Everland by Wendy Spinale || Book Review

I only got around to reading one retelling book in 2022, Once Upon a Dream by Liz Braswell.

The other one I’m not really counting as it was a poetry book, Break Your Glass Slippers.

It’s not a first choice genre for me, but I really do want to read more books from it. I found this book at the library while I was putting together my December stash and boy am I glad I found it. I didn’t expect to finish this book as quickly as I did as December is usually a crazy time with a full house, but it surprised me so much!

It’s the first book in the Everland series, and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book!

DISCLAIMER: This review could contain possible spoilers based on my opinions. All opinions and views are my own.

Book review: Everland by Wendy Spinale #bookreview #retellingbooks #steampunkbooks #fantasybooks #booktwt #bookaddict #booktwitter
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Originally published: 2016

Format: Paperback
Pages: 336

Plot from GoodReads:

London has been destroyed in a blitz of bombs and disease. The only ones who have survived are children, among them Gwen Darling and her younger siblings, Joanna and Mikey. They spend their nights scavenging and their days avoiding the deadly Marauders-the German Army led by the cutthroat Captain Hanz Otto Oswald Kretschmer.

Unsure if the outbreak has spread but desperate to leave, Captain Hook is on the hunt for a cure, which he thinks can be found in one of the surviving children. He and his Marauders stalk the streets snatching children for experimentation. None ever return.

Until one day when they grab Joanna. Gwen will stop at nothing to get her sister back, but as she sets out, she crosses paths with a daredevil named Pete. Pete offers the assistance of his gang of Lost Boys and the fierce sharpshooter Bella. But in a place where help has a steep price and every promise is bound by blood, it might cost Gwen more than she bargained for.

Thoughts:

Everland is a Peter Pan retelling – with a huge twist!

Add war, invasions, deadly diseases and a bunch of determined kids and you have yourself a winner.

The author made a smooth transition from the original storyline and created a world of its own, while still sticking to the basics for constant context. It’s a dark future out there, mixed with a steampunk element in a dystopian world.

I actually haven’t read the original Peter Pan book but it’s enough to have watched the movie to know exactly where the story originated from.

It was easy to figure out exactly which characters were based on the originals, which slight name changes.

I loved the world-building, the plot line and where it was heading, and even better, magic was exchanged for science – a beautiful addition.

The characters each brought their own elements to the story and the villain was just brilliant. I love how some of the characters were written in to be connected in certain ways that were real surprises as the plot unfolded and came back together again.