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Never After
There is no place like a dysfunctional home.
Leaving everything behind for the Island was Ricky's dream come true. When his happily ever after is not quite what it seems, he discovers that running away means running toward bigger problems.
Trapped on the Island, Ricky must join together with the only people he can trust to help him face his fears and return home. But the only way off the Island is to confront the person who trapped Ricky and his friends in the first place. With countless enemies and true peril staring them down, Ricky's mission to leave this so-called paradise will become a battle for their very lives.
Leaving everything behind for the Island was Ricky's dream come true. When his happily ever after is not quite what it seems, he discovers that running away means running toward bigger problems.
Trapped on the Island, Ricky must join together with the only people he can trust to help him face his fears and return home. But the only way off the Island is to confront the person who trapped Ricky and his friends in the first place. With countless enemies and true peril staring them down, Ricky's mission to leave this so-called paradise will become a battle for their very lives.
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 20, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
November 15, 2009
Ricky wakes up out of a good dream--one about an Island, a lush green paradise--and is startled to hear a crunching sound outside his window. Trying to be brave, he opens the window to investigate, and in comes Peter: an about-16-year-old with an Australian accent who seems to know everything in Ricky's head. Peter offers to take Ricky to the Island he's been visiting in his dreams, and seeing nothing to lose, Ricky accepts. No sooner have they gotten to Peter's Island, though, when Ricky is clubbed in the back of the head and comes to to find a rescue mission in progress. Alex cuts Ricky's binds and leads him out of the dark caves, back to the burrow where he and a few other rescued teens have been living with the man they call Captain. Slowly Ricky starts to trust his rescuers, and they slowly start to trust him--enough, anyway, that they can use him in their mission to capture Peter so that they can all, finally, go home.
This fast-paced adventure sticks pretty close to the source material, while still allowing for some creative reinterpretations necessary to modernize the story. Captain Hooke's crew--these three troubled boys and one very troubled girl--are not as dynamic as they could be, but the point of the book is more in the updating of the Peter Pan story rather than richly nuanced character development. The one strike against it is that the cover copy makes no mention of this being a Peter Pan story; while this might draw in some readers who otherwise wouldn't be interested, it does contribute to a bait-and-switch reading experience. Teen boys swear a lot and think inappropriate thoughts, so I wouldn't hand it to sixth-graders, but mature 8th graders and up will find themselves turning adventure-filled pages late into the night.
This fast-paced adventure sticks pretty close to the source material, while still allowing for some creative reinterpretations necessary to modernize the story. Captain Hooke's crew--these three troubled boys and one very troubled girl--are not as dynamic as they could be, but the point of the book is more in the updating of the Peter Pan story rather than richly nuanced character development. The one strike against it is that the cover copy makes no mention of this being a Peter Pan story; while this might draw in some readers who otherwise wouldn't be interested, it does contribute to a bait-and-switch reading experience. Teen boys swear a lot and think inappropriate thoughts, so I wouldn't hand it to sixth-graders, but mature 8th graders and up will find themselves turning adventure-filled pages late into the night.
August 8, 2018
Never After is a retelling of Peter Pan. However, instead of a boy who lives in paradisaical Neverland taking care of his Lost Boys, flirting with mermaids and TigerLily, and valiantly fighting against Captain Hook, Elconin's Peter is a kidnapping con artist. Luring children of unhappy homes to the paradise of Neverland, Peter enters their dreams and makes them believe that all their worries will disappear once reach the island. Then, once they fly to this special place, Peter knocks them on the head, kidnaps them, and saves them for a purpose unknown to the kidnapped boys.
Luckily, the main character, Ricky, is saved by a gang of other kidnapped teenagers who have escaped Peter and remain on the Island, trying to find a way home. Their goal is to kidnap Peter, who is the only one that can fly, and somehow force him to take them home. The only problem is that Peter has a horde of zombies called the Lost Boys at his command, the Native Americans refuse to help, and a giant crocodile has it out for the oldest escapees -- Nigel Hooke.
Never After is imaginative, fun, and adventurous. There is always some intrigue going on, making this a fast and entertaining read. All the characters go through dramatic changes and grow tremendously while they try to find their way back to their dysfunctional homes. Some of the issues with the characters were overly melodramatic, but for the most part, I found myself liking and relating to them. The ending battle is fantastic and well worth the build-up in the beginning.
Yet, while the changes in the classic Peter Pan story are interesting, this was a bit too immature for me. There were too many penis jokes, "that's what she said" lines, and insults to each other's mothers. At first it was amusing, but after a constant barrage of them, it wasn't funny and it seriously detracted from the story. Also, the writing could have been better. There's a lot of telling instead of showing and things always "seem" to be one way, they never simply "are." Basically, just classic mistakes from a young writer. Nothing major, but definitely not as polished as it could have been. Aside from all that, however, this was actually a good story.
I think lovers of retellings and young adult fantasy will appreciate Never After. It's a fun re-imagination of the Peter Pan story we have all grown up with.
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
Luckily, the main character, Ricky, is saved by a gang of other kidnapped teenagers who have escaped Peter and remain on the Island, trying to find a way home. Their goal is to kidnap Peter, who is the only one that can fly, and somehow force him to take them home. The only problem is that Peter has a horde of zombies called the Lost Boys at his command, the Native Americans refuse to help, and a giant crocodile has it out for the oldest escapees -- Nigel Hooke.
Never After is imaginative, fun, and adventurous. There is always some intrigue going on, making this a fast and entertaining read. All the characters go through dramatic changes and grow tremendously while they try to find their way back to their dysfunctional homes. Some of the issues with the characters were overly melodramatic, but for the most part, I found myself liking and relating to them. The ending battle is fantastic and well worth the build-up in the beginning.
Yet, while the changes in the classic Peter Pan story are interesting, this was a bit too immature for me. There were too many penis jokes, "that's what she said" lines, and insults to each other's mothers. At first it was amusing, but after a constant barrage of them, it wasn't funny and it seriously detracted from the story. Also, the writing could have been better. There's a lot of telling instead of showing and things always "seem" to be one way, they never simply "are." Basically, just classic mistakes from a young writer. Nothing major, but definitely not as polished as it could have been. Aside from all that, however, this was actually a good story.
