Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie

Ever since reading The Child Thief by Brom, I’ve had this itch to go back to the original story. And as expected, this is absolutely a much darker tale than the Disney version. The Walt Disney Company really leaned hard into whimsy and childhood wonder. The book? Not so much. There’s wonder here has a barbed hook. (Pun intended)

Peter himself is unsettling. He’s not the carefree, harmless boy we’re used to. He’s self-absorbed, forgetful in a way that borders on cruel, and has almost no real empathy. Peter is a murderer. And yet, I couldn’t look away. There’s something fascinating about him. like trying to understand a mind that simply doesn’t work the way yours does. He feels less like a hero and more like a force of nature: chaotic, charming, and just a little dangerous. That’s what makes him so well-written; you don’t necessarily like him, but you’re completely hooked on figuring him out.

One of the things that surprised me most was the narration style. J. M. Barrie writes like he’s sitting by a fireplace, telling this story directly to a room full of children. Except every so often, he slips in something that feels like it was meant for the adults quietly listening in the back. It’s playful, but there’s a depth underneath it. Almost like the story knows something you don’t.

And then there’s Captain Hook. Probably the most misunderstood character in the whole book. Yeah, he’s dramatic. Yeah, he’d absolutely benefit from therapy (no argument there). But there’s also something deeply human about him. His obsession with “good form,” his pride, his insecurities, they make him feel oddly grounded compared to Peter. You start to see him less as a villain and more as someone clinging desperately to structure in a world that refuses to have any.

As for that comparison Barrie makes, Hook is said to have attended Eton, which was one of England’s most elite schools. The implication is that he represents the polished, upper-class British gentleman… possibly even a subtle jab at that entire social class. Some readers think Barrie was poking fun at the rigid, performative nature of that upbringing, turning it into something almost tragic when placed in Neverland’s chaos.

He also compared Hook to a certain someone. He didn’t mention who though. I think this is an inside joke that only people of that time and culture would get. Anybody know who he was referring to? Thanks.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It’s one of those stories everyone thinks they know, but the original hits completely differently. If nothing else, it’s worth reading at least once just to see how far the adaptations drifted from the source.