Review: Tiger Lily

Title:  Tiger Lily
Series:  None
Author:  Jodi Lynn Anderson
Publisher:  Harper Collins Children's Books
Pages:  220
Format:  eBook
Source:  Bought

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.

My Review:  I'm still recovering from reading this book.  I had not expected to be so completely wrapped up in this book and the characters but I was.  It ripped out my heart and stomped all over it, laughing as it did.  I cried quite a bit while reading it.  Even though it did cause me quite a bit of heartache, I am so glad I picked it up.  It was an amazing, thought-invoking read that left me breathless with its raw beauty.  

I was first and foremost caught up by the usual way this story was told.  Neither Tiger Lily or Peter told their own story, instead Tinker Bell was the one who narrated.  It was so unique to be told a story from a first person point of view and have the person telling it not be one of the main characters.  I thought it would make it hard to connect and feel for Tiger Lily and Peter but it had the complete opposite effect.  We felt their emotions and heard both of their thoughts through Tink.  Because of this, we were provided a better insight on exactly how each of them felt.  Had this story been told through Tiger Lily or Peter, I feel like it wouldn't have been as absolutely amazing.  

The plot was exciting and kept me on my toes but wasn't so extremely busy and erratic that we were taken from the core of the story - the relationship between Peter and Tiger Lily.  It was very interesting to see them together.  They were both so strong and independent and rather hard but with each other, they branched out and became softer.  I also really enjoyed their innocence.  Here were two people who were warriors and prided themselves with being tough and strong but when it came to their budding romance, they were so unsure and it was just amazing seeing how that part of them was brought out.  I also thought Peter was absolutely adorable.  More than once I wanted to jump into the book and give him a hug.  

There was a lot of difficult, tear jerking moments to go along with the sweet ones.  It was hard reading and knowing that at any moment things were going to fall apart for the pair.  I wanted so badly for them to live ignorantly in love but that's just not the way the story goes and it broke my heart.  Also, I really, really dislike Wendy.  She wasn't even necessarily a bad person but still.  I don't think I'll ever even be able to watch the Disney version of Peter Pan again and like her.  

This book has secured a permanent place in my heart.  It tugged on my heart strings and brought out such strong emotions.  I know that I will be going back and rereading this many times in the future.  I absolutely adored it, even if it made me cry.  

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