The story of Peter Pan is brimming with potential for retellings and reimaginings. There are so many ways to reinterpret the story of a boy who never grows old and his merry band. The original book by J. M. Barrie has some darker corners to explore as well, paving the way for some interesting versions. I recently finished reading ‘Dust’ by Kara Swanson, which is an interesting new take on the classic Peter Pan. I was super excited to discover another retelling of this particular story, as I don’t think I’ve read another Peter Pan retelling since I first read ‘Peter and the Starcatchers’, let alone a good one, so my expectations for ‘Dust’ were high.
The truth about Neverland is far more dangerous than a fairy tale.
Claire Kenton believes the world is too dark for magic to be real—since her twin brother was stolen away as a child. Now Claire’s desperate search points to London… and a boy who shouldn’t exist.
Peter Pan is having a beastly time getting back to Neverland. Grounded in London and hunted by his own Lost Boys, Peter searches for the last hope of restoring his crumbling island: a lass with magic in her veins.
The girl who fears her own destiny is on a collision course with the boy who never wanted to grow up. The truth behind this fairy tale is about to unravel everything Claire thought she knew about Peter Pan—and herself.
‘Dust’ takes a darker look at the familiar Peter Pan story. Neverland isn’t the bright and timeless place filled with Lost Boys and high spirited hi-jinks that we like to remember. Instead, it’s chaotic, dark, and dangerous. Peter is in exile, desperately searching for a way to return to his home and fix his mistakes. Meanwhile, Claire is hunting for her missing twin brother, who was obsessed with the tales of Peter Pan, and left her a note telling her he’d gone to Neverland. It’s a fantastic set up.
There’s an obvious love for the source material shining through the whole book. ‘Dust’ might present a darker story than one might initially expect, but it still holds onto a lot of the same innocent light that I remember, and there were many details drawn straight from Barrie’s original, as well as what I felt were a few nods to the Disney versions as well, which I really appreciated. In a way, this feels almost like an imagining of what a sequel could have been. All the events of the original story have happened, with Wendy, and later her daughter. Peter’s personal history feels too be similar to the original well, as far as my memory can recall. It’s not exactly retreading the old ground, but rather pressing forward and adding to the history.
This darker take on Peter Pan is very effective, digging into the shadowier sides of what was already present. Peter’s not such an innocent, and his past misdeeds are coming back to haunt him in a very real way. The boy who runs from responsibility and the very notion of having to grow up is now having to face the consequences of his actions in a very painful way. The further the the story goes, the darker the shadows become. It’s a delicious struggle of falsehoods, deception, and eventual, bitter truth that is very satisfying. The boy who never grew up has a lot of maturing to do on his personal journey. I love this quote from ‘Dust’ that captures a lot of the spirit of the book perfectly:
Wendy had grown up.
So I’d left. I’d run.
And I’ve been running ever since. I ran when I kissed Claire, ran when she needed to talk. I ran when she needed me.
But the running doesn’t work. I’ve spent mu whole life trying to escape shadows by hiding in the stars…
Only to find the darkness was inside me all along.
If I have one criticism of ‘Dust’ it’s that the book itself, whole beautifully written, well imagined, and rooted in an obvious love of the original story, is fairly slow paced. It often takes a while for any meaningful progress to be made throughout the plot. It’s an interesting book, and the story as presented is enjoyable, but it feels like a lot of the meat of the story and the action and excitement that I was hanging out for, has been saved for the second book. I wasn’t as gripped the whole way through as much as I would have liked to have been, especially considering how good much of this book is. As a consequence of this slower pacing, a lot of the big reveals felt like they happened in a rush during the last couple of chapters, rather than being spaced out for best effect, which dampened the effect somewhat.
Overall, ‘Dust’ is a fun read, and a wonderful reimagining of the classic Peter Pan story. If you enjoy reading darker takes on familiar stories, love Peter Pan, and want a book that combines all these elements with a clear love and respect for the character and story with a fresh view and a unique take on the world, then you will love this book. It’s a spiritual sequel to the original book, and carries on the legacy wonderfully well. Personally, I’m really looking forward to the release of the sequel ‘Shadow’. I can’t wait to be transported back to Neverland and join Peter and the gang in more adventures.
What other Peter Pan retellings should I look into? What story do you think deserves more retellings? Have you read ‘Dust’? If not, is it on your TBR list?
Looking for another great fantasy read to add to your shelves? Why not check out my YA fantasy duo logy, starting with The Crystal Tree? It has magic, mysteries, royalty, strong sisterly bonds, and a looming battle in which the main characters must choose to stand against the oncoming storm, or see everything fall apart around them. Available on Amazon now!
