14 & up)' -Kirkus Reviews 'This Peter Pan story may sound familiar, but the tale takes a darker turn when the children arrive on Pan Island in Neverland.

Dark, even horrific in its graphic bloodshed and psychological menace but the nuanced portrayals-of a hero frequently excused by his whimsical glamour and a heroine too often dismissed as girlishly insipid-are riveting. While she is initially intoxicated by his charisma, Wendy''s practical good sense, stubborn loyalty, and newly liberated fire give her the courage to defy Peter.only to land, in a stunning cliffhanger, in even worse peril. But it also harbors unexpected dangers.perhaps none greater than Peter himself.

Described in lush, lingering detail, Neverland is all that Peter Pan promises: vibrant, gorgeous, filled with magic and excitement. Yet when a strange, beautiful, flying (!) youth tempts her and her younger brothers to abandon stodgy Edwardian London, she yields to long-suppressed yearnings for adventure. Warm recommendation.'Wendy Darling tries to be a proper young lady despite her forbidden romance with a bookseller''s son. That deepens their relationship and adds new dimension to the story, that is not just two-dimensional fairy-tale any more, like it was in animated Disney version. Here they are not just children, but preteens who develop early stage of romantic love and even some sort of sexual tension. What particularly distinguishes this adaptation is the relationship between Peter and Wendy, which is elevated to a higher level than the one we are used to. Few times I thought that CGI is bit unconvincing, but I think it's done on purpose to make distinction between real world and world of fantasy. Kids are incredibly cute and they played their roles really well and scenery is beautiful. Production is top, although not on LOTR level. This is classic version of Peter Pan, but really excellent one. Practically nothing had real chance competing with those two. The reason it had low success in theaters and it passed almost unnoticed lies not in its quality, but in fact it was released in the middle of Harry Potter mania and at the same time with the best fantasy movie of all time - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. This is probably the best adaptation of Peter Pan and it deserves place in movie classics.

Wendy darling volume 1 stars