Review: Hook & Jill

HOOK & JILL
Hook and Jill Saga #1
Andrea Jones
Fantasy/fairy tale retelling
293 pages
Reginetta Press
Available Now
Source: From author for review

THE STORY (from Amazon)
Wendy Darling learns. What appears to be good may prove otherwise, and what seems to be evil…is irresistible.

In this startling new vision of a cultural classic, Wendy intends to live happily ever after with Peter Pan. But Time, like this tale, behaves in a most unsettling way.

As Wendy mothers the Lost Boys in Neverland, they thrive on adventure. She struggles to keep her boys safe from the Island’s many hazards, but she finds a more subtle threat encroaching from an unexpected quarter.…The children are growing up, and only Peter knows the punishment.

Yet in the inky edges of the Island, the tales Wendy tells to the Lost Boys come true. Captain Hook is real, and even the Wonderful Boy can’t defend his Wendy against this menace. Hook is a master manipulator, devising vengeance for his maiming. Insidious and seductive, Hook has his reasons for tempting Wendy to grow up.

Revenge is only the first.

Deepening the characters so artfully sketched by J.M. Barrie, Hook & Jill reveals the dark side of innocence at which Barrie hinted in the figure of Peter Pan. It brings alive a daring Wendy who asks questions and seeks truth; it delves into the man, Hook, the iconic villain. Striding from fairy-tale and thrusting into reality, Captain Hook becomes a frightening force indeed.

MY THOUGHTS
Hook & Jill is one of those stories that will likely inspire widely varying opinions, not so much as a result of the subject matter but rather the writing style, Ms. Jones favoring prose that can be a bit dense at times even though it's undeniably beautiful. Hook & Jill has a very classic feel to it, the writing often taking a more circuitous route to get to a point rather than a direct one, sometimes weighing us down with more words than seem necessary to move the plot forward. That being said however, many a reader will appreciate this tale just as it is, but those like myself who sometimes struggle with long descriptive passages and don’t always care to try and glean meaning through a sea of words that work hard to obscure it will find this a more challenging read.

The characters themselves are a compelling group, the heroes and villains of the famous original turned on their heads much to our delight, but even as we glory in the new roles assigned to Peter, Wendy and Hook, we never find ourselves fully connected to them. They are wisps of smoke; dancing beautifully before our eyes but ultimately remaining intangible, slipping right through our fingers as we try and grab them for closer inspection. Hook is a highlight though, gloriously straddling the line between cruel captain and powerful protector, both charming and fascinating us every time he appears on page.

It does take a while before Hook graces us with his presence however, and once he’s finally introduced it’s hard not to feel the slightest bit of irritation whenever we’re taken from him and forced to follow someone of lesser interest. There are times when we’re bounced to characters whom, while not wholly unnecessary, aren’t vital to the plot either, and we can’t help but find ourselves flipping ahead to see how many more pages stand between us and our beloved Hook. All in all, Hook & Jill is a dark and deeply intriguing look at Neverland, but it’s a read that has a bit of a bite to it as well, making certain readers work to make it all the way through.

Rating: 3.5/5

Find Andrea:

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This book was sent to me by the author free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.