Allison: Tiger Lily | Jodi Lynn Anderson | Book Review

“To love someone was not what she had expected. It was like falling from somewhere high up and breaking in half, and only one person having the secret to the puzzle of putting her back together.”

Growing up, I had always loved the story of Peter Pan. It taught me to treasure the innocence of childhood and that being afraid to grow up and be an adult was a completely natural thing to feel. Also, it made me really want to visit Neverland. A place where you will forever live a child? At times this sounded almost perfect to me.

Yet, even as perfect as Neverland may sound, things happen there that definitely aren’t perfect. There is still pain and there is still heartbreak that may even be experienced on a more intense level then before. This is what Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson shows us. It takes a story that we are so familiar with, and creates a whole new world that I easily got lost in.

I loved this book. I loved the way it was written, and how it brought to life a character that is often time overlooked. The voice of the character of Tiger Lily is so strong just like she is. She has been misunderstood for the majority of her life, and these misunderstandings have given her a tough exterior. But yet as strong and daring as she is, she is also vulnerable especially when it comes to the boy that she loves.

Of course, the boy that she loves doesn’t necessarily recognize how much she loves him, and how she would do anything for him. Yet still he loves her in a way that is true and ever lasting. Especially for a boy like Peter Pan who on the outside appears to be courageous and daring but on the inside is often still just a scared little boy. I really enjoyed reading about the multiple layers of Peter’s personality. It felt like I was finally getting to really get inside his head.

For me, having the story narrated by Tinker Bell was a huge hit. She has always been such an important part of the Peter Pan story for me. Even though she cannot speak, her presence is still felt, and I loved how protective she was of both Tiger Lily, and Peter Pan. Also, I enjoyed the tiny hints that we were given regarding Tink’s own emotions, especially when they were related to Peter.

The secondary characters in Tiger Lily are all so special in their own right. I honestly could never say enough about them or the messages which they bring to the story. Especially Tik Tok. I loved him! The things that happened to him truly broke my heart. But it was all perfectly crafted within the story, and helped make it even more unputdownable.

This is a book that I would recommend to anyone. It was very well written, and it takes you on an unexpected journey of emotions and thoughts and allows you to experience the story of a character who is so often overlooked but a breathtaking heroine in her own right. Seriously, this is a book that you could easily get lost in, and read in one day. What are you waiting for? Come learn about the girl with the raven feather in her hair!

Disclosure: Received ARC from April.

Other reviews of Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson:

Insomnia of Books: “This is amazing, and it is a book that I will recommend to everyone forever and ever.”

Foil the Plot: “This book has a slow start but it builds in to be this enigmatic story that captures your attention with its complex characters and romantic tension.”

Jess Hearts Books: “Tiger Lily opened up both my imagination and my heart and left me totally spellbound.”

April’s Review: “It amazes me that an author can take a story as light hearted as Peter Pan and make it break your heart wide open…”