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A Twisted Fairy Tale
Never, Never puts a dark spin on the Peter Pan story and follows Wendy Darling as a veteran detective hunting down the elusive Pan. What inspired you write a story based on this children’s story?
I was originally asked to write a twisted fairy tale for a short story anthology, when I first came up with the idea for Never, Never. The more I thought about it, the more I felt it needed to be a full-length novel. What drew me to doing Peter Pan was the simple concept of an entity sneaking into children’s bedrooms in the middle of the night and luring them away. What’s not scary about that?
Wendy’s character evolves in a way that is still believable but very compelling. What were some aspects of her character that you had to keep the same and what were some aspects you wanted to change?
Yes, she’s quite different to the Wendy people would remember, but she needed to be in order to realistically convey the lasting effects of her trauma. Yet at her core, she’s still the loving and caring sister, though the relationships with her family are more strained than she would like.
What scene in the did you have the most fun writing?
It’s difficult to say without giving away any spoilers! But the first scene that comes to mine is the introduction of the Lost Boys.
Do you have plans to continue Wendy Darling’s story in other books?
Originally I’d planned Never, Never as a stand alone, but I’ve had so much interest in creating a sequel that I’m now giving it some serious thought! Though I would only write a sequel if I felt I could really do Wendy justice.
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Never, Never
![Never, Never by [Liz Butcher]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/311gP7wnGsL.jpg)
Wendy Darling, now all grown up, reluctantly returns to her childhood home when her mother passes away. While staying in her least favorite room of the house, Wendy is reminded nightly of her past with Pan. One morning Wendy wakes up to find out a local girl has gone missing, and Wendy believes she is the detective that will crack the case and remember more about her childhood captor. Wendy is already suspicious that this little girl’s abductor is Pan and she quickly finds out that Pan was not a figment of her imagination.
Never Never by Liz Butcher pleasantly surprised me by uniquely layering a gritty and puzzling crime fiction story on top of a classic children’s literature story. I finished this book within a few days because I was simply enthralled with the story and its compelling female lead. Liz Butcher’s writing talent is on full display, with character setup, engaging dialogue, and a slowly unraveling mystery that all seems effortless. There are plenty of details about Wendy that evolve her from her classic character into the intriguing detective that she is in this book. From her bedroom in her childhood home, being the oldest sibling, and being overall a strong individual; Wendy’s character will make you gain a whole new perspective from what you thought you knew about her.
Never Never has a deeply enthralling horror aspect to it and the creepy portrayal of Pan has changed my perception of Peter Pan… probably forever. One of my favorite parts of the book are the under tones of mental health. Wendy has a traumatic past and the lasting effects of those events have shaped who she is, especially as a detective. I look forward to this story being continued in a series because I love Wendy’s character and the unique idea driving this story.
Pages: 375 | ASIN: B08Y8H23L4
LeRoux Manor
![LeRoux Manor by [Liz Butcher]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41DKu9cr2iL.jpg)
The LeRoux family traveled a long way to move into a family estate they have inherited. What they don’t know, is that strange things have happened in the grandest and oldest house in the province – the LeRoux Manor. The story follows Camille LeRoux – a teenage girl who is exactly where she needs to be. The only problem is, she doesn’t want to be there – but, there is no going back. Once she dips her toe in the waters of a possibly parallel universe, the water is quick to create dark, furious waves that slowly engulf her.
Liz Butcher takes us on a journey full of layers that unravel slowly and in no specific order, giving the reader a feeling of a déjà vu similar to the one the protagonist feels, almost as if you have felt the terrors of the manor upon yourself a long time ago. Butcher has successfully implemented the elements of fear, surprise, mystery, and suspense in the story to create an uncertain, sickening feeling. A feeling that you are there with Camille, watching her unravel her past, but not being able to say anything. The main idea of the story is easy to follow, while still twisting your mind and confusing you, making you feel like you are the one narrating it, and not Camille. This book definitely took me on a ride, one that moves you back and forth so quickly that you feel it in the pit of your stomach like a wild roller-coaster, knowing that you are about to drop and feeling the adrenaline rush through your body. Reading the book, I felt like I was Camille LeRoux, entering a world that is completely upside-down and trying to complete a puzzle that seems endless.
A clever connection and a splendid addition to an already well-developed story line is the mentioning of the novel “Through the Looking Glass” – an extraordinary piece of fiction that depicts a world where everything is in reverse. This connection is very supportive to the plot, as it helps the reader grasp the main idea and understand Camille LeRoux’s slow path to losing her mind, and finding herself. She never finds what she is looking for intentionally, but by accident. Everything happens backwards until she understands what – and who – she is.
Much like the essence of the novel – the reader and Camille are two sides of the same coin. Things repeat in history, and the same thing always happens. Camille’s brave character and her inability to look back turns out to be a dangerous beast that she shouldn’t have woken up, but she cannot escape her fate. Liz Butcher has a neat way of penetrating the deepest, darkest parts of the human mind and staying there for a long time, haunting your thoughts and your soul.
Pages: 212 | ASIN: B089W59RBF
LITERARY TITAN 