I think lovers of retellings and young adult fantasy will appreciate Never After. It's a fun re-imagination of the Peter Pan story we have all grown up with.
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
February 12, 2010
When Dan first contacted me about reviewing his book, I had to do a little research because I'd never heard of it. A re-telling of Peter Pan, you say? With penis jokes? Since apparently I'm a fourteen-year-old boy on the inside, I couldn't resist. Dan started writing this book when he was fourteen and got it published when he was 19. It's his debut.
First I want to say that it's an excellent and imaginative re-telling. It just totally bastardizes the whole fantasy of Peter Pan to something that's much more horrific than what Disney is willing to tell you. Paradise is equivalent to a lobotomy and the Lost Boys (and Girls) are nowhere near as friendly as they were originally. There's still a giant crocodile (alligator?) that's after Hooke but Hooke isn't a gnarly old man with a vendetta against a teenage boy. He's only a few years younger than I am (although he looks rather worn) but he's still got that vendetta. And for good reason.
The story, from a panoramic view, is pretty damn good. Dan took a familiar story and turned it on its head to appeal to a broader audience that may not like the sappy drama of the original Peter Pan and his Lost Boys. "Wendy"'s a rancid bitch, but for good reason and the "brothers" fight like a married couple. Total update and totally good. And the jokes had be snickering. Not sure what that says about me but there you go. There were snorts.
The issue that I had with it, though, was the writing. I just don't think it's quite "there" yet. Obviously someone felt it was good enough to get published but I'm more inclined to say it was geared towards the story more than the style itself. Personally, none of the writing flaws are fatal and all that I saw are things that can easily be worked out of the writing the more Dan writes.
Basically, many of the flaws I found were more novice flaws. Big of me to say since I don't have a book published (yet) but, in my more seasoned eye (read: as someone that's already wrote my way through college and freelance editing and so on) this is much more juvenile writing with more juvenile mistakes.
The insistence of time was a MAJOR issue for me. Either Ricky had an insane reference for time or he's OCD and counted constantly. It almost felt like Dan didn't know how else to move time forward than to tell how many seconds or minutes or hours passed from one event to the next. It really rubbed me raw right at the beginning when they were crawling through a pitch black cave and Ricky still had a sense of time. Marines in sensory deprivation lose their sense of time but I guess Ricky pwns them.
Another major issue was the insistence of space. Ricky always seemed to know how far away something was, how high a ceiling was. Lateral space was his game. Tape measures for eyeballs, I tell you. There wasn't much imagination in the use of either space or time. Instead of running until his muscles lit on fire, Ricky ran for 12 minutes and about 3 miles. Like I said, the kid either had an insane sense of time and space or was severely OCD.
Another issue was Ricky "seemed" a lot. Everything seemed to be this way or that. The thing with "seemed" is that if used too much, it weakens the writing. I don't want to know what something seemed like. Tell me how it was. You're living it. It was like rubbing sand in your eyes instead of it seemed painful to look at. Removing "seemed" or any of its variations gives the reader a much more immediate reaction and feeling to the writing and makes the characters stronger. Ricky won't seem like an indecisive schmo if he was more definitive in his assertions.
There was also much more telling than there was showing and Dan didn't leave much to the reader's imagination when explaining a lot of things. Everything was always so precise that it felt like I was getting information dictated to me instead of being allowed to imagine what it was all like. That's a mistake a lot of young writers (and many older ones, for that matter) make because they have such specific ideas for their works and they want to make sure the reader gets it exactly right. Thing is, allowing the reader the freedom to picture what their reading makes for a more enjoyable read. Otherwise it's like reading directions from Mapquest.
Voice was another thing. Dan has an excellent knack for writing a teenage boy (if he didn't, we'd have issues) and he has a wonderful way with words that many writers would be jealous of. Unfortunately, from what I saw, he tried to balance the two so in dialogue we have some great teenage boy voice but in first person POV exposition, it's a much more intelligent, highfalutin voice that doesn't match the character. I can understand why he'd want to demonstrate the two (shit, if I wrote like that, I'd want to too) but it made reading a little difficult, as if Ricky was a little schizophrenic. When writing in the voice of a character, it needs to stay in character, in or out of voice. I had the same issue with Maggie Stiefvater's work. I felt the exposition of the inner dialogue didn't match what was coming out of the characters' mouths. Same issue here (but much less masturbatory and much more natural). It's hard to do. It's an issue I struggle with. As much as I want to write in my "default" voice, if it doesn't match the character, I can't. With time I think Dan will be able to balance this out much better.
Now that the critique is over, I can say the story was definitely good and I can see from Dan's writing that he has absolutely amazing potential. He's young and he has some kinks to work out of his writing. None of the issues I named are fatal and all can be easily removed with more writing, more editing, more critique groups. I wish I had the talent at 19 than Dan does. If he keeps working at it, keeps writing, he'll hone his craft to such a fine-tuned violin that people will be drooling over his work. I feel confident that he'll only get better from here.
But in the meantime, I'd recommend this one simply for the plot. It's a great re-telling, very imaginative and has zombies. Peter Pan and zombies. Bet you never thought of that one, did you?
First I want to say that it's an excellent and imaginative re-telling. It just totally bastardizes the whole fantasy of Peter Pan to something that's much more horrific than what Disney is willing to tell you. Paradise is equivalent to a lobotomy and the Lost Boys (and Girls) are nowhere near as friendly as they were originally. There's still a giant crocodile (alligator?) that's after Hooke but Hooke isn't a gnarly old man with a vendetta against a teenage boy. He's only a few years younger than I am (although he looks rather worn) but he's still got that vendetta. And for good reason.
The story, from a panoramic view, is pretty damn good. Dan took a familiar story and turned it on its head to appeal to a broader audience that may not like the sappy drama of the original Peter Pan and his Lost Boys. "Wendy"'s a rancid bitch, but for good reason and the "brothers" fight like a married couple. Total update and totally good. And the jokes had be snickering. Not sure what that says about me but there you go. There were snorts.
