Who Would Like This Book:
This is Peter Pan like you’ve never seen before - gritty, bloody, and hauntingly beautiful. Brom masterfully transforms a childhood fairy tale into a fiercely dark fantasy epic, weaving in threads of Celtic myth, Arthurian legend, and real-life struggles. The prose is lush, the world-building is top-notch, and the illustrations by Brom himself are breathtaking. If you love reimagined fairy tales, dark fantasy, or stories that dig into moral ambiguity and character complexity (think Neil Gaiman or the Brothers Grimm), this one’s for you. It’s especially perfect for those who enjoy seeing classic tales twisted in unsettling but fascinating ways.
Who May Not Like This Book:
Sensitive readers, beware: this isn’t Disney’s Peter Pan. The book is heavy with violence, gore, abuse, and relentless darkness. Some found the brutality excessive, the language too harsh, or the pacing a bit slow, with an abrupt or unsatisfying ending. If you prefer your fantasy lighthearted and your heroes clearly ‘good,’ or struggle with graphic depictions of trauma and violence (especially involving children), you might want to give this one a pass. And if you’re looking for a story with a ‘happily ever after,’ this might be a bit too bleak.
About:
'The Child Thief' by Brom is a dark and twisted retelling of the classic Peter Pan story. The book takes Peter Pan into a modern setting, where he lures troubled children into a misty realm called Avalon to join his band of Devils. The story explores themes of darkness, violence, and the consequences of following a charismatic but dangerous leader like Peter. The writing style is described as atmospheric, captivating, and full of gory and intense moments that keep the reader engrossed in the narrative.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
The book has high content warnings for themes including child abuse, violence, gore, and disturbing situations.
From The Publisher:
The acclaimed artist Brom brilliantly displays his multiple extraordinary talents in The Child Thief-a spellbinding re-imagining of the beloved Peter Pan story that carries readers through the perilous mist separating our world from the realm of Faerie. As Gregory Maguire did with his New York Times bestselling Wicked novels, Brom takes a classic children's tale and turns it inside-out, painting a Neverland that, like Maguire's Oz, is darker, richer, more complex than innocent world J.M. Barrie originally conceived. An ingeniously executed literary feat, illustrated with Brom's sumptuous artwork, The Child Thief is contemporary fantasy at its finest-casting Peter Pan, the Lost Boys, even Captain Hook and his crew in a breathtaking new light.
Ratings (31)
Incredible (4) | |
Loved It (17) | |
Liked It (4) | |
It Was OK (4) | |
Did Not Like (2) |
Reader Stats (129):
Read It (31) | |
Currently Reading (1) | |
Want To Read (74) | |
Did Not Finish (2) | |
Not Interested (21) |
2 comment(s)
I have had this book on my tbr for years but just now picked it up and what a journey this book. Surely it almost killed my childhood dream to join Peter Pan and the lost boys, now I'm very happy that didn't happen. Growing old is not that bad after all
I really really liked the premise, as I am a pretty obsessed with Peter Pan folklore and agree with the author that Pan is a dark character. However, the execution of this dragged on with over-the-top violence and fake kid "street talk" that I started to feel like I was reading fanfiction.
What can you read after
The Child Thief?
About the Author:
Over the past decades, Brom has lent his distinctive visions and artwork to all facets of the creative industries, from novels and games, to comics and film. He is also the author of a series of award-winning illustrated horror novels: Lost Gods, Krampus the Yule Lord, The Child Thief, The Plucker, and The Devil’s Rose. Brom is currently kept in a dank cellar somewhere just outside of Seattle. Visit him at www.bromart.com.
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