Hooked was a big surprise to me. I was intrigued by a queer retelling of Hook’s story and therefore, read it from that perspective. I suspect the book will produce a range of strong reactions from different readers. As someone who doesn’t like Peter Pan and whose closest familiarity with the story is the kids film Hook, I think it works fine for readers with the most basic grasp of the Pan universe. I have no doubt that some of the characters (especially the pirates) are richer if you have more book knowledge than I do but it was totally understandable without knowing who they were.

I always thought Hook was the most interesting character in Peter Pan and I think that this novel makes the most of him being both a monster and a vulnerable person. I liked that no one is wholly likeable (except Samuel who felt very flat). I also thought that actually providing some queer context for James Hook worked even though I was surprised about how that manifested.

The pacing of the book is very mixed and I am uncertain how useful the time jumping is. HOWEVER, I did enjoy reading it and wanted to know what happened. James Hook and Wendy feel as I remember them and I think that we get a satisfying reckoning with the cruelty in Peter Pan while also thinking about how villains are made. Lots of potential. Definite romantic appeal to those who do like Peter Pan more widely. I found it compelling. A perfect holiday read or something I’d have in the library for older teenagers who like retellings.

Note: this book covers post-traumatic stress at length, includes varieties of drug use, and has quite a lot of violent scenes. It is not a middle-grade or young YA story.