The issue that I had with it, though, was the writing. I just don't think it's quite "there" yet. Obviously someone felt it was good enough to get published but I'm more inclined to say it was geared towards the story more than the style itself. Personally, none of the writing flaws are fatal and all that I saw are things that can easily be worked out of the writing the more Dan writes.
Basically, many of the flaws I found were more novice flaws. Big of me to say since I don't have a book published (yet) but, in my more seasoned eye (read: as someone that's already wrote my way through college and freelance editing and so on) this is much more juvenile writing with more juvenile mistakes.
The insistence of time was a MAJOR issue for me. Either Ricky had an insane reference for time or he's OCD and counted constantly. It almost felt like Dan didn't know how else to move time forward than to tell how many seconds or minutes or hours passed from one event to the next. It really rubbed me raw right at the beginning when they were crawling through a pitch black cave and Ricky still had a sense of time. Marines in sensory deprivation lose their sense of time but I guess Ricky pwns them.
Another major issue was the insistence of space. Ricky always seemed to know how far away something was, how high a ceiling was. Lateral space was his game. Tape measures for eyeballs, I tell you. There wasn't much imagination in the use of either space or time. Instead of running until his muscles lit on fire, Ricky ran for 12 minutes and about 3 miles. Like I said, the kid either had an insane sense of time and space or was severely OCD.
Another issue was Ricky "seemed" a lot. Everything seemed to be this way or that. The thing with "seemed" is that if used too much, it weakens the writing. I don't want to know what something seemed like. Tell me how it was. You're living it. It was like rubbing sand in your eyes instead of it seemed painful to look at. Removing "seemed" or any of its variations gives the reader a much more immediate reaction and feeling to the writing and makes the characters stronger. Ricky won't seem like an indecisive schmo if he was more definitive in his assertions.
There was also much more telling than there was showing and Dan didn't leave much to the reader's imagination when explaining a lot of things. Everything was always so precise that it felt like I was getting information dictated to me instead of being allowed to imagine what it was all like. That's a mistake a lot of young writers (and many older ones, for that matter) make because they have such specific ideas for their works and they want to make sure the reader gets it exactly right. Thing is, allowing the reader the freedom to picture what their reading makes for a more enjoyable read. Otherwise it's like reading directions from Mapquest.
Voice was another thing. Dan has an excellent knack for writing a teenage boy (if he didn't, we'd have issues) and he has a wonderful way with words that many writers would be jealous of. Unfortunately, from what I saw, he tried to balance the two so in dialogue we have some great teenage boy voice but in first person POV exposition, it's a much more intelligent, highfalutin voice that doesn't match the character. I can understand why he'd want to demonstrate the two (shit, if I wrote like that, I'd want to too) but it made reading a little difficult, as if Ricky was a little schizophrenic. When writing in the voice of a character, it needs to stay in character, in or out of voice. I had the same issue with Maggie Stiefvater's work. I felt the exposition of the inner dialogue didn't match what was coming out of the characters' mouths. Same issue here (but much less masturbatory and much more natural). It's hard to do. It's an issue I struggle with. As much as I want to write in my "default" voice, if it doesn't match the character, I can't. With time I think Dan will be able to balance this out much better.
Now that the critique is over, I can say the story was definitely good and I can see from Dan's writing that he has absolutely amazing potential. He's young and he has some kinks to work out of his writing. None of the issues I named are fatal and all can be easily removed with more writing, more editing, more critique groups. I wish I had the talent at 19 than Dan does. If he keeps working at it, keeps writing, he'll hone his craft to such a fine-tuned violin that people will be drooling over his work. I feel confident that he'll only get better from here.
But in the meantime, I'd recommend this one simply for the plot. It's a great re-telling, very imaginative and has zombies. Peter Pan and zombies. Bet you never thought of that one, did you?
November 5, 2009
Never After by Dan Elconin = Harry Potter + Superbad + Twilight + POTC + Peter Pan + Wicked.
To be honest I’m not a huge reader, I read Never After mostly out of curiosity because I heard it’s “the next big thing” like Harry Potter or Twilight. Much to my surprise, Never After is now one of my all-time favorite books. Here is why (and how it’s like all the books/movies mentioned above):
- Never After is like Harry Potter in a lot of ways. One, it reads very fast and easily, you forget you’re reading and next thing you know you’ve read a hundred pages! And the ending is just amazing. (Though I have to say the first few chapters were slow, at least compared to the rest of the book.) Two, Never After has everything: fantasy, action, romance, drama, horror, and comedy, and all of these constituents are incredibly well-crafted and entertaining. Three, the tone is dark and intense but at the same time lighthearted and totally fun. And four -- most importantly in my opinion -- you really fall in love with the characters, they become your fictional best friends just like Harry and Ron and all the rest.
- Never After is like Superbad in that it is HILARIOUS -- easily the funniest book I’ve ever read (a little more witty/less coarse than Superbad though). It’s also like Superbad in that the teenage characters feel completely real. Elconin is a teen himself, so it makes sense that he’s so good at portraying how teens think, feel, and act, and especially how they talk (the dialogue is just incredible).
- Never After is like Wicked in that it is a twist on a much-beloved classic, Peter Pan. I couldn’t wait to see what piece of the original story Elconin would twist next and how he would do it.
- Never After is like POTC in that “Captain” James Hooke is a lot like -- and every bit as crazy, funny, and otherwise awesome as -- Captain Jack Sparrow. I do not say that lightly. All the characters are awesome but Hooke really steals the show.
- And last but not least, Never After is like Twilight in that it has a wonderful romantic plotline. It’s a pretty big part of the book too. It’s everything a great romance should be: enthralling, complex, packed with all kinds of tension, and alternately heated and sweet, heartbreaking and jubilant. And most importantly, it’s so realistic that you feel like it’s happening to you.
