Book Review: The Child Thief by Brom

The Child Thief by Brom

While I think from just reading the summary, most people know they are not walking into a completely black and white, good vs evil, story. You know that it will be somewhere in between, that there is a lot of gray area in this story. And boy was it ever.

Brom took this fairytale and crafted such a complex, dark story of two sides who essentially want the same thing, but both going about their own misguided way of doing it, doing what they feel they need to do to survive and win. And while Peter’s side is arguably the right side, the other side led by The Captain (and “led” is used loosely here because the Captain actually came to be a likable, competent character who is helpless against greater forces at work) isn’t as simple and as evil as you’d think they’d be.

Wonderful book. I expected a very dark tale, but I didn’t expect to get so emotionally invested in the story of Peter, his Devils (the Lost Boys), Avalon (Neverland), or the flesh-eaters (the Captain and his crew). I shed more than a few tears and laughs with this book. Brom weaved such a wonderful world to explore. I wished the story would’ve gone and followed them more after their big battle, but then again, I’m glad Brom allowed my imagination to decide what happens next.

Easily a favorite. And Brom’s illustrations were breathtaking. I loved his Sekeu the best and that’s definitely how she appeared in my mind.