This is a book based on an earlier work and a play by James Matthew Barrie, that debuted in 1904. The book was published in 1911. Naturally it's a product of its time: a different era, a different mentality, but by today's standards it's sexist and racist. Fortunately it's out of copyright so people can write their own updated versions of this - an advantage of not having copyrights being extended forever by corporations like Disney who want to protect a cartoon mouse, and who in 1953 perpetuated the abusive stereotypes established by Barrie in his original work. Believe it or not, they're planning on two live-action sequels. One for Pan, the other for Tinkerbell. I'll pass. The only thing Disney I have any interest in anymore is what comes out of Marvel Studios.
The story in the book ought to be familiar since the '53 movie follows the text pretty closely for the early part at least. We have Peter losing his shadow and having to return for it. Why he even cares is left unexplained, but in doing so he ends up taking Wendy, John, and Michael with him back to Neverland. Contrary to some stories, Barrie didn't invent the name Wendy. It was in use long before his time, but he was instrumental in popularizing it for about a half century, as a girl's name.
The problem with Wendy is that she's of the 'woman's place is in the home' stable, taken only to provide a mother for the Lost Boys and as someone who can cook and darn clothes. She serves no other purpose and has no other reason for her existence in Barrie's world. He writes: "Wendy's favourite time for sewing and darning was after they had all gone to bed. Then, as she expressed it, she had a breathing time for herself; and she occupied it in making new things for them, and putting double pieces on the knees, for they were all most frightfully hard on their knees." So Wendy's 'me time' was really 'them time', spent in doing chores for others, because evidentky she had not been raised to think she could have a life and neither was Peter Pan, nor anyone else interested in educating her otherwise. This sort of thing used to be known as slavery. No one ever did anything for Wendy.
Wendy was also very much a subject and adherent to the patriarchal society: "Secretly Wendy sympathised with them a little, but she was far too loyal a housewife to listen to any complaints against father. 'Father knows best,' she always said, whatever her private opinion must be." And this was as a grown-up. Yes, she does grow up and Peter, who supposedly forgets things easily, somehow remembers her. The problem with Peter though is his age. He's been failing to grow up for many years, so his actual age isn't that of a boy Wendy's age. He's much older than that, yet in the manner of modern pedophile YA vampire stories, despite being antique and someone who would have no need of a mother figure and no interest in anyone as young as Wendy, he appears for all purposes as a spoiled and still-young boy.
This is ridiculous even if you take into account his forgetfulness. He has not forgotten how long he's been around or the skills and tricks he's learned in those years. He forgets only people and the reason for this is that he's the most narcissistic and self-centered person outside of the White House. He's not a hero. He's just the opposite. He's Donald Trump. Everything is always about him and he has no thought or time for others unless those others benefit him somehow. He's supposedly rescued these 'Lost Boys', but he really doesn't care if they're in danger or what happens to them. Wendy at least steps up in that regard.
So much for genderism. The racism comes in as the 'redskins' are introduced. One of them is Tiger Lily - supposedly a princess and maybe based on Pocahontas. Hers is not a Native American name, and though tigers were mentioned as being on the island, lilies were not! While they are native to east and central North America, the American Indians, if they called them anything at all, would not have called them Tiger lilies! The real problem though is how Tiger Lily talks. Barrie seems to completely conflate Native Americans and Asians, and to employ the worst stereotypes of each. Tiger Lily speaks like this: "Me Tiger Lily...Peter Pan save me, me his velly nice friend. Me no let pirates hurt him." Seriously? Barf.
So no. The story is ridiculous and painfully dated, and there is nothing edifying or redeeming about it. I can't commend it as a worthy read. It's warty all the way through.