To be honest I’m not a huge reader, I read Never After mostly out of curiosity because I heard it’s “the next big thing” like Harry Potter or Twilight. Much to my surprise, Never After is now one of my all-time favorite books. Here is why (and how it’s like all the books/movies mentioned above):
- Never After is like Harry Potter in a lot of ways. One, it reads very fast and easily, you forget you’re reading and next thing you know you’ve read a hundred pages! And the ending is just amazing. (Though I have to say the first few chapters were slow, at least compared to the rest of the book.) Two, Never After has everything: fantasy, action, romance, drama, horror, and comedy, and all of these constituents are incredibly well-crafted and entertaining. Three, the tone is dark and intense but at the same time lighthearted and totally fun. And four -- most importantly in my opinion -- you really fall in love with the characters, they become your fictional best friends just like Harry and Ron and all the rest.
- Never After is like Superbad in that it is HILARIOUS -- easily the funniest book I’ve ever read (a little more witty/less coarse than Superbad though). It’s also like Superbad in that the teenage characters feel completely real. Elconin is a teen himself, so it makes sense that he’s so good at portraying how teens think, feel, and act, and especially how they talk (the dialogue is just incredible).
- Never After is like Wicked in that it is a twist on a much-beloved classic, Peter Pan. I couldn’t wait to see what piece of the original story Elconin would twist next and how he would do it.
- Never After is like POTC in that “Captain” James Hooke is a lot like -- and every bit as crazy, funny, and otherwise awesome as -- Captain Jack Sparrow. I do not say that lightly. All the characters are awesome but Hooke really steals the show.
- And last but not least, Never After is like Twilight in that it has a wonderful romantic plotline. It’s a pretty big part of the book too. It’s everything a great romance should be: enthralling, complex, packed with all kinds of tension, and alternately heated and sweet, heartbreaking and jubilant. And most importantly, it’s so realistic that you feel like it’s happening to you.
October 25, 2009
Elconin is a teenager and it shows in all of the good ways and none of the bad. His prose, character development, and plotting is right up there with the best adult authors, but he knows how to write teenagers better than anyone else. From Alex and Nigel’s hilarious banter to Ricky’s interest in the girls, Elconin portrays his characters with an authenticity that older authors are simply incapable of. Unlike in most teen lit that I’ve read, Elconin’s authenticity allows the reader to forget that the characters aren’t real and thus allows the underlying elements of the story to shine through. And they do indeed shine: The premise is as wonderfully creative as Wicked, the horror is as horrifying as Stephen King, the action is right up there with the Lord of the Rings movies, the comedy is hard to match, and the romance is amazing well-crafted for such a young author.
June 10, 2010
wow, really good book; it made me crack up several times which is definably not normal. Great characters, wonderful twists, original story line. The only reason i wouldn't recommend this book is because of all the swearing. Seriously. They wouldn't stop swearing. It was starting to get on my nerves. Other than that, amazing book.
July 9, 2017
Ricky has been dreaming about the Island for a few nights now, so when Peter appears in his room one night, he figures a short visit couldn't hurt. He's been thinking about running away anyway. When Ricky gets to the Island, he realizes Peter has no intention of letting him go back home. Chained up underground, Ricky has no hope of escape, until he's rescued by Alex, Hooke, and Nigel. Together with Oscar, a girl Ricky rescues, the group plans on capturing Peter with one goal in mind - getting off the Island. But they didn't realize Hooke has his own plans.
An interesting twist on the Peter Pan legend. Peter is the bad guy, there are no adults, and no ship. Lots of action and humor to go along with the story. "It's like Moby Dick," Alex said, "except the whale's after Moby." (pg 160)
An interesting twist on the Peter Pan legend. Peter is the bad guy, there are no adults, and no ship. Lots of action and humor to go along with the story. "It's like Moby Dick," Alex said, "except the whale's after Moby." (pg 160)
March 13, 2018
This book is about Ricky (the main character) meeting Peter Pan who takes him to "The island" and locks him in a cave inside a mountain. The smell of rotting flesh all around the cave. Soon after Ricky was locked up, another boy saves him and takes him to James "Hook". It turns out that Captain hook was just like the main character, he hadn't found any way off the island. Peter Pan only takes and locks up kids who have had a troubled life at home.
December 28, 2024
This was very well written
May 24, 2010
Oh my goodness was this book hilarious or what? The author, who's 19, did an excellent job with the book. The characters were well written and believable. The banter was crazy. It had me laughing out loud many times.
Hahahahaha!!!
Riley, the main guy was actually a pretty decent guy, when he wasn't being a young punk. I think I liked him because he kind of reminded me of how I was in high school. That sounds so bad but that's the past, right? Anywho, he tried to do what was right and at times was very noble - I can't think of a good word right now for it. Wait, he was a go getter. That sounds better. I'm glad the story began with Alex as it seems like the party didn't start until he got there. Either way, I enjoyed reading about Riley's history and seeing him take charge and grow up.
I loved the banter between Alex and Nigel. Sometimes I felt so bad for Alex, he kept being the butt of all the jokes. Mariah got on my nerves a lot, but that's what she was supposed to have done, right? The author did a great job at making Peter creepy as all get out. I knew the original Peter was too good to be true. The only person that really confused me was Hooke, I still don't know much about him.
Did anyone else think that it was weird how the natives didn't know one thing (the thank you part -which resulted in me laughing out loud) but could know of other things (language-wise) that I felt were a little modern. Oh well.
My only warning is that it has pretty strong language in it... and sometimes in all caps!! Reader beware. No seriously, it does have pretty strong language so if that's not your cup of tea you might want to skip this one. But I think he did a pretty good job with making them sound like realistic teenage boys (and girls). I recommend it because it was hilarious and an excellent take on an old story. I'm really glad I read it. Also, I didn't get this one from the library, I actually bought it, so I'm glad I got my money's worth!
...Nigel grinned, "Hey Ricky, where's your shining armor?"
"Oh," I said, cocking a thumb over my shoulder, "I left it up top with my white horse."
Hahahahaha!!!
