Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens / Peter and Wendy by J.M. BarrieMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
My first copy of Peter Pan in Kensington gardens was missing some paragraphs.. so this edition was way better!
It has an intro on J.M. Barrie..who was quite a character himself.
Lots of speculation that he had mother issues, or he wasn't grown up like Peter or maybe he was even a pedophile. All that from reading Peter Pan. While it was a little strange even for me, it was ok. The idea is that children are birds, and then sometimes remember while they are 1 week old.. they try to tell their mothers and speak bird which is why we don't understand them. He also made up a whole myth about baby's and small kids.. how to parent and understand them I guess. When a baby laughs Fairies are born.. but they swear and are not nice.. like Tink for instance. She constantly called Peter names and didn't want to cooperate or like any of his companions especially Wendy. It is mentioned she is jealous,but it really doesn't explain her behavior or why there aren't any other fairies.. The author only picks one adventure of Wendy (their pretend mother) and his lost boys plus Wendy's brothers John and Michael. The story is about Tiger Lily and Redskins, and Hook.. who he never reveals who Hook really is. Only that his name is James and he came from a prestigious school Eton. (Thank god for the notes! Or additions by another author..brain fart forgot what it is called.)
Kensington Gardens is weirder yet. The author never explains who the narrator is or anything much about David other than if he puts his fingers to his temples he remembers his bird tendencies. Something about Peter riding a goat is never explained either. The gardens are explained in detail, and then Peter's story of flying away, thinking he was a bird and then having Fairy adventures. They eventually grant him a wish.. he wants to go home. When he finally gets there his window is barred shut and his Mom has another little boy. Not sure what the moral of the story is.. other than Peter is really conceited, cocky and hates real mothers. Pretend ones are ok..even the pirates who are adults want a child for a mother.. weird or what? So yeah.. I like the Disney Movie way better and also lost Boys by Christina Henry because she really paints Peter as he is... a spoiled brat, who wants attention. Man if that kid ever came to my window... I'd knock him flat and give him an earful. Not that he would listen..but he is by far my least favorite character ever!! I like Hook better, at least he has some humanity!! Even if he is a "bad" guy..or whatever Mr.Barrie made him to be originally. I don't know still how the lost boys or even Wendy, John and Michael could stand him for so long! It didn't sound all that fun..playing house all the time.. doing the same crap they did at home or their adventures which included murder.. how is that fun for a child?? Ugh I have so many rants about this book!! It just baffles me.
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