The Child Thief by Brom

Just wrapped up The Child Thief by Brom, and I’ve got some mixed feelings.

I’ve liked Brom’s work so far (even though I’ve only read a couple), and going in, I was all in on the idea: a gritty, dark, adult Peter Pan retelling. That premise alone had me hooked. (Pun intended) And at first, it delivered. the atmosphere, the brutality, the eerie tone… it felt like I was stepping into something genuinely twisted and different.

But as the book went on and the world started expanding, I kind of started to lose the thread.

There’s just… a lot going on. The lore keeps piling up, new elements keep getting introduced, and instead of pulling me deeper in, it started to overwhelm me. I found myself getting confused more than immersed. And yeah, part of that might be on me, I realized (especially after reading the author’s note) that I was expecting something closer to the Disney version of Peter Pan, which was definitely the wrong mindset.

Still, around the halfway point, my interest dipped pretty hard.

I didn’t really connect with Peter as a main character, which is a big problem in a story like this. Weirdly, I became more interested in the lore than in Nick’s actual journey too, which should not be the case. The characters just connecting with me.

Also, too many villains.

I really didn’t like that there were so many antagonists competing for attention. And turning Captain Hook into this misunderstood figure? Not my favorite thing. Dude didn’t even have a hook. I just wanted a clear, central villain, and instead it felt scattered.

Ulfgar? Couldn’t stand him. I get what Brom was going for, but he came off as whiny and pathetic more than anything else. I get that that’s the idea of his character though.

And Leroy… man, I loved Leroy as a villain. I HATED him. I was really hoping for some justification with his end.

That said, it’s not all negative.

I actually really liked the Lady of the Lake. The tension between her and Peter, especially toward the end, was one of the most compelling parts of the book. Watching Peter being forced into a real decision, something with weight and consequence, was way more engaging than a lot of the earlier chaos.

And the ending? That’s where the book pulled me back in.

The final stretch, especially the last chapter or so, had my full attention again. Seeing the “boy who never grows up” finally have to face maturity, make hard choices, and take responsibility… that was well done. It was satisfying in a way that made up for my earlier disconnection.

The New York section got a little overwhelming again, but by that point I was invested enough to ride it out.

Also, the author’s note at the end was honestly one of my favorite parts. It gave a ton of context and made me appreciate what Brom was trying to do a lot more. It actually made me want to go read the original Peter Pan, which I wasn’t expecting.

And that’s kind of Brom’s strength, he’s insanely good at weaving together real folklore, myth, and legend into something new. Even when the story gets messy, that underlying craftsmanship is still there.

Overall?

Not my favorite Brom book, but still a solid, interesting read. Messy, ambitious, sometimes frustrating, but also creative as hell and worth experiencing.

And honestly, by the time I closed the book, I caught myself smiling.

Because yeah… Peter’s smile is a most contagious thing.