Riley, the main guy was actually a pretty decent guy, when he wasn't being a young punk. I think I liked him because he kind of reminded me of how I was in high school. That sounds so bad but that's the past, right? Anywho, he tried to do what was right and at times was very noble - I can't think of a good word right now for it. Wait, he was a go getter. That sounds better. I'm glad the story began with Alex as it seems like the party didn't start until he got there. Either way, I enjoyed reading about Riley's history and seeing him take charge and grow up.
I loved the banter between Alex and Nigel. Sometimes I felt so bad for Alex, he kept being the butt of all the jokes. Mariah got on my nerves a lot, but that's what she was supposed to have done, right? The author did a great job at making Peter creepy as all get out. I knew the original Peter was too good to be true. The only person that really confused me was Hooke, I still don't know much about him.
Did anyone else think that it was weird how the natives didn't know one thing (the thank you part -which resulted in me laughing out loud) but could know of other things (language-wise) that I felt were a little modern. Oh well.
My only warning is that it has pretty strong language in it... and sometimes in all caps!! Reader beware. No seriously, it does have pretty strong language so if that's not your cup of tea you might want to skip this one. But I think he did a pretty good job with making them sound like realistic teenage boys (and girls). I recommend it because it was hilarious and an excellent take on an old story. I'm really glad I read it. Also, I didn't get this one from the library, I actually bought it, so I'm glad I got my money's worth!
July 11, 2012
I love anything and everything to do with Peter Pan! I've been trying to read more retold versions of it (so far I've only read the Peter and the Starcatchers series) and I really can't wait to read Tiger Lily, which was just recently released. But enough about that. I knew that this novel would certainly be different because the tale has been twisted, making Peter into a malevolent kidnapper and definitely not the innocent boy we've all grown up knowing about. That difference was enough to convince me that I needed to read this, immediately.
The story's main character is Ricky, a boy who's obviously unhappy with his life and wishes that he could do something about it. Cue Peter, who knows that now is the perfect opportunity to coax Ricky off to the Island, which is apparently a place like paradise where he won't need to worry about anything. But once Ricky finds out the truth and now knows that he's trapped there until he can find his own way off, chaos ensues.
I didn't really like Ricky. Sure, he's a typical guy, but I couldn't really see through his crude jokes and endless swearing to how he really felt about everything, even though it was told through his point of view. He didn't even know what he wanted half of the time and that made things more confusing. But he was heroic, I'll give him that, and was funny until the 'that's what she said' jokes started appearing on every page alongside sexual innuendos. I knew this was going to be nothing like the children's book . . . But I didn't think that meant that every single character was going to curse each other out all the time.
Apart from that, I liked most of the liberties this book took with the original story. How the Lost Boys, the crocodile, Captain Hook were all added in was both efficiently creepy and well-done. Though the ending left some to be desired, as it kept me wanting more.
I'd recommend this for fans of retold fairy tales and fans of Peter Pan. Although it wasn't perfect and isn't a favorite, it's a good, worthwhile read.
4/5 stars
The story's main character is Ricky, a boy who's obviously unhappy with his life and wishes that he could do something about it. Cue Peter, who knows that now is the perfect opportunity to coax Ricky off to the Island, which is apparently a place like paradise where he won't need to worry about anything. But once Ricky finds out the truth and now knows that he's trapped there until he can find his own way off, chaos ensues.
I didn't really like Ricky. Sure, he's a typical guy, but I couldn't really see through his crude jokes and endless swearing to how he really felt about everything, even though it was told through his point of view. He didn't even know what he wanted half of the time and that made things more confusing. But he was heroic, I'll give him that, and was funny until the 'that's what she said' jokes started appearing on every page alongside sexual innuendos. I knew this was going to be nothing like the children's book . . . But I didn't think that meant that every single character was going to curse each other out all the time.
Apart from that, I liked most of the liberties this book took with the original story. How the Lost Boys, the crocodile, Captain Hook were all added in was both efficiently creepy and well-done. Though the ending left some to be desired, as it kept me wanting more.
I'd recommend this for fans of retold fairy tales and fans of Peter Pan. Although it wasn't perfect and isn't a favorite, it's a good, worthwhile read.
4/5 stars
August 3, 2011
Never After is an action-packed thrill ride. I honestly cannot remember the last novel that made me laugh so much. Never After, quite literally, made me laugh until I cried quite a few times.
There is so much here for readers to fall in love with. The plot twists, one of a kind characters, and oh, did I mention humor. Never After is not just about the Peter Pan tale. It is about friendships, families, and survival. When I began the novel, I was not completely sure what I was getting myself into. Read the summary, and you might think the novel is about Neverland (aka the Island) being a scary place. However, this summary is quite deceiving and there is so much more to the tale than that. Now, I do not want to give away all of the Island's secrets, so I will leave that statement at that.
Every novel has its little flaw. For Never After, it would have to be its ending. I loved every second of this novel right up until the wind down. For me, it just did not fit cohesively with the rest of the novel. It felt a tad rushed, and not as well explained as I had hoped. You see, part of what I loved about Never After was how detailed Elconin was. So, I was a bit disappointed to have the ending leave me more questions than answers.
Ending aside, I honestly do not think that I can put the awesomeness of Never After into words. It is one of those novels that will appeal highly to boys, however, there is plenty in here for girls to enjoy. And it is that very nice mix that really took me by surprise. Well, to be honest, the whole novel took me by surprise. Every twist... every complexity... had me hanging on Elconin's next word, waiting for more.
Readers Should be Aware: Never After contains high amounts of vulgarity and sexual innuendos that may be offensive to some readers.
There is so much here for readers to fall in love with. The plot twists, one of a kind characters, and oh, did I mention humor. Never After is not just about the Peter Pan tale. It is about friendships, families, and survival. When I began the novel, I was not completely sure what I was getting myself into. Read the summary, and you might think the novel is about Neverland (aka the Island) being a scary place. However, this summary is quite deceiving and there is so much more to the tale than that. Now, I do not want to give away all of the Island's secrets, so I will leave that statement at that.
