"To find out what a story's really about,' the Librarian said,

'you don't ask the writer. You ask the reader."


- SNOW & ROSE by Emily Winfield Martin


Thursday, August 2, 2012

A "Nobel Beehive Award" Review: Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson


by Jodi Lynn Anderson
Release date: July 3rd, 2012
Published by: HarperCollins Children's Books
Genre: Young Adult Romance
Source read: ARC and Hardback

SUMMARY

Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair. . . .

Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under his spell.

Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything—her family, her future—to be with him. When she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter.

With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Peaches comes a magical and bewitching story of the romance between a fearless heroine and the boy who wouldn't grow up.

THE BOOK TRAILER - Tiger Lily



MY REVIEW

There are very few books that are able to embed themselves deeply into my heart...
and I can honestly say that Tiger Lily's story is one of those.

There are no right words for me to explain to you the emotions I felt while reading this book. This story is raw and beautiful. Tiger Lily is such a strong, loyal, spirited and capable girl, in more ways than one - she can do anything from hunting, climbing and running to being able to hide her emotions and was undaunted by the villagers ridicule and criticism. She cared deeply for her adoptive father, Tik Tok. And though she continually reminded herself that she only puts up with her two so-called friends, Pine Sap and Moon Eye, she cared very much for them too.
Image from HarperTeen

When Tiger Lily meets Peter Pan, their worlds collide and tilt over.
Peter Pan was thought to be a myth since none of the villagers had ever seen him.
He was so much more than Tiger Lily ever imagined... The only boy out of the group that had no memories of his childhood. And his only way of protecting 'the boys' and himself was by living in denial and surviving one day at a time. Peter was mesmerizing and enthralling while at the same time impulsive, scattered and broken... and he became Tiger Lily's secret.

And yes, Tiger Lily and Peter Pan's story is told through the eyes of Tinker Bell, sort of. As a fairy, Tink is able to feel what those around her are feeling and at times, she can even feel what they are thinking. And even though she is just a tiny speck of fairy dust who is ignored throughout the majority of their journey and is incapable of communicating with anyone other than other fairies - she does play a major role to their story. It was perfect.

We also meet Captain Hook and Smee. Hook is what I would have expected. But Smee, I was taken by surprised with him. Let's just say that he is the one that people will write horrors about!
Image from HarperTeen

And let's not forget Wendy. At first, I wanted to be angry with Wendy. If it wasn't for her, perhaps there would have been a different ending to this story. With her "Englander" and motherly ways, of course she was different from Tiger Lily. But she gave all of the boys hope to being loved and cared for, like the ways that they remembered. The same for Peter, a dream he always dared not to have.
I understand now why the story ends the way that it does.

We've all read Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie, and we all know how that ends. No spoilers were told here.

Tiger Lily's story is bittersweet... heartbreaking.
Jodi Lynn Anderson captured Tiger Lily beautifully.
There will never be another more magical story between Peter Pan and Tiger Lily than this one.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Jodi Lynn Anderson

I write books about vaguely magical peach orchards, resorts in the afterlife, enigmatic island princesses beloved by Tinkerbell, and...civics! I was an awkward and strange child who kept lots of secrets. Now I live with a sweet Basenji dog named Peanut who loves to eat shoes, and a sweet husband who is good at all the things I'm bad at, like being organized and thinking things through. I've loved writing and reading about mythical and strange things since I can remember.


5 comments:

  1. I absolutely, absolutely cannot wait to read this book. I love those quotes you picked up. I am ashamed to admit I have not read PETER PAN (but I do own it) and I have a feeling I'm going to want to read it after Tiger Lily. Have you heard about the Peter & the Starcatcher play? I saw it twice this year and it really got me into the Peter Pan backstory.

    @readinggals
    @ratherbereadingblog.com

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  2. WOW! I have been debating with myself over whether or not I should add this one to my wishlist...you've just tipped the scales with this review.

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  3. Hello! I am nominating you for the Versatile Blogger Award
    See this link to learn more about it: http://littlebookstar.wordpress.com/2012/08/02/versatile-blogger-award/

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  4. I can't wait to read this story. I've been haering it to be beautiful and heart-warming. Great review:}

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  5. Lovely review, Margie! I finished reading the book last night and wanted to wait to read your review until I was finished. It was such a beautiful, heart-wrenching story, and I know it's going to stick with me for a long time. I felt the same way you did about pretty much everything, including Wendy. I wanted to hate her, and there were moments I did, but I knew it wasn't fair and as much as I hated it, I had to accept her. Great review. :-)

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