Another Pan

Sep 13, 2012 Jessica rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: the-hell-is-this

I could not even finish this book.

Having read "Another Faust" (the first in this series) and really enjoyed it, I went into this book with high expectations, hoping that this would be just as interesting. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed in it and stopped reading it at the 150 page mark.

First off, when I think of the story of Peter Pan, I do not think of Egyptian curses: I think of more fantastical elements. I do have to give the authors props for originality in thinking of the Egyptian-Tw...more

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Jul 14, 2012 Andrea rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 07, 2012 Caitlin rated it 1 of 5 stars

When I initially found this book, I was very excited about it. I adore anything Peter Pan related and could not wait to read this modern adaption with an Egyptian twist. Unfortunately, this book fell way below my expectations. The major problem I had with this book was the characters. I could not bring myself to like any of them. They were very superficial, lacked depth, and were not believable as people. The teenagers acted and talked how an adult would imagine them. Throughout the book Wendy...more

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Mar 18, 2012 Libby rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairy-tale-retelling, fantasy, young-adult-fiction, audio-book

I have really mixed feelings about this book. It is an excellently read audio book. I only picked it up because Katherine Kelgren was the reader and, as usual, she is amazing. My problem was the fact that I couldn't decide whether Peter was good or bad for most of the book. I think that was the point, but the fairy tale lover in me was bothered. It was definitely an interesting version of Peter Pan and worth it to listen to Katherine Kelgren, but I didn't love it.

Another Pan is a much darker ver...more

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Feb 10, 2012 Chapter by Chapter rated it 4 of 5 stars

When I read Another Pan I was so excited because of the terms that Another Faust left off on. While at first, before I even read the synopsis and I had just been staring at (yet again) another beautiful cover, I was wondering why is was titled Another Pan. Pan? Pan?! As in frying pan?

No... Pan as in Peter Pan! Like the Disney movie with the kid in green tights! Of course the Nayeri duo gave a new twist to the story of Peter Pan adding in a mix dark magic, romance and Egyptian history. I have to...more
When I read Another Pan I was so excited because of the terms that Another Faust left off on. While at first, before I even read the synopsis and I had just been staring at (yet again) another beautiful cover, I was wondering why is was titled Another Pan. Pan? Pan?! As in frying pan?

No... Pan as in Peter Pan! Like the Disney movie with the kid in green tights! Of course the Nayeri duo gave a new twist to the story of Peter Pan adding in a mix dark magic, romance and Egyptian history. I have to say that Another Pan didn't disappoint me, but I do wish it had that same flare that Another did. Perhaps it was because I simply hated reading things that came from John Darling's POV (Point of View and yes they kept the original names from the original story) because he seemed just so immature and I for one know that most teenagers are a bit more mature than the way he was portrayed (to me he sounded like a spoiled nine year old).

Gladly the novel kept up at the same pace as it's predecessor Another Faust and gave us a new view on the dark governess Nicola Vileroy, I enjoyed being able to learn a bit more about who she really is and how she came to be such a dark and evil woman. However, I also found myself falling for Peter Pan (even though it took me such a long time to stop envisioning him as a red headed boy with tights and gapped teeth), the new R.A. At Marlowe school who is on a quest to create his immortal cocktail which, you guessed it, grants immortality. Did I forget that he also manages to capture the heart of Wendy Darling?

The plot itself was intriguing and had me dying to keep on reading, I would end up biting my fingernails in worry as the group encountered a new trial in the labyrinth to obtain the strange “bone dust” that Peter needs to create his immortal cocktail. I know that I personally fell in love with the moment that the Darlings and Peter team came across the Book of Gates, how the old text held so many secrets and became a major key point in the plot itself.

As for the characters, I feel like the novel really got into the personal needs of each characters, much like Another Faust. Wendy Darling seemed a lot more intent on taking care of the well being of her family while also trying to work out the kinks in her relationship with Peter which is both illegal and well...he's a bit too obsessed with immortality. Like I said with John Darling, he had the potential to be a really likeable character and at certain times he was, but half the time he seemed to whiny and like a snobby brat. As for Peter Pan, well he was perfect in almost every aspect and again like I said he was just a bit too obsessed with becoming an immortal.

Still the novel did deliver and for that I'm glad. It had so many unexpected twists,romantic 'awww' moments and an ending that has you excited for the next and I believe final novel in the series (oh no!). Can't wait for Another Jekyll, Another Hyde and if you loved Another Faust you'll love it's sequel.(less)

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Dec 22, 2011 Erin (Bookish in a Box) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Another Pan is a mythic retelling of the Pan story with a hefty dose of Egyptian sand and saga thrown in alongside several smarmy personalities that have nothing to do with Madame Vileroy. It was interesting to see how all the Egyptian legends tied into the story and to watch Wendy and John fight through the web enveloping the school.

