Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn AndersonExpected Publication Date: July 3rd, 2012
Publisher: HarperTeen
Page Count: 304 pages
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
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* I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
Warning: This review may contain spoilers if you are unfamiliar with the Peter Pan story
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.
I just have to start out by saying that this book broke my heart. It tore it into little tiny pieces and made little effort to put it back together. I fell so head over in heels in love with these characters, immersed myself into their lives so much, that their love and heartbreak nearly tore me to pieces. Tiger Lily is told from Tink's POV, who remains an outsider to the lives of those around her, but I loved this method of narration because it really allowed me to become part of the story. Tink lets us in on everyone's secrets while never being accepted into the story herself. Jodi Lynn Anderson is an amazing writer and story teller, and this story has imbedded itself so deeply into my heart that I can't shake the pain it's caused me. The raw emotion that radiates from Tiger Lily is a roller coaster experience that will tug at your heartstrings and leave you begging for more.
Tiger Lily is one of the best female protagonists I've read about in a long time. She's tough, unconventionally pretty, stubborn, but loyal to a t. Being raised by a community of people who fear and hate her has hardened her heart and made it hard for someone to penetrate her rough exterior. Peter Pan is just as tough, just as stubborn, and just as jaded. Peter, however, is willing to take a leap and extend his heart. Their relationship became something I loved watching, and despite knowing how this fairy tale ends the ephemeral qualities easily slipped past me. Tink also became someone I grew to love, despite having hated her for most of my childhood. I loved that Anderson provided some explanations for Tink's hostile behavior towards Wendy.
Seeing such a unique twist on the characters really made me think back to watching all of those Peter Pan movies, which I was obsessed with, and Anderson makes it easy to see such a different spin on this classic fairy tale. Tinker Bell, a fairy who has always ben viewed as being a jealous wench in my eyes, is turned into something heartbreaking and loyal. Tiger Lily, a girl we learn very little about in classic movies becomes a heroine with whom we fall madly in love. The world building is also impeccable, wrapping Neverland up into something attainable while still remaining mysterious. The idea that Neverland is a physical place that can be reached only served to fuel my need to find this place for myself.
Jodi Lynn Anderson has worked her magic into my heart. I've fallen in love with her stories and her characters and I can't seem to get her out of my head. My heart rarely aches for characters in the way this story did, but I found myself experiencing real, physical pain while attempting to piece back together my broken heart. This story will have you twisted in so many ways you'll never want to let go. I can't recommend this book enough, I know I don't give ratings anymore, but 5 stars wouldn't be enough. If you're a fan of Peter Pan, I definitely suggest you pick Tiger Lily up right away. It will grab you by your heartstrings and never let go.
