This review was hard for me to write. Like, I know how I feel about Everland and where my thoughts stand but I have found it difficult to pinpoint the exact things I liked/don't liked about it.
Usually while I read a book I like to take a few notes so I don't forget to add them into a review, but doing this for Everland proved difficulty. I couldn't find some specific things I could talk about and often did not have a reason to why I didn't like something.
Before I get into some of my thoughts I should probably tell you what the book is about. Everland follows a girl named Gwen and her two younger siblings as they spend their nights in a town that has been destroyed by disease and bombs. Captain Hook, the leader of the German army, the Marauders, hunts for a cure to the disease that he set upon England. He snatches children in hope that they contain the antibodies for a cure.
One day, the Marauders grab Gwen's sister and Gwen will stop at nothing to get her back. She sets out on a journey, with the assistance of Pete, Belle and the Lost boys, to help find her sister. But Gwen soon finds out that it might cost her more that what she thought it would.
So... Everland, if you have not gathered by now, is a Peter Pan retelling and the first book in a trilogy. Each book in the trilogy is a retelling and follows a different set of characters, from what I believe. I know the second book, Umberland, is an Alice in Wonderland retelling and doesn't follow Gwen. I'm not sure if the third book, Ozland, is also in the same case.
I, personally, quite liked this book as a Peter Pan retelling. I found Everland to be very similar to Peter Pan and liked how easy it was to see which characters were which. I did not expect it to be as similar as it was. Because this review is spoiler free I don't really want to compare Everland and Peter Pan just incase it gives away any spoilers for those who are thinking about picking up the book. But once you read it you will be able to see how similar the two are.
From about half way through the book I felt like I wanted to be done with it, like I just wanted to finish reading it and move onto another book. But the ending does get better! I found that I read the last half of the book in the span of a few hours, and if you know me I don't read fast. So for me to read about 160 pages in about 2 hours is a good thing. I honestly didn't think I would finish reading the second half of the book as quickly as I did just because I did not like the first half.
I do have to say that Everland feels a lot longer than it looks. It is about 310 pages long but to me it felt like it was double that. It was taking me too long to read a certain number of pages then it should have. I am going to add here as well that I am not a fan of Spinale's writing. There is no reason why it was just is not for me.
A comment about the romance in this book. There is a small hint of romance in the book, between what characters is for you to find out! I quite liked how hidden it was from the story line. Like it was there but it wasn't. The romance wasn't in your face and I liked how subtle it was.
Overall I did enjoy the book and gave it a 3.5 out of 5 stars. I'm not sure if I will continue reading the trilogy though, I am pretty happy to leave it where it ends.
Don't let this review make you think that it is a terrible book... do go and pick it up if you enjoy retellings and Peter Pan.
Happy reading!
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