I loved the movie, the plays, the musicals, and the innumerable spin-offs of Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie, so I was FLIPPING EXCITED to finally get the audiobook from the library. It was going to be magical and imaginative and neverlandish and full of mermaids and fairies and pirates…

Book Review: Peter PanPeter Pan by J.M. Barrie, Michael Hague
Published by Henry Holt and Co. on October 1st 2003
Genres: Children's Classic, Classic Literature, Fantasy
Narrator: Roe Kendall
Length: 5 hours, 39 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Goodreads

Peter Pan, the book based on J.M. Barrie's famous play, is filled with unforgettable characters: Peter Pan, the boy who would not grow up; the fairy, Tinker Bell; the evil pirate, Captain Hook; and the three children--Wendy, John, and Michael--who fly off with Peter Pan to Neverland, where they meet Indians and pirates and a crocodile that ticks. Renowned children's-book artist Michael Hague has brought the amazing adventures of Peter Pan to life. His beautiful illustrations capture the wild, seductive power of this classic book. This newly designed edition will be enjoyed by fans young and old alike.

You can imagine my disappointment when I was bored, bored, and more bored by this book.

So let me start by telling what you what I did like about this book: The snarky-as-heck narrator. Loved the narration and the transparency about how the narrator is the one orchestrating the entire story. It was so very clever and wonderful!

But that was it.

Everything else bored me or annoyed me. Was it the audiobook? Was it because I’m so familiar with the story? Who knows, maybe? I mean, the movies/plays/musicals all follow the book very closely, so that could have been the issue. But then let’s talk about how horribly annoying Peter Pan is! Okay, I get that he’s supposed to be 8 or whatever, and I suppose he’s acting like a typical little kid (unlike Wendy who is wise beyond her years). BUT OMG ANNOYING JUST STOP TALKING PETER. And Tinkerbell is such a brat (I have much more adult words for her in my head, but I’m keeping this G-rated). If I had a dime for every time she called Peter a “Silly ass” I’d probably have a dollar (For the record: that’s 9 times too many).

Anyway, I hated it and almost didn’t finish it. But I persevered through the 5-hour audiobook, and here I am writing the review. I will say that both copies of the book I own are quite beautiful, and I enjoyed taking photos of them much more than I enjoyed the story itself.

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I recognize I’m in the minority on this one.

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Have you read this? Please tell me you liked this more than I did. 

Get the beautiful illustrated and interactive edition: Amazon. The Book Depository.
Get the Puffin Classic edition: Amazon. The Book Depository.