Do you ever wish you could purge a book out of your brain just so you can read it again and experience every wonderful bit of it anew? Because that's how it is with me and some stories. Sometimes, a few years of distance do the trick to some extent, and I'm able to forget enough about a story that there's still some novelty, some discovery. But with my very favorite books—like this one—that doesn't do the trick. I thought I'd forgotten some parts, but as soon as I started reading, I was surprised to realize I could quote some of the dialogue by heart, actually.

Still, that lack of discovery didn't spoil anything about the re-read, not in this case. I was just as engrossed and once again felt too much and asdfghjk this books just resonates with me on such a deep level. The relationship between Peter and Hook hits absolutely every beat I love about the enemies-to-lovers trope; it's hard to imagine a better rendition. I love the concept of Wonderland in this one, the entire thing about escaping things you can no longer bear and building a fantasy—and then figuring out that now perhaps you need to escape that, too, but not in order to go back. To go forward, to build something new.

Also, I love this Peter. This is probably the only Peter Pan retelling that's capable of making me genuinely love Peter Pan instead of, at best, admiring him as a perfect villain—and that's with this version still being undeniably Peter Pan, even after having inexplicably grown up.

I'm absolutely sure I'll re-read it again. And then again. And again.

Some stories never let go.