Book Review :: Hooked by AC Wise

Hooked by A.C. Wise
ISBN: 1789096839
Published by Titan Books
on 12 July 2022
Genres: Fairy Tale, Horror, Retelling
Pages: 336
Format: eBook
Source: NetGalley
Goodreads

Once invited, always welcome. Once invited, never free.

Captain James Hook, the immortal pirate of Neverland, has died a thousand times. Drowned, stabbed by Peter Pan’s sword, eaten by the beast swimming below the depths, yet James was resurrected every time by one boy’s dark imagination. Until he found a door in the sky, an escape. And he took the chance no matter the cost.

Now in London twenty-two years later, Peter Pan’s monster has found Captain Hook again, intent on revenge. But a chance encounter leads James to another survivor of Neverland. Wendy Darling, now a grown woman, is the only one who knows how dark a shadow Neverland casts, no matter how far you run. To vanquish Pan’s monster once and for all, Hook must play the villain one last time…

Last updated on 13 February 2023

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What is Hooked by AC Wise about?

Hooked by AC Wise is a gothic, almost horror, retelling of Peter Pan, focusing on the character of Captain James Hook. Decades ago, James escaped Neverland, leaving the boy who never grows up and his monster where he didn’t have to see them again. But Peter’s monster has returned, and James can’t avoid it.

Hook stumbles upon Wendy Darling in London 22 years after escaping Neverland. Wendy has a family, a daughter Jane, and a husband, Ned. Unbeknownst to James, they’ve been in the same city for decades, and while they were enemies in Neverland when Wendy was a child, things have changed. Things are different now. They’re on the same side … at least, they’re both against Peter and the things he brought upon them both back in the day.

The story follows James, Wendy and Jane in the present as they try and wrap their heads around the murders happening around them, trying to figure out how Peter’s monster is here in London, and remember their pasts through flashbacks to the days in Neverland … which, looking back, are so much darker than perhaps they realised at the time.

My thoughts on Hooked

After quite enjoying Wendy, Darling, I was looking forward to seeing what AC Wise did with another infamous Peter Pan character: Caption James Hook.

However, I was left pretty disappointed. I enjoyed the darker twist in Wendy, Darling, and while that was definitely present in Hooked, I felt like this book wasn’t as well put together. There were too many perspectives – I didn’t realise that it was going to be basically a continuation from Wendy, Darling in terms of Wendy and Jane’s stories – and the flashbacks were more enjoyable than the present.

While it did have some enjoyable parts, and I did appreciate the darker perspective on a story we all know so well (and love), it wasn’t enough for me to enjoy it more than I did.

Also, it’s definitely a sequel, and that’s no evidence on the promotion information. While technically you wouldn’t HAVE to read Wendy, Darling before reading this one, I’m very glad I did because so much of Wendy and Jane in Hooked wouldn’t make that much sense if you hadn’t read the ‘first one’.

So while it had potential, it’s a 2-star rating for me, which, going off the Goodreads rating system is ‘it was okay’.

Will you be reading Hooked? Or any other Peter Pan retellings?

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Thank you to NetGalley and AC Wise for the review copy. This does not affect my review, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.