Every novel has its little flaw. For Never After, it would have to be its ending. I loved every second of this novel right up until the wind down. For me, it just did not fit cohesively with the rest of the novel. It felt a tad rushed, and not as well explained as I had hoped. You see, part of what I loved about Never After was how detailed Elconin was. So, I was a bit disappointed to have the ending leave me more questions than answers.
Ending aside, I honestly do not think that I can put the awesomeness of Never After into words. It is one of those novels that will appeal highly to boys, however, there is plenty in here for girls to enjoy. And it is that very nice mix that really took me by surprise. Well, to be honest, the whole novel took me by surprise. Every twist... every complexity... had me hanging on Elconin's next word, waiting for more.
Readers Should be Aware: Never After contains high amounts of vulgarity and sexual innuendos that may be offensive to some readers.
Read
December 18, 2009I first judged this book by its cover and I wasn't disappointed. The story turned out to be just as good as the enchanting cover. While the island at first appears enchanting, Ricky soon discovers the island is more of a threat than a paradise.
I thought the writing was wonderful even if it was vulgar at times. It portrayed a truth to how teenagers interact. Plus, it was laugh out loud funny. There were plenty of "that's what she said" jokes, but there were also more serious moments in the book that made me stop reading for a second to absorb it, such as simple phrases Ricky utters but that I could connect with: "Just 'cause you're safe doesn't mean you're sorry" (81). I have to admit, too, that the side characters were just as wonderful as Ricky. They made my laugh and added to the entertainment.
Most of the YA books I've read lately have male protagonists that are idealized or seem more mature than the average teenage boy. However, that's not the case in this story. Ricky seemed very real to me because he was that immature, vulgar, smart-ass boy. It was rather refreshing to read a character so flawed. He did have redeeming qualities, such as his compassion, and they had much more significance because he was such an imperfect character.
Behind all the jokes, this book has substance as it deals with serious issues of teenager dealing with dysfunctions. While Ricky is a immature smart-ass, he is rather charming and I dare you not to be charmed by him too.
I thought the writing was wonderful even if it was vulgar at times. It portrayed a truth to how teenagers interact. Plus, it was laugh out loud funny. There were plenty of "that's what she said" jokes, but there were also more serious moments in the book that made me stop reading for a second to absorb it, such as simple phrases Ricky utters but that I could connect with: "Just 'cause you're safe doesn't mean you're sorry" (81). I have to admit, too, that the side characters were just as wonderful as Ricky. They made my laugh and added to the entertainment.
Most of the YA books I've read lately have male protagonists that are idealized or seem more mature than the average teenage boy. However, that's not the case in this story. Ricky seemed very real to me because he was that immature, vulgar, smart-ass boy. It was rather refreshing to read a character so flawed. He did have redeeming qualities, such as his compassion, and they had much more significance because he was such an imperfect character.
Behind all the jokes, this book has substance as it deals with serious issues of teenager dealing with dysfunctions. While Ricky is a immature smart-ass, he is rather charming and I dare you not to be charmed by him too.
February 12, 2010
A very unique book for sure. I didn't realize that Never After was a twist of the classic Peter Pan tale until I got to the middle of this novel. It was definitely interesting to see how Dan Elconin twisted the original plot line to make it seem as if Peter was the villain and Hooke was the good guy.
Though the plot itself was entertaining, I found the writing to be fairly simplistic. I could definitely tell that the book was written if not by a college student then a high schooler for sure due to the language used and the style of the writing. There was so much sexual connotations thatit seemed as if it was everywhere. Though it was humorous at first, I have to admit, I did get a bit tired of it after a while.
The characters, Ricky and Company, are well-developed enough. They definitely could use work on the depth of each character but I suppose it's good enough for a college student. The one thing I can say for them is that it was a fairly good description of today's teenage boys and girls. Oh, and the humor was fantastic. Other than that, the book was adequate.
The ending was a slight cliff-hanger because I felt like there was a lot of different interpretations that you could get from the last chapter. It was slightly disconcerting.
Overall, Never After was a humorous and entertaining novel and gave a interesting twist on Peter Pan but be prepared to be drowned in all the soon-to-be annoying sexual connotations.
Though the plot itself was entertaining, I found the writing to be fairly simplistic. I could definitely tell that the book was written if not by a college student then a high schooler for sure due to the language used and the style of the writing. There was so much sexual connotations thatit seemed as if it was everywhere. Though it was humorous at first, I have to admit, I did get a bit tired of it after a while.
The characters, Ricky and Company, are well-developed enough. They definitely could use work on the depth of each character but I suppose it's good enough for a college student. The one thing I can say for them is that it was a fairly good description of today's teenage boys and girls. Oh, and the humor was fantastic. Other than that, the book was adequate.
The ending was a slight cliff-hanger because I felt like there was a lot of different interpretations that you could get from the last chapter. It was slightly disconcerting.
Overall, Never After was a humorous and entertaining novel and gave a interesting twist on Peter Pan but be prepared to be drowned in all the soon-to-be annoying sexual connotations.
October 21, 2009
Generally with books, within the first few pages you get a feel of how a book will be. With Never After, my initial thoughts were, "Wow, this'll be good!" but it outlived every expectation I had for it and more! Never After was so enjoyable because it was such a twist on the classic Peter Pan and was filled with loads of humor!
Never After is a book to keep you flipping pages at an insane speed, needing to know what'll happen next. Every page is jam packed with action, humor, adventure, and a bit of romance. I found myself laughing out loud at so many points in the book, especially whenever you found a twisted part of the classic.
Dan Elconin really mastered the art of making you feel as if you're in the story, standing right next to all the characters. I simply fell in love with all the characters! Mariah was my favorite character though. She was such a great character - you didn't get to know her all at once, rather you got a piece here, and a piece there along the way.
Reading Never After makes you feel like you can have an escape to The Island, along with Ricky, Nigel and the others. I cannot wait to see what Dan Elconin has planned next. If it's anything like Never After, it'll be amazing.
Never After is a book to keep you flipping pages at an insane speed, needing to know what'll happen next. Every page is jam packed with action, humor, adventure, and a bit of romance. I found myself laughing out loud at so many points in the book, especially whenever you found a twisted part of the classic.