Another Pan also has a much more likable cast of characters, ones that I was rooting for and related to more than Madame Vileroy's five charges. Wendy Darling, alth...more

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Sep 07, 2011 Beth rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A very different interpretation on the story of Peter Pan [actually NOTHING like the original Pan that we all know and love] I enjoyed the storyline as far as it concerned Egyptian myths and legends, although it was not at all what I was expecting when I originally chose this book. I was not really a great fan of Peter's character in this, which was a bit disappointing considerig that I am a HUGE fan of Peter Pan - but, I will not let this book hinder my opinion on the character in general. :]

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Apr 03, 2011 LJ rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

This book has such a crazy cover! It really looks like it would be a dreadfully bad romance. There is romance, but this story is more of an Indiana Jones meets Harry Potter meets Teenage Prep-school series. The story focuses on Wendy and John Darling, who are the teenage offspring of aging, absent-minded Professor Darling, disgraced Egyptologist and headmaster of the Marlowe school where Wendy and John are students. Poor Wendy and John must deal with ostracism and the scorn of their wealthy clas...more This book has such a crazy cover! It really looks like it would be a dreadfully bad romance. There is romance, but this story is more of an Indiana Jones meets Harry Potter meets Teenage Prep-school series. The story focuses on Wendy and John Darling, who are the teenage offspring of aging, absent-minded Professor Darling, disgraced Egyptologist and headmaster of the Marlowe school where Wendy and John are students. Poor Wendy and John must deal with ostracism and the scorn of their wealthy classmates who know that the Darlings live in a house paid for by the school's endowment. This belittling is most keenly felt by Wendy's 13 year old brother John, who is new to the school, and desperate to change his geeky image. Meanwhile, Wendy, who has snagged the school's star athlete as her boyfriend continuously tries to convince herself that she is in-love with Connor Wirth, when in actuality she is beginning to be a bit bored by his all-around goodguyness. As for Professor Darling, he's pretty much on the periphery for most of the book (appropriate for the parent character in a YA book)except for being the reason the school will be hosting an important Egyptian exhibit that unbeknown to all and sundry, is the temporary home (in one of the artifacts) of an evil spirit referred to as "the dark lady."

Enter, bad-boy Peter, who has followed the Egypt exhibit to Marlowe. He quickly insinuates himself into Marlowe as the boarding boy's new RA. He and his gang of LB's (lost boys) take over the local gang of rich-boy miscreants, all eager to become his stooges and do his bidding. Their first task is to get closer to "the book of gates" which Peter has been pursuing for decades. This precious book is the key for Peter to find the legendary five mummy's who's bodies, when combined and consumed by the finder will grant eternal life.

The character's motivations are what's most interesting and move the story forward quite nicely. Wendy wants the excitement of dating a dangerous boy, while at the same time, doesn't want to copy the hurtful actions of her frivolous mother who left the family for a younger man. John wants to find a hero who he can emulate and find acceptance with. Peter wants eternal life (like Barrie's Pan, he has a dreaded fear of growing old.) These three get together and help Peter in his mummy quest, leading them into an underground world that has attached itself to the Marlowe school. Minor characters are also well-drawn and have their own motivations to add. Peter's friend Tina loves him unconditionally. While Peter dallies with Wendy, Tina remains faithful and in the end is a key character in saving everyone's butts.

This is a great adventure with romance, danger, and Egyptian mythology. (The five legends are nicely told, and add nicely incorporated touches to enhance their authenticity. As far as I know, they are completely made up for the story.)This book is much more than a bad romance and will engage anyone (boy or girl)who is brave enough to venture past the cover.

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Mar 31, 2011 Whatchyareading added it

Shelves: fantasy, kate, series, young-adult

It’s of little surprise that a twenty-something in the early years of her career and graduate school would be really into Peter Pan stories. The concept of never growing up and old, living forever as a footloose and fancy free child or teen (depending on who is interpreting it) sounds just about fantastic every morning when my alarm is singing absurdly loudly for me to “Wake up, open your sleepy eyes, stretch out, make up the bed now…”. It’s times like these that Neverland, grand adventures, and...more It’s of little surprise that a twenty-something in the early years of her career and graduate school would be really into Peter Pan stories. The concept of never growing up and old, living forever as a footloose and fancy free child or teen (depending on who is interpreting it) sounds just about fantastic every morning when my alarm is singing absurdly loudly for me to “Wake up, open your sleepy eyes, stretch out, make up the bed now…”. It’s times like these that Neverland, grand adventures, and a foe other than my overtly perky alarm would be very nice. So when the stream of Peter Pan movies came out a few years ago, I was hooked. The 2003 Peter Pan had me crying at the end chanting that “ I do believe in fairies, I do, I do.” The J. M. Barrie film Finding Neverland while interminably slow at times still enchanted me because I longed to be a part of that world. And when the official sequel to the play was written, Peter Pan in Scarlett, I had it signed and brought it home from England to my sister.

Therefore when WYR did our book birthdays for this month, the novel Another Pan by Daniel and Dina Naveri intrigued me. I wasn’t sure how a modern interpretation with teenagers 16 and up would work, but I was at least willing to try. The novel takes place at Marlowe Prep school, the same as the duo’s first book, Another Faust (which Christine reviewed). Having not read that one yet (though I definitely plan to now) I cannot speak to how similar they might be, but I think they are companion novels and reading one doesn’t demand that you read the other in order to understand it. The characters all share the same names that Pan fans know quite well: Wendy and John Darling, Peter, Tinkerbelle (Tina), the Lost Boys…they’re all there, just in a way you’ve never seen them before. At the beginning it seems as if their names were merely borrowed and you wonder why original names weren’t chosen instead. However as things progressed you could see how expertly the Naveri’s wove a very new version of Peter Pan while still borrowing the bones of the old.

The story itself is quite literally riveting. It tells the darker side of a never-ending search for eternal youth. Peter is not the mischievous but innocent boy we know. He’s an indeterminable late teen/early 20s guy who leads essentially an international crime ring of Lost Boys- some are orphans and some just feel like ones, but they are all ferociously loyal to Peter. He flits all over the world searching for the Book of Gates, an ancient Egyptian book of the dead that most Egyptologists to be a myth- all but one, Professor Darling. This brings Peter to Marlowe where an Egyptian exhibit is on loan from the British Museum, and Peter, his snarky tag-along Tina, and Wendy and John Darling collide. Peter needs the book in order to track down the bonedust of five mummies that will allow him to live forever, and being the children of an Egyptologist, Wendy and John know a thing or two about mummies. Together they open the gates to the underworld; letting it slip into their school as they sort through fact and legends, battle a few sand monsters, an evil nurse/ goddess of death, and the trials and tribulations of high school.

Now before you scoff and think this is a book version of a Brendan Frasier movie, you couldn’t be more wrong. The combined education credentials of the authors is evident in every page of the book, yet it never seems like a dry academic novel. You know they’re smart, you know they did their research, but at no point does that infringe on the sheer creativity and genius of the story. Instead the five Egyptian legends lure you in while the absolute normalcy (and subtle mocking) of the teen drama in the background keeps it firmly grounded in reality. That juxtaposition of the two is really what endears Another Pan to me. The novel is predominantly third person omniscient, almost to the point you could hear the narrator in your head (it sounded like the Peter Pan [2003] woman for me).

Yet the commentary on the times is priceless. John Darling is thirteen, a complete dork and determined to give himself an image overhaul before starting his first year at Marlowe. He attempts this by slowly renovating his online presence, particularly his Facebook. Now pop culture in books is rarely done well I feel, but this had me in stitches. For example, one status update has him insinuating he does drugs, another that he “popped a cap” last night, and of course this one:

“John Darling had a great time last night…but don’t ask for details cause she knows who she is and that’s all I’m gonna say about that,”

implying that the dorky-scrawny-online gaming-Egyptologist-in-training-thirteen-year-old was getting some serious action. Admit it, you know this kid. Wendy, his responsible and effortlessly popular older sister merely shakes her head and tries to get her new boyfriend to take him under his wing. Throughout the whole novel John is switching up his identify- trying on prepster, jock, thug, miscreant, adventurer, and Lost Boy and each is more fantastic than the last. He envies Peter for his confidence and fearlessness while at the same time it sets Wendy’s heart-a-flutter. You know it can’t end well, and that the classic Peter Pan means that his self-interest will triumph over everything, but his devil-may-care attitude keeps you turning the pages.

Between a Peter Pan story and Egyptology (totally my favorite part of Western Civ), I was a sucker for this book. I loved the way it was crafted as much as I did the story itself- which is a rarity. I highly recommend it, and while you may not be chanting about believing in Fairies at the end, you will be looking slant-eyed at anyone missing one incisor and wondering if the miscreant youths you encounter just might be Lost Boys.

Reviewed on WhatchYAreading on October 27, 2010.(less)

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Jan 13, 2011 Angela rated it 2 of 5 stars

By not reading the first book in the series I know I was setting myself up to potentially be lost/confused. On the other hand, the jacket doesn't point out there are related books which I always interpret to mean a book is capable of standing alone.

So I don't think it was a lack of background knowledge that kept me from being fully immersed in this book. Nor lack of an intriguing premise - I love Egyptian mythology and Peter Pan is a classic story for a reason. Rather, I think the biggest proble...more By not reading the first book in the series I know I was setting myself up to potentially be lost/confused. On the other hand, the jacket doesn't point out there are related books which I always interpret to mean a book is capable of standing alone.

So I don't think it was a lack of background knowledge that kept me from being fully immersed in this book. Nor lack of an intriguing premise - I love Egyptian mythology and Peter Pan is a classic story for a reason. Rather, I think the biggest problem is the writing in this book just felt stilted. The POV was handled oddly, like third person didn't come naturally, and there were weird breaks within the chapters. Normally some sort of line break indicates a change in time or location within the same chapter - here it was used randomly. Sometimes it denoted the usual location/time change, but others it was a change in perspective - and sometimes the change in perspective would happen naturally between paragraphs.

I also felt a lot of the characters were cartoonishly drawn. Simon Grin was a Scooby-Doo villain (I was waiting for him to curse Wendy and John as meddling kids). Even Wendy and John came off as easily manipulated and two dimensional. Probably the most intriguing character was Peter himself.

The nods to the Peter Pan story were well done. There's a Barrie auditorium, in the beginning John criticizes Peter for constantly checking out his shadow, and Peter is often hanging out around windows and using them as entrances and exits. There's also lots of talk about happy thoughts - even occasional interludes where we see a minor character's happiest thoughts.

But ultimately, this was a frustrating read. There was just enough intrigue with the myths and the quest that kept me turning the page, but I was always thinking ahead, hoping the book would finally end so I could move on to something else. While part of me is curious about what connections this had to the previous book, I don't want to have to wade through a similarly tedious book to get there, so I think this is my first and only encounter with the "Another" series.(less)

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Dec 30, 2010 Nicola rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, no-longer-own

Reason for Reading: Next in the series.

I loved this book almost as much as the first in the series! In fact, I think I loved the story even more but I didn't find it to be the page-turner that Another Faust was. This was more of a slow read, one that kept me interested and I loved falling into the world, but somehow it did have a slow pace. I'm not sure if this is the book's fault or my own as my mind has been all over the place so close to Christmas. But fast or slow paced who cares? I loved An...more Reason for Reading: Next in the series.

I loved this book almost as much as the first in the series! In fact, I think I loved the story even more but I didn't find it to be the page-turner that Another Faust was. This was more of a slow read, one that kept me interested and I loved falling into the world, but somehow it did have a slow pace. I'm not sure if this is the book's fault or my own as my mind has been all over the place so close to Christmas. But fast or slow paced who cares? I loved Another Pan!

Professor Darling is a teacher at the Marlowe school. Both his children attend, Wendy and John Darling; this is his first year at the high school. There are a few new Resource Assistants this year and one them is named Peter. Professor Darling's history class revolves around Ancient Egyptology and a particular set of 5 myths and artifacts in which he alone believes prove that the Egyptian god of the Dead was not Anubis but a female. Peter is at the school looking for bonedust from a certain set of 5 mummies which when ground together will provide the elixir of permanent youth. So far he's managed to slow the aging process considerably with the dust from one such special mummy. It seems the underworld has attached itself to Marlowe along with a new mousy, plain looking school nurse with a strange eye. Wendy and John join Peter and his crew of Lost Boys (in place all over the world and naturally at Marlowe as well) in entering the underworld and trying to retrieve the mummies and fighting (or tricking) the guardians of each after they hear and study each myth to help them locate the point of entry in Marlowe to the correct place in the underworld.

It is with the nurse that the connection with the previous book comes. Another Faust introduced us to the demon posing as a governess and here she returns before she has had time to fully recuperate in the form of the nurse. This is all covered in the first chapter. But when she returns to the underworld she regains her full power as the Dark Lady. The Dark Lady has taken on many manifestations in the living world, the glamorous governess in Another Faust and the terrible, frightening nanny of Peter's childhood.

I love how all the elements of the Peter Pan story are brought together here in a completely different fashion. Peter Pan is represented in his true form (from the book) as a nasty, self-centred youth and his sidekick who is in love with him, Tina, will do anything for him even though he does not reciprocate her undying love. Tina, like Tinkerbell (in the book) is jealous of Wendy with a pure hatred. Other elements that find their way into Another Pan but have nothing to do with pirates or crocodiles are the hook and the tick-tock of a watch. Truly, a very original re-imagining of the ingredients that make up Peter Pan that the authors have used in a completely unique way to tell their own story.

As a series, I find this very compelling as it does not follow the same cookie cutter recipe of most series. There is not a continuing plot line with the same characters. In fact, these first two books could be read on their own, apart from a series. What connects them as a series is a villain and a school, which is becoming a character itself. There is also a very brief mention in passing of an event that happened last year at the school involving Christopher Faust and connecting it to the evil within Marlowe.

I'm a fan of this series and can't wait to see what classic story the brother/sister author team use as the springboard for the next book.(less)

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Dec 28, 2010 Maelle rated it 1 of 5 stars

As soon as I picked this book up, I couldn't wait to read it. The story seemed good, and really, who could ever go wrong with a "remake" of Peter Pan? Apparently Nayeri can.

It's not that the story was horrible, because it wasn't. It had potential, a lot of potential. However, all I could think of while reading that book was that my little sister could've written this (and I don't think my sister ever read a book).

The writing wasn't good. It wasn't horrible, but it bothered me. It simply wasn't...more

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Dec 27, 2010 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

The governess from Another Faust may be down but she'll never be out. After the events of Another Faust she finds herself deep in the Marlow basement, taking time to regroup and grow stronger over the summer.

In Another Pan, we're back at Marlow school but with new characters and a whole new world (literally) - the underworld. Wendy and John, children of Professor Darling (specialty in Egyptology) are starting in for a new year, John having skipped a grade and entered Marlow as a Freshman with a...more

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Apr 23, 2012 Angela rated it 5 of 5 stars

I like this story a lot better then the first one. This story is of course, base on the legend on Peter Pan with a little dark twisted to it.
Evil is haunted the Marlowe School and the lady called Vileroy could be the cause to all. Wendy and John Darling enter their first day in high school with their dad as a teacher. When the Book of Gates appears in their father’ museum, a boy name Peter and the rest of his crew came to the Darling life. But Peter is after the book. When ever Wendy and John...more

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Jan 07, 2012 Sabrina *The REAL Princess* rated it 1 of 5 stars

No, no, no , NO! I loved Pan as a little girl. I used to dream about the boy who refused to grow up. And him and Wendy, I used to love to think that they were perfect for each other. Now that I am 14 years old, I have abandoned my Peter Pan bedding and wallpaper but still have my Tinker Bell mural hanging proudly on my wall. Why I am telling you this? What does this have to do with the book? IT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE BOOK! I was in the library and I stumbled upon this novel. I thought, oh...more No, no, no , NO! I loved Pan as a little girl. I used to dream about the boy who refused to grow up. And him and Wendy, I used to love to think that they were perfect for each other. Now that I am 14 years old, I have abandoned my Peter Pan bedding and wallpaper but still have my Tinker Bell mural hanging proudly on my wall. Why I am telling you this? What does this have to do with the book? IT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE BOOK! I was in the library and I stumbled upon this novel. I thought, ohmygod, it's a Peter Pan story appropriate for my age. And it's set in the modern times. Perfect? NO!

I've never read Another Faun, I didn't even know that there was a book before this one. So I didn't know what to expect. What I didn't expect was for the authors to ruin my favourite characters! The idea of the Egyptian curses was pretty cool. And it was interesting to see how that played out. I even liked the setting, Marlowe school and I thought okay, this is a modern story, not bad. But then my chracters, my favourite characters since I was little destroyed in the pages of this book. Um, hell no!

First of all, before I even start to rant, WHERE WAS TINKERBELL????? She was supposed to be a main role - wasn't she? Ugh, that alone got me angry. All of the characters, Wendy, Peter and John were all supposed to be happy and full of depth and personality. Something tells me neither of the authors have read the actual tales of Peter Pan (or saw the Disney movie) because they were far from that. Wendy Darling, the girl I always wanted to be for her self-respect and girl power was a whiny stuck-up brat. She had no concern for anything that didn't affect her. Where was the loving, sweet girl I loved?

And Peter Pan, the absolute main character was ... terrible. He was mean, he was bossy an he was so self-centered that I just couldn't stand reading another page of him. Now, I wasn't expecting him to be wearing neon green tights and grabbing Wendy to help him look for his shadow but this Peter which the authors gave us was just horribly wrong.

The romance sucked big time. No previous tension. No sparks. No love. It was undeveloped and just there, which did nothing for the story. Even the Disney movie had more romance than this book!

So, I hated the characters. ALL OF THEM! I couldn't even enjoy a romance, that's how terribly developed it was. And even though I thought that the Egyptian curse was pretty cool and it was interesting how it was put into the tale, I couldn't bring myself to give the book even 2 stars. Am I being biased? Heck yeah! But I don't care.

It could have been a great book but making me hate the characters just turned me off.

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Jan 09, 2011 Athena rated it 5 of 5 stars

After reading Another Faust when it came out, I was pleasantly surprised to find that there was a sequel, Another Pan. Though it took me a while to figure out which Pan they were referring to, I was excited to read the book once I figured out that they were talking about Peter Pan.

At the end of the last book, I was left wondering what, exactly, had happened to the remaining Faust children and Vileroy, and this book answered one of these questions. After her seeming destruction at the end of th...more

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Mar 15, 2012 ephrielle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Peter Pan - Re-imagined and brought into this century.
Peter is obsessed with his youth and is on a quest to find immortality.
Wendy and her brother John stumble across a door opened by the Book of Gates that turns myth into reality.
The three team up to find the ingredients to bring about immortality. But, on their way, they meet with challenges they never expected and some shallow competition.
The cover of this book is hardly indicative of the book. We have a seductress and a less than impressed...more Peter Pan - Re-imagined and brought into this century.
Peter is obsessed with his youth and is on a quest to find immortality.
Wendy and her brother John stumble across a door opened by the Book of Gates that turns myth into reality.
The three team up to find the ingredients to bring about immortality. But, on their way, they meet with challenges they never expected and some shallow competition.
The cover of this book is hardly indicative of the book. We have a seductress and a less than impressed boy. Plus, the socks and her age are all wrong. The socks remind me of the white sock and sandal scandal. How often are socks sexy? Totally thinking granny feet and it isn't helping. Having read the book, it is a bit more obvious what they are trying to achieve but the emphasis is all wrong.

I was under the impression that this book was going to be about the mythical god Pan, you know the goat dude. The development of Peter Pan was disappointing. I detest Peter Pan even in Disney form. There are so many things about his character that I heartily dislike. This book only helped to remind me of each and every reason for my feelings.

Peter is selfish first and foremost. He will use and abuse anyone and anything to get what he wants. He is impetuous and a complete jerk. I can't fathom what Wendy is thinking. Did she wake up one morning and sniff paint thinner until her brain cells took a dive? She is played out very true to character and comes off a ninny. John's personality and actions are actually very fitting for his age. He is naive and trying to find acceptance for himself in the school. He does make errors of judgement and then learns from them. His is possibly the best character in this book even at thirteen years old. I do not like the villain in this series. She embodies the emotion of hatred, which will always exist. There is very little personality to her and therefore it is hard to really loathe her. We are expected to hate her on principal alone. There are these small tidbits of thought for varying characters at the end of chapters. Several of them were rather odd and many didn't feel very necessary to character development.

Outside of the characters the book was actually entertaining. The motive for why Wendy helps Peter is a bit weak. Why does she feel like he should have immortality? No one convinced me he is in dire need. I relate more to the character of Marla in her enthusiasm for the myths. It was nice to learn each new myth and watch how things pieced together. The last myth was a bit of let down. The professor advertises it as the most important of the five, yet it comes to an end almost too easily. I was thinking there would be five gods protecting the last but there wasn't. Here, at the end, is the only time I agree with Peter. He is thinking about an occurrence involving John and pondering how quickly and simply it came to pass. Definitely the way I feel about the ending. Good thing the next book tackles Jekyll and Hyde and not more of Peter Pan. No interest in seeing what lengths he will go to now to achieve his goals.

In conclusion, it was a good retelling of Peter Pan and there are several aspects explored that are entertaining. If you aren't a fan of Peter Pan I suggest avoiding this one. On the other hand if you like myths and the impossible lengths some go to achieve them this book is for you.

Content: mild swearing(less)

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Sep 30, 2010 Melissa (i swim for oceans) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-arcs

Another Pan follows the story of Wendy Darling, a bright, charismatic teen and her younger brother, a boy genius named John. The two attend the ritzy Marlowe School in New York, but they're the poorest of the students, as their father is simply the professor of ancient civilizations. Wendy dates her way up the social ladder, but both she and John seem to find their lives at the posh school lacking. When they happen upon the mysterious BOOK OF GATES, Wendy and John, along with the attractive new...more Another Pan follows the story of Wendy Darling, a bright, charismatic teen and her younger brother, a boy genius named John. The two attend the ritzy Marlowe School in New York, but they're the poorest of the students, as their father is simply the professor of ancient civilizations. Wendy dates her way up the social ladder, but both she and John seem to find their lives at the posh school lacking. When they happen upon the mysterious BOOK OF GATES, Wendy and John, along with the attractive new advisor Peter, find themselves spinning into the world of Peter Pan.

Another Pan is the second book in the "Another" series by authors Daniel and Dina Nayeri. Blending the age-old tale of Peter Pan with a mix of Egyptian curses, long-lost secrets, and the mysteries surrounding the mysterious and attractive RA, Peter, Another Pan is alive with detail and intrigue. The all-too-familiar Lost Boys come into play as well, ready and willing to do the childish and youth-seeking Peter's bidding. An interesting twist on the classic tale for you - when Peter would get upset, the Lost Boys would combine their happy thoughts and text them to Peter, giving him extended happiness and comfort.

Another Pan is a very character-driven novel, but it's perfectly balanced with a fast-paced plot and strong descriptiveness that lets you delve into the deep mysteries of Egyptian curses and the world of Pan. I loved that the Wendy Darling of Another Pan wasn't a meek little ninny...she had spine, and backbone, and plenty of personality. Her brother, John, however, annoyed the heck out of me with his obnoxious remarks and sullen demeanor. Frankly, he was my least favourite character. The real strength of the story, however, lies in the beautiful interpretation of the relationship between Wendy and Peter. She might just be his true happiness.

I give Another Pan a solid 4 out of 5, simply because the beginning was, again, a bit slow for my liking. That said, I would recommend this to YA fans, those who love the classic tale of Peter Pan, and for fans of mystery. This book releases on October 26, 2010, though I'm pretty sure it's already for sale on amazon. If you would like, follow the link to read my review of the first book in the series, Another Faust.

I received this advanced reader's copy free of charge from the publisher, Candlewick Press, in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.(less)

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Nov 15, 2010 Mari rated it 1 of 5 stars

This book is awful. Its supposed to be a retelling of Peter Pan, but it has nothing to do with the original. Not the characters, not the charm , and not the whimsical freedom of the first story. Instead it is a heavy handed book about hating everyone but your first family. I can see some children liking the moral, because they are not yet ready to break apron strings, but almost no one will like the book. Its boring. Its historically inaccurate. Its badly written. The characters are hateful, esp...more

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Apr 19, 2012 Christa C rated it 1 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Wendy and John Darling attend the prestigious Marlowe Academy in New York City. Their father George Darling is a professor at this Academy. Wendy is dating Connor Wirth, the most desirable guy in school, and her brother John, who is about to start at Marlowe, is a giant nerd.

An Egyptian exhibit is shipped to Marlowe for display by the British Museum to be put in the care of Professor Darling. Peter follows the exhibit shortly after and places himself conveniently as an RA at the school.

Wendy and...more

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Sep 26, 2010 Nely rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tour, for-review

I must say that Daniel & Dina Nayeri are very talented in recreating well-known classic stories. First with Another Faust and now with Another Pan they were able to showcase how talented they really are in giving these classic tales a more modern spin. As a fan of fairytale and classic remakes this definitely appealed to my senses.

You'll recognize all the characters in this story - Peter, the Lost Boys, Wendy and John Darling - yep, they're all in there. Now combine those characters with Egy...more I must say that Daniel & Dina Nayeri are very talented in recreating well-known classic stories. First with Another Faust and now with Another Pan they were able to showcase how talented they really are in giving these classic tales a more modern spin. As a fan of fairytale and classic remakes this definitely appealed to my senses.

You'll recognize all the characters in this story - Peter, the Lost Boys, Wendy and John Darling - yep, they're all in there. Now combine those characters with Egyptian curses, a posh New York school, and you'll find yourselves on a whole new adventure.

I must admit that I was not a fan of Another Faust - I read it and, sadly, I did not like it. So when I heard of Another Pan, I decided to give the Nayeri's one more chance at winning me over. While there were many aspects of the novel that I did enjoy - the romance between Peter and Wendy, the modern-ness of the whole thing, I loved that the Lost Boys would text "happy thoughts", even the mystery of the The Book of Gates and how it played into the storyline - I still did not fall for this book... and I'll explain why. Firstly, it started off really slow. I mean I was 100 pages in and it was still very slow for me. Secondly, I really liked Wendy as a character - she was strong, faithful, she had charisma, was quirky and I really liked that she stood her ground when she believed in something. This is the Wendy you meet for the first half of the book. Somewhere along the way we lose that Wendy. For the second half of the book I found her to be whiny, she forgets about her wishes, dreams, etc. and somehow her thoughts only revolve around Peter... this really annoyed me. I hate that girls will drop everything at the drop of a hat for a guy... ugh. Then there was John Darling - my gosh that boy was driving me insane. He used too much slang and was just too annoying for his own good.

I loved the idea of this book. The premise was fantastic- and the Peter Pan-ness of it was what really seduced me into reading it. But in the end it just didn't work for me.

For those of you wondering - this is the second book in Daniel & Dina Nayeri's "Another" series. The first being Another Faust. Some of the characters from Another Faust make cameo appearances and the school where Wendy and John go to is the same one (Marlowe) from Another Faust as well - but that's where the similarities end. So, no, you do not have to read Another Faust in order to enjoy Another Pan. (less)

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Mar 12, 2013 Carol rated it 3 of 5 stars

I thought this book had an intriguing premise, though the writing itself left something to be desired.

Another Pan is a retelling of the Peter Pan story, but in this rendition, Peter is an older teenager searching for the Egyptian version of the Fountain of Youth - the infamous and largely mocked myth of the Five Mummies and their immortal Bonedust. Whoever retrieves and combines the bonedust from all five mummies will defeat Death and live forever, or so the story goes. Peter has made this searc...more I thought this book had an intriguing premise, though the writing itself left something to be desired.

Another Pan is a retelling of the Peter Pan story, but in this rendition, Peter is an older teenager searching for the Egyptian version of the Fountain of Youth - the infamous and largely mocked myth of the Five Mummies and their immortal Bonedust. Whoever retrieves and combines the bonedust from all five mummies will defeat Death and live forever, or so the story goes. Peter has made this search his life's obsession, and it leads him to New York, to the private boarding school Marlowe, where one Professor George Darling is accumulating artifacts in preparation for the exhibit of his dwindling and, lately, infamous career.

Attending Marlowe as students are Professor Darling's children, Wendy and John Darling - Wendy a protective and responsible replacement for her mother (who left with a younger man a few years before), and John a boy genius advanced early into high school trying his utmost to gain respect from whomever will give it to him, and making himself a laughingstock in the process.

The book has the makings of something that could have been really good, but falls short. I really can't put my finger on why: perhaps it was the poor phrasing during the Mummy legends. Perhaps it was John's pathetic attempts to be "cool." Perhaps it was the Dark Lady herself, Peter's nemesis, constantly described in the same imagery, and no explanation given as to the "nanny" aspect of her history.

The story does, however, give insight into the mental workings of the teenage mind without preaching too much. The authors simply stated how the characters (John and Wendy mostly) viewed the events and people in their lives, and came to their own conclusions based on emotions, behaviors, kept or broken promises, etc. George Darling and Simon, his ambitious and greedy assistant, are less explored, but we are provided enough to find them believable. And pathetic.

This book is a balance of Egyptian fascination, adventure, and teen relationships, not all ending in the classic "happy" fashion. Peter especially is an interesting twist to his younger literary self, his happy thoughts revolving around immortality and youth, and his temper often being triggered by references to age, or too much exposure to "washed up" adults. Like a child, he has tantrums, but as an adult, he can take the level of his tantrums to dangerous levels. He is very much an antagonist to Wendy's generally reliable and level-headed personality.

While vastly better than "Twilight," this book will not be liked by all readers. I recommend you support your local library before you decide it you want to spend the money to add this to your collection. Unless you get it at a dollar store, like I did.(less)

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Nov 16, 2011 Marina rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: never-finished-and-never-will, stand-alones, teen-lit, you-suck

I honestly only made it to page 36 before I stopped reading. I've always been a huge fan of Peter Pan, so I was very excited about reading this book, but right away it just came off as someone writing and suddenly thinking, "oh, I think I'll add Peter Pan into this story" when they were on final editing. after page 36 I just skimmed the rest of the book and yes, Peter is an arrogant, selfish person, but from everything that i skimmed the authors made him come across as a comepletely ass, and whe...more

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Jan 31, 2011 Cindy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011, teen-fantasy

As a note I did not read Another #1. I have to say that I really really enjoyed this book. Even though I hadn't read the first book in the series I found it easy to catch onto.

What I really enjoyed was the way that Nayeris made the story of Peter Pan their own. There were subtle hints about the original Peter Pan without it being a blatant rip off or doing it an "injustice".

I found the integration of Egypt folk lore and mythology with modern day children and teens to be the most amazing part....more

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Jun 10, 2010 Gatorgal21 rated it 4 of 5 stars

ARC
Another Pan is the second in the "Another Series" by Daniel and Dina Nayeri. Set in the same elite school in New York, called Marlowe, with the same manipulating,seemingly all powerful and all knowing antagonist; this book follows the dark and deadly story of Wendy and John Darling, who are students in Marlowe. When a new resident advisor, named Peter, comes to work at Marlowe, Wendy cannot help but be entranced by his beauty ,and his secrets. But as she learns some of those secrets, she and...more

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Apr 04, 2012 Jennifer H rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.5 - this was a fun take on the Peter Pan story. And by fun I mean interesting, not joyful kiddie stuff. This was your typical whiny teenagers/high schoolers with their typical issues plus the added bonus of fighting off the evils of the dark lady and looking for bones in an other dimension. Being older I'll probably never really appreciate some of the situations written in YA books (while I never want to be a grown-up, I still never want those ridiculous issues ever again! I don't want to worr...more

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Mar 30, 2012 Annah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-or-sci-fi, young-adult, ebook

I was really looking forward to reading this book since I love all things Peter Pan. I have to say I was a little disappointed. I was hoping Another Pan would take more from J.M. Barrie's world. I really hated Peter in this story even though at their core both Peters are essentially the same. Another Pan just gives his flaws more light and makes them more obvious. I thought Tina's character was very well written in relation to Tinkerbell. Her jealousy over Wendy and Peter's relationship was obvi...more

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Feb 02, 2011 Cleverly rated it 2 of 5 stars

I don't think they really needed to have the Peter Pan aspect to make this a good book. They story was unique enough and I probably would have liked it a bit more. The idea and plot of the book is what drew me in. The characters were not to my liking. Peter was not what I would have ever thought him to be like. I mean I get the whole need to stay young but my goodness he was a selfish jerk. Wendy was a weak-minded ninny. Sorry but Wendy's character was the worst in my eyes. She didn't seem to h...more

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Mar 21, 2012 Giselle at Book Nerd Canada rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: borrowed

I thought this book would have been about all the teenagers from the first novel Another Faust, but no it wasn't! There is a new set of characters. Now the title didn't make any sense until I realized one of the character's names were Wendy Darling and Peter..As in Peter Pan. But instead of Peter coming from a nether world like in the Disney films, he is basically a character obsessed with being immortal. And who would Peter battle with to claim immortality than with Madame Vileroy, but here she...more

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Aug 20, 2012 Cathrine Bonham rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairy-tales-retold

A retelling of Peter Pan for those who find Ancient Egypt more interesting than Fairies and Pirates. All of the characters are shifted to modern day New York city and Never Land is replaced with the Egyptian Underworld. Even the Crocodile with his infamous ticking is personified and given a role in this spin on Barrie's classic.

If you choose to read this book don't do it for the Peter Pan elements. Mostly just the names are used. Peter is not some flying boy who never grows up but rather a self...more

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