily offers something different from them all, particularly with its focus away from the traditional leads, and the narrative voice of a fairy. The way in which Anderson tells the tale is very much the strength of the book, bringing to light (and life) a luscious, strong sense of the fictional land with an incredible use of language. If you’re looking to discover more of Neverland, this is a book for you.

A warning for the book:

Make no mistakes, Tiger Lily isn’t an action-packed thriller, telling of nefarious deeds and piratical raids and all the other typical adventures one associates with Neverland. Instead, it is very much focused on Tiger Lily as a character, and how impacts from her experiences with these (which are few and far between) affect her character arc. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, although can lead to some swampy pacing in parts, but since Peter Pan retellings are typically high-paced with thrills, it’s probably a forewarning we should all have.

Recommended for fans of: