Book Review of These deathless shores by P.H. Low

Name of Book: these deathless shores 

Author: p.h. low 

ISBN: 9780316569200

Publisher: orbit

Type of book: dark, Asian Peter Pan retelling, expectations, captain hook side, island, anorexia, romance, drug use and dependency, murders, real world vs Neverland, fantasy  

Year it was published: 2024 

Summary:

Jordan has gotten good at pretending.

On an Island where boys fly and fight pirates, but girls can only be mothers, Jordan's shaved head and false swagger are the only things keeping her adopted crew of Lost Boys from forcing her into a role she has never wanted. When she gets her first period, she's exposed and thrown back Outside—into a world where grown-ups die slowly in offices, flight is a fantasy, and withdrawal from the Island’s magical Dust slowly strips its afflicted of their dignity.

To Jordan, it’s a fate worse than death.

Nine years later, when the drug she has been using to medicate her withdrawal begins to show its fatal final symptoms, Jordan persuades her best friend and fellow ex-Lost Boy to return with her to the Island. With the help of a temperamental pilot and her long-estranged sister, she sets in motion a plan to oust Peter from his throne and seize control of the Island’s Dust supply.

But Peter isn't the only malevolent force moving against her. As Jordan confronts the nature of Dust, first love, and the violent legacy carved into the land itself, she realises the Island may have plans of its own...

Characters:

Main characters include Jordan, Baron, Tier and Chay. Jordan is extremely abusive and manipulative. She disguised herself as a Lost Boy and almost pulled off the disguise until she is discovered and forced to go back. She is also a talented warrior. Baron is Jordan's friend and has a one way crush on her. He is an intellectual and has goals for being a doctor. I would guess he is opposite of Jordan. Tier didn't have much impact on story. He simply acted as a love interest for Chay. He is poor little rich boy.  Chay is acting as the mother for the lost boys and Peter Pan. She is very nurturing but often does dark things to herself to makes sure she can stay on Neverland forever.  Peter Pan, while a main character is painted as a shallow thoughtless and narcissistic youth. 

Theme:

I definitely think it has something to do with going back and facing the past as well as growing up. 

Plot:

The story is written in third person narrative from a number of characters, namely Jordan, Baron, Tier and Chay. This is not the Disney Peter Pan will be my first warning, if you are expecting a whimsical return to neverland. But if you are interested in exploring the dark seeds behind the tale of  Neverland then this is the right book.   I am honestly confused as to why Jordan decides to go back there, and why there is very little help for returnees in her world. Romance doesn't really work between certain characters, and a lot are very questionable choices. 

Author Information:
(From goodreads) 

P. H. Low is a Locus- and Rhysling-nominated Malaysian American writer and poet whose debut novel, These Deathless Shores, is forthcoming from Orbit Books in 2024. Their shorter work is published or forthcoming in Strange Horizons, Fantasy Magazine, Tor.com, and Diabolical Plots, among others.

Opinion:

I was very excited to read this retelling, mainly because it seemed a lot like my style. But alas, it wasn't for me. The author has done a convincing job of creating this mysterious dark world of Peter Pan and it's MYTHOLOGY. In particular I loved the idea of pixie dust being equivalent to narcotics. I also loved exploring the world of lost boys or the constant mothers that grace them, as well as what happens when kids grow up. The island sections were also very cool, in particular the arrival of Peter Pan and the origin of pirates. But what truly sunk this book for me, are the characters. I just couldn't stand the main characters, much less the path that someone took to become a Captain Hook. The path was very confusing for me as well as Jordan's motivations, and that made up a very big part of the story. I had no idea or clue as to how to understand them, or their trials. Ultimately this book is good for the darkness and possibility, but I would recommend to use some other characters. 

This was given for review 

2 out of 5
(0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)