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Peter Pan
(Peter Pan)
by
One starry night, Peter Pan and Tinker Bell lead the three Darling children over the rooftops of London and away to Neverland - the island where lost boys play, mermaids splash and fairies make mischief. But a villainous-looking gang of pirates lurk in the docks, led by the terrifying Captain James Hook. Magic and excitement are in the air, but if Captain Hook has his way,
...more
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Paperback, 207 pages
Published
September 25th 2014
by Puffin
(first published December 27th 1911)
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Aug 21, 2009
K.D. Absolutely
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommended to K.D. by:
501 Must Read Books
A story of a dead child and a mother who is missing him.
Sir James Matthew Barrie (1860-1937), a Scottish, wrote this book in 1902 for an older brother, David (his mother's favorite) who died in an ice-skating accident the day before he turned 14. Thus, in his mother's mind, David always stayed as a young boy who would not grow up. J. M. Barrie, a middle-child and then only 6 years old, tried to assume David's place in his mother's heart by wearing the latter's clothes and speaking and sounding l ...more
Sir James Matthew Barrie (1860-1937), a Scottish, wrote this book in 1902 for an older brother, David (his mother's favorite) who died in an ice-skating accident the day before he turned 14. Thus, in his mother's mind, David always stayed as a young boy who would not grow up. J. M. Barrie, a middle-child and then only 6 years old, tried to assume David's place in his mother's heart by wearing the latter's clothes and speaking and sounding l ...more


Ever so beautiful and tragic
Peter Pan was a favorite when I was a child. It was a lovely thing to dream of a place called Neverland, where one may fly with fairies and splash with mermaids.
As an adult, you realize the truth of what Barrie himself once said… that he’d written a tragedy. Beautiful, selfish Peter, who forgets things so easily, has no realization of what he has cost himself, in his efforts to remain forever young. We realize it for him, and so the ending of Peter Pan is bittersw ...more

I always loved Peter Pan, not really as a kid but more as a teenager and young adult. And once again, the internet happened and every discussion or mention of Peter Pan ended up in a “but did you know he is actually a serial killer and way worse than Hook?” so I grew tired of it and decided to check it out for myself!
The good :
- I ALWAYS love a very biased narrator and it’s clearly the case. They just dunks on the children for not caring about what they parents might feel with them being missing ...more
The good :
- I ALWAYS love a very biased narrator and it’s clearly the case. They just dunks on the children for not caring about what they parents might feel with them being missing ...more

ENGLISH (Peter Pan) / ITALIANO
«All children, except one, grow up.»
The incipit of Peter Pan of J.M. Barrie is the perfect synthesis of the book. I will try to make the point using as inspiration the words of a child, namely three phrases from my daughter Arianna while in the evening she was listening in her bed my reading of Peter Pan (seventeen chapters read on as many nights with the emphasis of a talented narrator):
1 - "Peter Pan is a bad guy" Yes, my daughter did not like to the protagonist o
...more
I read this to Celyn. It's a short book. Google tells me 47,000 words but it felt shorter than that.
Many of us know the story second hand through cartoons, Hollywood adaptations, and picture-books. The original item is not that dissimilar, though it's a fair bit more brutal that the cartoons and having been published in 1911 it's 100 years out of date when it comes to Native Americans!
The first thing to note is that it's not just the Never-Land that has a surreal, imaginary feel to it. The Darli ...more
Many of us know the story second hand through cartoons, Hollywood adaptations, and picture-books. The original item is not that dissimilar, though it's a fair bit more brutal that the cartoons and having been published in 1911 it's 100 years out of date when it comes to Native Americans!
The first thing to note is that it's not just the Never-Land that has a surreal, imaginary feel to it. The Darli ...more

Oct 20, 2013
Ahmad Sharabiani
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
scottish,
adventure,
fantasy,
childrens-young-readers,
fairy-tales,
british,
classics,
20th-century,
literature
Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie
Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie.
A young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythical island of Neverland as the leader of the Lost Boys, interacting with fairies, pirates, mermaids, Native Americans, and occasionally ordinary children from the world outside Neverland.
The story has a special language; The author is always present in the story, c ...more
Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie.
A young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythical island of Neverland as the leader of the Lost Boys, interacting with fairies, pirates, mermaids, Native Americans, and occasionally ordinary children from the world outside Neverland.
The story has a special language; The author is always present in the story, c ...more

Oh boy. I'm not sure what to say other than I cannot think of one aspect I enjoyed about this book. I tend to gravitate toward dark, disturbing, and twisted stories (what does that say about me???), but this was just sad with no pay off. Each page felt like a chore to get through and I didn't even find the illustrations redeeming. I'm clearly in the minority, but I may have possibly been bit by the old "heard the story so many times that the original feels like a rip off" bug. Definitely not my
...more

‘all children, except one, grow up.’
perhaps i could call it a quarter life crisis, but i am definitely experiencing a little bit of peter pan syndrome lately. and this story is that wonderful adventure through childhood nostalgia that i am desperately needing.
a bit old fashioned, for sure, but this so perfectly captures what it means to be a child - to long for grand adventures, comprehending how belief alone can allow you fly, and how wishing on dreams will always be the greatest pastime. ...more
perhaps i could call it a quarter life crisis, but i am definitely experiencing a little bit of peter pan syndrome lately. and this story is that wonderful adventure through childhood nostalgia that i am desperately needing.
a bit old fashioned, for sure, but this so perfectly captures what it means to be a child - to long for grand adventures, comprehending how belief alone can allow you fly, and how wishing on dreams will always be the greatest pastime. ...more

My children wanted to do our read aloud outside this evening. So we went on the patio and I began reading "Peter Pan." I read about how the mermaids would play with the bubbles, but when the children would come they would all disappear, but they would secretly watch. Pretty soon I hear over the fence our 11 year old neighbor boy say, "Is that Peter Pan?" "Yes," I say, "Would you like to come listen?" "I've been listening from here," he says. So I go on and read about Wendy's rule that all the bo
...more

“To die will be an awfully big adventure.”
Peter Pan was one of my favorite childhood stories and I'm in awe of the layers upon layers I discovered reading it now as an adult. The narrator is inconsistent, almost vicious, changes opinions and switches sides, sometimes rude and insensitive, but always charming. The book is witty and sassy, and genius in a light, carefree way it touches heavy topics. If you are not paying attention a lot of content can go over your head, as almost every sentence ca ...more
Peter Pan was one of my favorite childhood stories and I'm in awe of the layers upon layers I discovered reading it now as an adult. The narrator is inconsistent, almost vicious, changes opinions and switches sides, sometimes rude and insensitive, but always charming. The book is witty and sassy, and genius in a light, carefree way it touches heavy topics. If you are not paying attention a lot of content can go over your head, as almost every sentence ca ...more

Feb 17, 2018
Val ⚓️ Shameless Handmaiden ⚓️
rated it
it was ok
Shelves:
2-stars,
childrens-and-middle-grade
Not gonna lie, I had to push myself to get through this.
I just didn’t find it enjoyable in the slightest, which makes me feel like a loser since it’s such a beloved children’s classic.
But at least I’m an honest loser?
I didn’t really like Peter.
Wendy annoyed me.
And the humor and tone just fell flat for me.
But, on the plus side, at least I can count this as my first completed classic for the year. This was supposed to be my January read and it’s now February...but who’s counting.
Me, that’s who. On ...more
I just didn’t find it enjoyable in the slightest, which makes me feel like a loser since it’s such a beloved children’s classic.
But at least I’m an honest loser?
I didn’t really like Peter.
Wendy annoyed me.
And the humor and tone just fell flat for me.
But, on the plus side, at least I can count this as my first completed classic for the year. This was supposed to be my January read and it’s now February...but who’s counting.
Me, that’s who. On ...more

Read for school*
Really enjoyed this!!
Really enjoyed this!!

May 06, 2017
Merphy Napier
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fantasy,
five-stars
Reread #2
This is still my favorite book. It's whimsical, beautiful, heart-warming, heart-wrenching, dark... it's wonderful. I love it so much.
---------------------------------------
Upon Reread:
It's even better the second time. I will never stop rereading this book. It's so important to me and I don't even know why. Walt Disney, I've always loved you, but I'm never touching merch that reflects your version of this story. Nothing can compare.
----------------------------------------
This is one of m ...more
This is still my favorite book. It's whimsical, beautiful, heart-warming, heart-wrenching, dark... it's wonderful. I love it so much.
---------------------------------------
Upon Reread:
It's even better the second time. I will never stop rereading this book. It's so important to me and I don't even know why. Walt Disney, I've always loved you, but I'm never touching merch that reflects your version of this story. Nothing can compare.
----------------------------------------
This is one of m ...more

INCREDIBLE! SO WEIRD AND GOOD.
Things that are great:
1) All of these tiny details that Barrie added in that just make everything feel really intricate.
2) Peter Pan is the most bizarre and interesting characters ever.
3) The whole concept of Neverland being fact of fiction? Fascinating.
4) The parents. WOAH SO INTERESTING.
5) I listened to an audiobook version while reading along which was read by Jim Dale and OMGSOGOOD.
6) The magic.
7) The pirates.
8) Understanding why Tinker Bell is called Tinker Bel ...more
Things that are great:
1) All of these tiny details that Barrie added in that just make everything feel really intricate.
2) Peter Pan is the most bizarre and interesting characters ever.
3) The whole concept of Neverland being fact of fiction? Fascinating.
4) The parents. WOAH SO INTERESTING.
5) I listened to an audiobook version while reading along which was read by Jim Dale and OMGSOGOOD.
6) The magic.
7) The pirates.
8) Understanding why Tinker Bell is called Tinker Bel ...more

First time ever reading this and it was not as magical as I was hoping. So many problematic things about it, at times so unsuitable for children, and with unlikeable characters to boot. I've never hated Peter and Tinker Bell as much as I do in this book. Don't get me started on the racism.
...more

4 to 4.5 Stars
Peter Pan has never really been one of my favorite classic stories. I know that some people have a lot of nostalgia from childhood for the Disney movie. Also, there have been so many spinoff and retellings of this story and the actual life of the author, that you know that it means a lot to a lot of people. As we are preparing to watch this with our kids for the first time, I figured I ought to check out the original so that I could get a real feel for where the story started.
At fi ...more
Peter Pan has never really been one of my favorite classic stories. I know that some people have a lot of nostalgia from childhood for the Disney movie. Also, there have been so many spinoff and retellings of this story and the actual life of the author, that you know that it means a lot to a lot of people. As we are preparing to watch this with our kids for the first time, I figured I ought to check out the original so that I could get a real feel for where the story started.
At fi ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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Jul 14, 2011
Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
movie-seen,
ebook,
fairy-tales,
mermaids,
read-in-2016,
sad,
5-star,
childhood-nostalgia,
coverartgraph,
reviewed
“I suppose it's like the ticking crocodile, isn't it? Time is chasing after all of us.”
Beautifully written, hauntingly nostalgic, and adventure filled, Peter Pan is not a story that can be forgotten and that has made itself live on in childhood literature since its conception.
So many are familiar with the Disney version, a book and movie which highlights the fun and joyful adventures of youth as they escape a bedroom window and fly in the night to a hidden world rich with adventures. The origin ...more
Beautifully written, hauntingly nostalgic, and adventure filled, Peter Pan is not a story that can be forgotten and that has made itself live on in childhood literature since its conception.
So many are familiar with the Disney version, a book and movie which highlights the fun and joyful adventures of youth as they escape a bedroom window and fly in the night to a hidden world rich with adventures. The origin ...more

Jun 04, 2008
Brad
rated it
did not like it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
better-as-a-movie,
children
I am not sure I can see why Peter Pan is such a beloved "classic." J.M. Barrie's story of the boy who wouldn't grow up just didn't reach me. And I read it aloud to 4 year old boy-girl twins.
Oh, they enjoyed it, and I may have bred a love for the story in them that will last (which could be exactly why the story has endured -- parental readings), but no matter how much they liked Peter Pan I could not see the appeal.
Wendy drove me crazy; Peter grew increasingly annoying; Hook bored me stiff; ther ...more
Oh, they enjoyed it, and I may have bred a love for the story in them that will last (which could be exactly why the story has endured -- parental readings), but no matter how much they liked Peter Pan I could not see the appeal.
Wendy drove me crazy; Peter grew increasingly annoying; Hook bored me stiff; ther ...more

Firstly, let me make it clear that there is actually more than one J M Barrie 'Peter Pan' story (something that I did not initially realise). There is 'Peter Pan and Wendy,' which is the story we are all familiar with (immortalised - inaccurately - by Disney); there is 'Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens,' which tells the story of him as a baby with the lost boys when he was originally abandoned, (which I have not yet read) and then 'The Little White Bird' (which I have not read either), but is a s
...more

Before I get into the review... it took me forever to go through all the editions of Peter Pan listed on Goodreads. While I suppose it's not too important to get the right version, I was shocked at how many there were, as well as that this was a longer series with multiple books. I guess I always knew that, but when I read it, it was just the Peter Pan book, which I believe was the third in the series. I could be wrong... nonetheless... wow... and it's review time and let's do some soaring...

The ...more

The ...more

This edition of Peter Pan contains the text of J.M. Barrie’s 1911 novel, “Peter and Wendy”, which he wrote from his earlier play of 1904. The character of Peter Pan, the little boy who wouldn’t grow up, had already made an appearance in an earlier work by J.M. Barrie, “The Little White Bird” (1902). There continue to be many retellings of this magical story, and Peter is himself a timeless figure; one of the best-loved characters in children’s literature. There is maybe a little of Peter in ever
...more

I’ve never really thought much to Peter Pan. I read it when I was very small and again in my late teens, though each time it didn’t particularly interest me. Sure, it was entertaining enough but that’s about it.
I’ve recently read Lost Boy by Christina Henry and the genius nature of her plot has made me reconsider the original work a little bit. She very cleverly tells the story from the perspective of Peter’s nemesis Hook. And coming from his point of view, it is Peter who is genuinely the one ...more
I’ve recently read Lost Boy by Christina Henry and the genius nature of her plot has made me reconsider the original work a little bit. She very cleverly tells the story from the perspective of Peter’s nemesis Hook. And coming from his point of view, it is Peter who is genuinely the one ...more

"You need not be sorry for her. She was one of the kind that likes to grow up. In the end she grew up of her own free will a day quicker than the other girls."
I loved Wendy when I was little - I was a bit over two when I got to know her, so I probably knew I was going to grow up at some point too. And knowing what she chose, it was a deliberate choice in my case as well. Peter Pan is one of those many childhood classics I devoured, loved and cherished, only to put it aside and - seemingly - for ...more
I loved Wendy when I was little - I was a bit over two when I got to know her, so I probably knew I was going to grow up at some point too. And knowing what she chose, it was a deliberate choice in my case as well. Peter Pan is one of those many childhood classics I devoured, loved and cherished, only to put it aside and - seemingly - for ...more

Third read: Still wonderful. A reflection on the child’s relation to Faërie and the evolution as you age. But more. This may be in fact a five-star but I am ever so stingy with fivers.
First read: I was surprised by this book in many good ways. I was expecting something that glorified the Child and its imagination, and perhaps cursed the unstoppable destruction of our Childinity. I was surprised to see this was not truly so. Barrie loves the Child, but he does not hide its foolishness, its selfis ...more
First read: I was surprised by this book in many good ways. I was expecting something that glorified the Child and its imagination, and perhaps cursed the unstoppable destruction of our Childinity. I was surprised to see this was not truly so. Barrie loves the Child, but he does not hide its foolishness, its selfis ...more

“To die will be an awfully big adventure.”
I didn't love this book as much as I wanted to. Peter Pan's world is this magical, wonderful, dangerous place full of adventures. One of those places every child wants to visit, exactly like Wendy and her brothers. Just open a window and fly away.
I read this book because 1. it's a classic and 2. because it's my friend's favourite book of all times. It was my duty to pick this up. But it wasn't completely what I imagined. The book wasn't as exciting, the ...more
I didn't love this book as much as I wanted to. Peter Pan's world is this magical, wonderful, dangerous place full of adventures. One of those places every child wants to visit, exactly like Wendy and her brothers. Just open a window and fly away.
I read this book because 1. it's a classic and 2. because it's my friend's favourite book of all times. It was my duty to pick this up. But it wasn't completely what I imagined. The book wasn't as exciting, the ...more


“Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting.”
~ Rating- 2 stars ~
Content/ Trigger Warnings- Blood, Death, Racism, Violence
-No mention of these in the review-
Peter Pan is a very well loved book. It is a beloved classic and I was really looking forward to enjoying it, but unfortunately it only left me disappointed.
Unlike most people, I've never watched the Disney version of Peter Pan. I don't have a specific reason as to why, but it never primari ...more

Ever since I was a young girl, I've been obsessed with the musical performance of Peter Pan starring Cathy Rigby (which you can view here on YouTube.) I don't think I've ever seen Disney's adaption because my mother & friends could not convince me that any other version in existence was worth watching.
As I've grown up (boooooo) I've really enjoyed the movie Hook, & didn't mind the concept behind the mini-series Neverland. However, nothing has ever stuck with me the way the musical did, and so I ...more
As I've grown up (boooooo) I've really enjoyed the movie Hook, & didn't mind the concept behind the mini-series Neverland. However, nothing has ever stuck with me the way the musical did, and so I ...more

2.75 stars
The Disney version of Peter Pan was one of my favorite childhood movies. After picking this original, literary version, I found myself very perplexed by the original tale. It isn't for everyone, and I don't think I was able to connect with it as much as some other people may, but I appreciated it nonetheless. We follow the Darling siblings, Michael, John, and (mainly) Wendy, as they are whisked off to Neverland by the mysterious boy called Peter Pan, who never wants to grow up. Upon re ...more
The Disney version of Peter Pan was one of my favorite childhood movies. After picking this original, literary version, I found myself very perplexed by the original tale. It isn't for everyone, and I don't think I was able to connect with it as much as some other people may, but I appreciated it nonetheless. We follow the Darling siblings, Michael, John, and (mainly) Wendy, as they are whisked off to Neverland by the mysterious boy called Peter Pan, who never wants to grow up. Upon re ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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Books with male protagonists | 1 | 2 | Feb 05, 2022 09:26PM | |
Goodreads Librari...: Correct Book Cover | 2 | 21 | Aug 05, 2021 05:50AM | |
Goodreads Librari...: Same book, different editions | 3 | 20 | Dec 22, 2020 01:31AM | |
Play Book Tag: Peter Pan - J.M. Barrie (2 stars) | 1 | 12 | Sep 15, 2020 06:58PM | |
Brentwoodlibraryn...: June 2020 - Peter Pan | 8 | 4 | Jul 04, 2020 09:57AM |
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Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet, OM was a Scottish author and dramatist, best remembered today as the creator of Peter Pan.
The son of a weaver, Barrie studied at the University of Edinburgh. He took up journalism, worked for a Nottingham newspaper, and contributed to various London journals before moving to London in 1885. His early works, Auld Licht Idylls (1889) and A Window in Thrums (188 ...more
The son of a weaver, Barrie studied at the University of Edinburgh. He took up journalism, worked for a Nottingham newspaper, and contributed to various London journals before moving to London in 1885. His early works, Auld Licht Idylls (1889) and A Window in Thrums (188 ...more
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