Dan Elconin really mastered the art of making you feel as if you're in the story, standing right next to all the characters. I simply fell in love with all the characters! Mariah was my favorite character though. She was such a great character - you didn't get to know her all at once, rather you got a piece here, and a piece there along the way.
Reading Never After makes you feel like you can have an escape to The Island, along with Ricky, Nigel and the others. I cannot wait to see what Dan Elconin has planned next. If it's anything like Never After, it'll be amazing.
May 3, 2010
So apparently I am a teenage boy on the inside. Yup, I thought this book was amazing and hilarious!
I will grant anyone else who read this the fact that the writing is simplistic, it is. However what do you expect for a writer who was a teenager when he wrote this? I think it fits so well!
The characters are amazing! They are the type of people you wish you could hang out with, always jibing one another and telling "That's what she said" jokes until the other party cracks a smile. If you don't mind cuss words (and I don't mean a bit of cussing, I mean pretty profuse cussing) then you will really enjoy this story.
No, this book is not all snarky humor, although it mostly is. Buried beneath all the jokes is a story about 5 teens and their quests to be happy with their lives. Each of them has gone through something life changing, and they bond together to deal with their issues together. I think it's also about friendship and the definition of a friend.
I wish I could say more, but I don't want to give it away! If the book synopsis doesn't feel the need to tell you what this book is about ahead of time, then I don't want to either. Just read and enjoy!
I will grant anyone else who read this the fact that the writing is simplistic, it is. However what do you expect for a writer who was a teenager when he wrote this? I think it fits so well!
The characters are amazing! They are the type of people you wish you could hang out with, always jibing one another and telling "That's what she said" jokes until the other party cracks a smile. If you don't mind cuss words (and I don't mean a bit of cussing, I mean pretty profuse cussing) then you will really enjoy this story.
No, this book is not all snarky humor, although it mostly is. Buried beneath all the jokes is a story about 5 teens and their quests to be happy with their lives. Each of them has gone through something life changing, and they bond together to deal with their issues together. I think it's also about friendship and the definition of a friend.
I wish I could say more, but I don't want to give it away! If the book synopsis doesn't feel the need to tell you what this book is about ahead of time, then I don't want to either. Just read and enjoy!
October 16, 2011
Fans of Peter Pan would be disappointed by Tinker Bell and Wendy's non-appearance in this more-male-centric-than-usual version of 'Peter Pan' and his Neverland but Elconin has replaced Wendy - the symbol of Peter's maternal fantasies - with the teenage boy's dream of a super-heroine, a Mariah nicknamed 'Oscar', with an acid tongue and a talent for swordfighting.
I learnt midway through the book that Elconin is/was still a teenager himself (19 or so) when he wrote this, and the conversations between Ricky, the protagonist, and the two other boys on the island - Nigel and Alex - are quite funny in the crass/politically incorrect way authentic to teenage boys. There's a lot of foul language and jokes involving private parts and homo-eroticism, but I imagine that may be (strangely) normal for boys of a certain age group...
I thought more could have been made of the fact that the 'Lost Boys and Girls' are zombies, and Peter's character, but the protagonist is quite well drawn and convincing, even if his problems really don't seem to be proportionate to his overwhelming anger at life (as Nigel himself notes - many of them take their luck for granted).
I learnt midway through the book that Elconin is/was still a teenager himself (19 or so) when he wrote this, and the conversations between Ricky, the protagonist, and the two other boys on the island - Nigel and Alex - are quite funny in the crass/politically incorrect way authentic to teenage boys. There's a lot of foul language and jokes involving private parts and homo-eroticism, but I imagine that may be (strangely) normal for boys of a certain age group...
I thought more could have been made of the fact that the 'Lost Boys and Girls' are zombies, and Peter's character, but the protagonist is quite well drawn and convincing, even if his problems really don't seem to be proportionate to his overwhelming anger at life (as Nigel himself notes - many of them take their luck for granted).
February 18, 2016
From the Back Panel:
"There is no place like a dysfunctional home."
Leaving everything behind for the Island was Ricky's dream come true. When his happily ever after is not quite what it seems, he discovers that running away means running toward bigger problems.
Trapped on the Island, Ricky must join together with the only people he can trust to help him face his fears and return home. But the only way off the Island is to confront the person who trapped Ricky and his friends in the first place. With countless enemies and true peril staring them down, Ricky's mission to leave this so-called paradise will become a battle for their very lives.
~~~~~
The book was slow at the beginning, but it did pick up. With witty characters, a good amount of teen angst, writing, and some well timed phallic jokes, it was a read that was both funny, yet suspenseful. The ending, with the massive reveal of Peter and his origins was enough to make your blood chill just a bit.
It's a twist on Neverland that is nothing like the Starcatchers series, what with a slightly darker version of the Boy Hero we all know and love.
"There is no place like a dysfunctional home."
Leaving everything behind for the Island was Ricky's dream come true. When his happily ever after is not quite what it seems, he discovers that running away means running toward bigger problems.
Trapped on the Island, Ricky must join together with the only people he can trust to help him face his fears and return home. But the only way off the Island is to confront the person who trapped Ricky and his friends in the first place. With countless enemies and true peril staring them down, Ricky's mission to leave this so-called paradise will become a battle for their very lives.
~~~~~
The book was slow at the beginning, but it did pick up. With witty characters, a good amount of teen angst, writing, and some well timed phallic jokes, it was a read that was both funny, yet suspenseful. The ending, with the massive reveal of Peter and his origins was enough to make your blood chill just a bit.
It's a twist on Neverland that is nothing like the Starcatchers series, what with a slightly darker version of the Boy Hero we all know and love.
October 25, 2009
I LOVED this book. I didn’t think I would because I’m a huge Peter Pan fan and somebody told me that this book is WAY different than the book or the Disney cartoon, and it is way different but it works great. It’s like the Peter Pan everyone knows is a watered down kid’s story, and this is the true story. Every element of Peter Pan is here except turned on its head – I kept turning the pages just to see how Elconin would twist each part of the original story. The tone is dark and scary which is a perfect because this book is supposed to be the opposite of the original and this tone is indeed the opposite of the tone in the original. But it’s not too dark or depressing because the characters are all teenagers and therefore cheery and hilarious. A surprisingly wonderful treat for Peter Pan fans.
