Tigerlily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

                Tiger Lily never quite fit in with the Sky Eaters. She was found as a baby by the tribe’s shaman, Tik Tok, hidden under flowers. He named her after those flowers and kept her as his own. Tiger Lily was never truly accepted by other girls or some of the older women and would spend most of her time hunting with the boys. As the boys got older, they too shunned Tiger Lily forcing her to hunt alone and to befriend the other outcasts. When the ship sank off the coast of Neverland it was Tiger Lily who chose to save the lone survivor an Englander, even though the council had decided to let him die. The council was furious and in an effort to tame her they arranged for to her to marry Giant, who could best be described as a dirty, smelly oaf. It was around this time that Tiger Lily met Peter Pan, a boy unlike any she had ever encountered. He and the lost boys would bring her on their adventures and accept her in a way that no one else, besides Tik Tok, ever had. She became a part of their lives and they, especially Peter, became an essential though hidden part of hers. As the seasons changed and her marriage loomed life would change across Neverland in unexpected ways.

                This was magical. This was beautiful. This was narrated by Tinker Bell which made this even more magical for me. So here we have the story of Peter Pan, told by Tinker Bell, with a focus on Tiger Lily. Tinker Bell is mute like all the other fairies but can read people’s minds and emotions. It is because of her ability to read minds that Tinker Bell is an extremely reliable, emotional and honest narrator. She loved Tiger Lily, was in love with Peter Pan and genuinely cared about the both of them. She would relay everyone’s emotions, describe haunting memories and keep readers in tune with coming and goings throughout the novel. Tinker Bell was also an extremely interesting character herself whose presence around Tiger Lily was always comforting. I felt that this novel was as much about Tinker Bell’s presence as it was Tiger Lily and Pan’s.

                Tiger Lily was a just well imagined, well developed, emotional and unexpected retelling of the legend we know that is Peter Pan. This was a romance story but it was also a story about coming of age (as much as you can age in Neverland), about learning to love and about acceptance. There was a darker aspect to the story, that is ever present but it only intensifies the emotions felt by the characters. I fell into this story and loved every minute of it. The writing was poetic and had a dream like quality to it that just enhanced the story. I didn’t know what to expect and I love that a story I was familiar with could have all of these unexpected twists and turns. I would definitely recommend this novel and give it 5 out of 5 stars. I am so glad I picked up this book. I am not surprised at all that I devoured it in a short amount of time. I am spreading the word because this novel was simply beautiful.