- Disney A Twisted Tale series: Straight on Till Morning by Liz Braswell
- So This is Love by Elizabeth Lim
A review by Emma Streeton
A review by Emma StreetonStraight on till morning is set 4 years after Nana tore Peter Pan’s shadow from his body. Wendy is frustrated and disappointed that Peter never came to reclaim it. She seems to have taken this very personally. She sees his abandonment of his shadow as an abandonment of her. But she still keeps the shadow safe. Wendy’s added frustration is her mundane life in London. She dreams of returning to Neverland for adventure and to give Peter a piece of her mind. So when an opportunity to do just that presents itself, Wendy finds herself making a deal with none other than Hook himself and a great adventure, full of twists and turns, begins.
The Twisted Tale series
I am a big fan of the Twisted Tale series but I will admit from the get go that I had a hard time getting through this one. It was an interesting plot but, at nearly 500 pages, it was very slow paced, unnecessarily drawn out and did feel more childish than the other books in the series I have read. For a retelling of a story known for its action packed, fast paced shenanigans I found this strange. However, in saying this, the book was not without its merits. I think for me the highlight is Braswell, who provides us with fantastic character developments, something I always enjoy when it involves stories and characters from my childhood.
Wendy is not alone
Wendy does not embark upon her adventure alone. Braswell rekindles our love and vision of Neverland by reuniting us with Hook, his pirate crew, the lost boys, the mermaids and of course our favorite feisty fairy, Tinkerbell. Tinkerbell has always been one of my favorite characters. This book allows us to find out more about her personality and how she views the world. I love the friendship that she develops with Wendy. We see a caring and empathetic side to Tinkerbell almost reluctantly appear, witnessing the inner battle she goes through to let this happen in front of her old love rival Wendy.
Wendy’s development
I also love how the bulk of the book focuses on Wendy’s self-development. She transforms from a girl to an independent, strong young woman despite everyone trying to silence her. Her time in Neverland makes her realize Peter Pan is not who she thought he was (hooray) and a new love interest is born. However, as in the original tale, Wendy is still not the most likable character and I did struggle to feel warmth towards her. I was, however, very pleased to see the relationship between her and Tinkerbell positively develop. To me Wendy has always seemed quite a lonely character and for the first time she has a female companion to share the adventure with.
The verdict
I enjoyed taking a trip back to Neverland but I wish I enjoyed Straight On Till Morning more. I recommend it to fans of the original Peter Pan tale. Perhaps you will have a different experience to me.
Book details
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
ISBN: 9781484781302 and 1484781309
Imprint: Disney
Published: 2020
Format: paperback, 496 pages
Category: fantasy, young adult
