Beneath the Waves of the Neversea - K.A. Last - ★★★★.¼

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AUTHOR: K.A. Last

GENRE: Retelling, YA Fantasy
Series: Wonder in Neverland, #1
RATING: 4.25 stars.

In a Nutshell: An interesting and entertaining mashup of ‘Peter Pan’ and ‘Alice in Wonderland’. Enjoyed the story. Didn’t know it was the first of a planned series. Drat!

Story Synopsis:
Eighteen year old Wendie, along with her two younger brothers, has just embarked on a wonderful adventure with the amazing Peter Pan, the boy who has charmed her heart. However, upon arrival in Neverland, she realises that things aren’t as they were promised to her. Peter is determined not to grow up, and Wendie realises that her romantic crush has led her into an erroneous decision that she can’t wait to rectify. But how can she escape from an island without any magic or fairy dust?
Ronan has been banished from Wonderland for a reason he doesn’t remember. He finds himself in a new world, where some strange young boys capture him for being “older” and for having magic. Ronan’s mind and heart are both not fully functional, but he does know that he wants to go back home, away from this dangerous Peter.
Thus united by their fear of Peter and their desire to return home, Wendie and Ronan become unlikely allies.
The story comes to us in the alternating first person perspectives of Wendie and Ronan.


Where the book worked for me:
😍 Neverland and Wonderland. Two well-known fictional fantastical places with magical sounding names. How had anyone not thought of combining the adventures so far!!??! I am wowed by the idea!
😍 The author has blended together this classic fantasy medley beautifully. While the focus is obviously more on Neverland, the brief scenes set in Wonderland make decent use of a few of Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland characters. In the Neverland world, almost all the main Peter Pan characters have an appearance, a few of which will surprise you for sure. Even the character of ‘Tiger Lily’ from the original Barrie work, who is written out of most retellings for her racist portrayal, has been modified in a wonderful way. I especially loved Captain Hook’s new avatar.
😍 I was never a fan of Peter Pan (both the book and the myriad movies) – I always found him self-centred and creepy. Here finally is a retelling that does justice to his true nature and shows him as he actually is. I loved the book for not hero-worshipping him or placing him on an unworthy pedestal. All his flaws come out clearly in this retelling.
😍 Wendie’s being aged eighteen makes a big difference in her characterisation. Her feelings for Peter, her use of her physical charms, her knowledge of what she wants – all suit this age better and are written well into the story. While I was initially not a fan of the lustful emotions she throws Peter’s way, the book explains these in a way I couldn’t counter. Well done!
😍 The content is surprisingly nuanced and dark for a YA book.
😍 The writing is fast-paced. I could easily complete this 280-pager within a day.
😍 The cover. Just gorgeous!!


Where the book could have worked better for me:
😒 I have so many queries that the book didn’t shed light on! So many plot points left ignored. I don’t know if these were a result of gaps in the story development or because the points are to be covered in the next book. Which brings me to the next point.
😒 I had grabbed this on the assumption that it was a standalone. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the ending brought down curtains only on some of the arcs. There are plenty of tracks left unexplained, for a sequel that is due to be released next year, as part of a series that isn’t mentioned anywhere on the book cover or blurb. (I don’t even know how many books are intended to be in this series!) I hate cliffhanger endings, and I hate picking up books without knowing that they are meant to be parts of series.

All in all, no major complaints, except that my head is buzzing with so many questions for which I won’t have any answers till mid-2023. I wish I had known before that this was a part of a series. I would have still read it, but I would have been better prepared for that ending. But other than this factor, I loved the book. It is imaginative, intelligent, and gripping. As an indie work, it is surprisingly polished. Definitely recommended if you enjoy darker YA retellings.

Note: You need to be familiar with the original tales (especially ‘Peter Pan’, but preferably ‘Alice in Wonderland’ too), either through the books or even the movies, in order to enjoy this story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through ‘StoryOrigin’ and these are my honest thoughts about it.

For my review on the second book of this series, ‘The Edge of Madness’, please click HERE.

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