Tiger Lily | Jodi Lynn Anderson | Reviewed by Anjali

Tiger Lily | Jodi Lynn Anderson | Reviewed by Anjali

• Friday 7 November 2014

I have to admit that I had never heard of this book, or the author actually, before I found it in a bargain bin earlier in the year. The description grabbed me, and sounded like a cool spin on the Peter Pan story we all know and love, but it was really the cover that made it stand out from all the others. I know, I know. Don’t judge a book by its cover. But just look at it! It’s beautiful!

Tiger Lily is the story behind the story. We read and watch the story of Peter Pan and Wendy, and the Lost Boys as they adventure from England to Neverland, fly over clouds, avoid pirates and meet Tiger Lily and her tribe. And that’s all very well and good, and we all love it, but what about Tiger Lily? What’s her story? Jodi Lynn Anderson has created a wonderful story to fill in that gap.

Tiger Lily is actually told in first person by Tinker Bell, who watches Tiger Lily and her life. Tink watches Tiger Lily as she lives in her village with her adoptive father, Tik Tok, and her friend Pine Sap. She watches as Tiger Lily helps an Englishman who gets stranded, wounded and ill on Neverland. She watches Tiger Lily be forced to marry a repulsive boy in the tribe. She watches the pirates, and the mermaids, and the Lost Boys. But she also watches her as she meets Peter Pan. She watches the girl with the feather in her hair fall in love with the wild boy from Neverland.

Because it was written from Tinker Bell’s perspective, it was a really interesting read. Parts were written in first person, and then there were parts where you almost forgot that it was Tinker Bell telling you the story, because it was in third person as she told of Tiger Lily and her adventures. Not only was this book a great addition to the story of Peter Pan, it was a story of forbidden love, of family dynamics, of cultural differences, of peer pressure, of bullying, of being yourself,  of heart breaks and sorrow,  and even deeper issues like betrayal, and death.

If you’re a fan of Peter Pan and his story, grab a copy of Tiger Lily and read her side of it. Anderson has really captured Neverland in its fullness, and put a spin on the original tale. While there were the original elements throughout it – Captain Hook, the clock-eating crocodile, Wendy showing up – there were many more bits and pieces thrown in and it was really cool to see more of Neverland and it's people, rather than just Peter and Wendy’s story. Although it shows 3 stars up there, it's more of a 3.5.


This review was written by regular reviewer Anjali, get to know her here. 
Image from Good Reads.