Peter Darling is a staple for trans books recommendations. It is a trans Peter Pan retelling, where Peter Pan is Wendy Darling the real version of himself that his family does not allow. 

 

I fell in love with the writing first. It wasn’t lyrical or ground breaking. It is just good. You are pulled instantly into the story. You feel like you are in a classic Peter Pan story. About half way in the book I started craving a bit more substance. But the author, Austin Chant, did not disappoint. Honestly, I felt a little blind sighted by the shift, even though I craved it. I had to take a breath and realize how many of my own emotions as a trans non-binary person I was brining into the book. 

 

So, a quick break for trigger warnings. This book talks about trans identity, transphobia, homophobia, lack of family acceptance, and sexual content. It can be emotional for someone who is still working through their own identity. Honestly, it can be emotional for someone who already knows their identity. But it is so refreshing to see these topics talked about in books. 

 

The irony of all of this is that first and foremost this is a Peter Pan retelling, more so then it is a trans book. I mean that to say that yes Peter Pan being Trans is an important part of his identity and an important part of the book but it isn’t the book. There is so much depth to this story, especially once you hit the second half of the book. I adore Chant's version of Neverland.

 

This book is also about acceptance and loving yourself. It is about grieving and taking a chance. It is a romance, that even had me invested. I adore this book because it spoke to my soul, as corny as that sounds. 

 

My one big complaint. . . the size of the paperback version. How am I going to display this on my shelves without it driving me nuts?