August 27, 2013
I read this book several years ago but it wasn't on Goodreads at the time, but now that I've stumbled across it I may as well review it.
This book was just OK. I was intrigued by the retelling of Peter Pan, but I think it was mostly a disappointment. I remember the plot line not having a lot of depth and neither did the characters. There were some new tweaks to the old story but they were largely unimaginative. There was a rape element that was introduced but superficially explored and never resolved. I hate it when authors bring up rape and let it fall flat--don't go there if you can't fully commit. I also remember lots of unnecessary language, like Jesus-f*cking-Christ, in particular. When offensive language is not warranted, it's always a turn off and makes it harder to recommend the book to readers.
This book was just OK. I was intrigued by the retelling of Peter Pan, but I think it was mostly a disappointment. I remember the plot line not having a lot of depth and neither did the characters. There were some new tweaks to the old story but they were largely unimaginative. There was a rape element that was introduced but superficially explored and never resolved. I hate it when authors bring up rape and let it fall flat--don't go there if you can't fully commit. I also remember lots of unnecessary language, like Jesus-f*cking-Christ, in particular. When offensive language is not warranted, it's always a turn off and makes it harder to recommend the book to readers.
August 1, 2014
Oh my wow. Anybody want some twisted fairytale? I loved every single bit of Never After, and I am now demanding a sequel. Ricky's a great, relatable character, and the rest of the cast are just witty and outrageous enough to pack the book full of giggles I had to stifle in English class, wrapped in suspense and romance. Every detail was perfect; the crocodile, Cap, Alex and his utter annoying funniness, Nigel and his eating habits, Mariah and her death stare... Beautifully crafted. I loved this dark take on Peter Pan; there were so many things that could have gone wrong, but Elconin avoided them all. Masterfully done.
September 21, 2009
This book has some of my favorite characters in all of literature. Ricky, the main character, reminds me of Harry Potter—he’s not really extraordinary in any way, but he’s a strong, brave, sympathetic hero. Peter is evil in a chillingly realistic way—you love to hate him. Hooke (my fave!) is mental, and his craziness is alternately humorous and disturbing. Mariah is a potentially lethal mystery. Alex and Nigel are just hilarious—I wish they were real so I could hang out with them. Lily is sweet, shy, and a kick@$$ warrior. And Panther reminds me of Darth Vader—so cool but so bad.
October 25, 2009
My new favorite book. Mainly because the characters are all so realistic and cool. I can’t decide which character is my favorite because they’re all so badass in their own way: Ricky is a straight up BAMF, Peter is an evil badass, Hooke is a comically but also scarily crazy badass, Mariah is a mysterious badass, Alex and Nigel are freakin hilarious badasses, etc etc. You wouldn’t think a book about Peter Pan could be badass, but this book is really the opposite of Peter Pan. And accordingly it is extremely badass.
October 25, 2009
I didn’t want to read this because I hate Peter Pan and everything Disney and the title “Never After” makes me think of Cinderella or something but a couple of my good friends insisted I read it and I’m so glad I did. If I had to pick one word to describe Never After it would be (ironically since it’s about peter Pan) cool. Everything about it is cool. The banter between the teenage characters, the swordfights, the gross and seriously creepy horror scenes. Even the romance is cool, it’s realistic and not sappy but still romantic. I’m looking forward to Elconin’s next book.
November 11, 2010
This book is overall a great and highly original re-telling of peter pan. The story is so imaginative giving a great feel for young adult readers who are interested in a classic with a twist.
I found out about this book from a blog as many of you may get your way finding books as well, well let me tell you...fate was on my side that day because this book has it all.
Full of action, humor, some ro...
Continued on http://midnightfume.blogspot.com/2010/10/never after
I found out about this book from a blog as many of you may get your way finding books as well, well let me tell you...fate was on my side that day because this book has it all.
Full of action, humor, some ro...
Continued on http://midnightfume.blogspot.com/2010/10/never after
May 13, 2014
Honestly, i had two pages left in this book and could not finish it I just couldn't enjoy this at all, this book completely just drove me into a wall. I rarely have book slumps, but the past two books I dove into I have been completely disappointed and this book just dragged me down, I liked the idea, it just wasn't projected well and really didn't follow along a specific storyline what so ever. I was just so annoyed because it was just not well written and properly developed that I just couldn't finish it.
October 20, 2009
I’ve never read a book that makes it so easy to get lost in the story. Elconin makes this world seem so real that even if all the character were doing nothing but lying on the beach, you’d be entertained because you’d feel like you were lying on the beach too. But of course they don’t just lie on the beach: There’s action in this book to rival LOTR, wit to rival Superbad, romance to rival, uh, a really good romance, and twists that M Night Shamalan would envy.
October 20, 2009
There’s something so fun about seeing a lighthearted tale from your childhood retold with a sinister twist. That’s why they’re coming out with all these movies about the old comic book superheroes, and transformers, and g.i. joe. But unlike some of those movies, Never After doesn’t ride solely on its twisted-classic premise. It would be an excellent book even if it had nothing to do with Peter Pan.
October 20, 2009
Harry Potter was magic. That’s the only way I can describe it. Because if you asked me why I loved Harry and all his friends so much, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you. The book just had some (magical?) quality that made the characters come alive and become not only our heroes but our close friends. Never After is the only book I’ve read apart from Harry Potter that has that quality. I don’t know how Elconin did it, but I think it’s by far the most important element of any novel.
October 20, 2009
Don’t read this book because the author is a teenager. Read it because it’s a great book. People told me, “You’ll be amazed the whole time you’re reading that this could be written by such a young author?” I wasn’t amazed the whole time because I was too immersed in the story. That’s why this is such a great novel: not because it’s written by such a young author, but because the story is so rich and engrossing that you completely forget this fact.
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