Andrea Jones (1)

A worthy successor to "Hook and Jill," this story covers a number of genres. It's a pirate fantasy, a story of passion and sexuality, a missing person mystery, and a study of power. In fact, more than anything else, this is a story about the wielding of power through all available means: brute strength, nerve, sexuality, deceit, and intellect. The story is less one of swasbuckling than of intrigue. The plots and deceptions -- and the truths -- are abundant and subtle, and the reader isn't always aware of them until their impact explodes on board the Roger.

Jones has a gift for characterization, and as the story unfolds the major characters -- and the supporting ones -- slowly reveal their depths and complexities.

The main conflict of the story is a compelling one: how Jill will survive -- with her pirate's honor and heart intact -- when Hook disappears and she is left on her own to deal with the powerful, greedy men on board the Jolly Roger. The fact that she too is powerful, greedy -- and passionate ups the stakes for everyone.

The other strength of the story is the villains -- two of the most reprehensible characters I've ever encountered.

The one weakness of the book is the length. Jones is very fond of her plots and deceptions, and the story would have been equally -- if not better -- served by not dragging them out quite so long. I found myself wanting to jump ahead to the inevitable final showdown, but afraid that if I did so I'd not understand all the implications of the characters' actions. But the third quarter of the book was slow going.

My other quibble is the portrayal of Jill. While every inch a pirate queen, she seems very much an author's fantasy/Mary Sue character. Every man wants her, and she is always heroically clever and bold. She has no faults, even if sometimes, very rarely, she is outmanuvered. She's just a bit too perfect. But this is a fantasy, and whatever points Jones loses for a Mary Sue heroine she gains back in the creation of a character who is unashamed of her passions, and who refuses to submit to even the normal conventions of a pirate society. She chooses her own ways to her own ends, and forces those around her -- including the reader -- to respect her choices.… (plus d'informations)

I loved this book. The combination of adventure, growing up and into one's own life and sexuality, and the connection between Wendy's stories and the existence of both Hook and Peter, all touched me in a very deep and personal place. I don't know if others will rate it as highly as I did because of how personal it was, but I can also say that the writing was excellent, the characters interesting, and the place was both recognizably Neverland *and* a place that was newly changing.

The core of the story is how Wendy Darling -- mother to the Lost Boys and frustrated not-quite-consort of ever-young Peter Pan -- grows up, faces the dangers of her world, and chooses who she wants to become. She remains true to her role of mother as she protects the boys from Peter's dangerous side, and works ceaselessly to help them grow into the next phase of their lives. She struggles with her own feelings about Pan and Hook, and eventually chooses the one who loves and affirms the truest part of her emerging self.

I would recommend this book to those who like modern, somewhat darker updates to classic fairy stories, and those who are interested in stories of growing up, making choices, and moving beyond boundaries. And of course: those who like pirate stories.

There is definitely sensuality in the book, some of it with a darker undertone, but it never goes over the line into explicitness, if that's a concern for some.… (plus d'informations)

I finished this book more than a week ago, and it's taken me this long to figure out what I wanted to say about it.

First: I'm a huge fan of Red Handed Jill and Hook. I love their unabashed passion and their unapologetic love of power and treasure. They are the ultimate pirate king and queen. I also love Andrea Jones' vision of Neverland and the fierce magic that weaves its way through the stories, especially in regards to Jill's story telling and her initiatory experiences. I enjoy her secondary characters and the way she honors a range of sexualities and relationship choices.

Alas, I did not love this book. One reason made itself clear while reading, the other took a while to figure out.

The obvious issue was that the pace lags when Jones dwells overlong on the inner lives of her characters. I *like* characters who think -- but I don't like stories in which characters spend more time thinking about doing things than they do doing things, especially in a fantasy adventure. And especially when they are having the same thoughts over and over again: usually of sexual tensions or unresolved conflicts with other characters. As was the case with "Other Oceans," the page count of this book could be significantly reduced without impacting the actual plot.

The reason which took me longer to figure out is that ultimately I don't find Jill's ongoing involvement with Captain Cecco believable, not given the depth and intensity of her relationship with Hook. Cecco is attractive in his own right, and I enjoyed his scenes with Raven. . . but whenever he was in a scene with Jill he annoyed me. He simply isn't in the same league with Hook. I could imagine Jill enjoying dallying with him, but nothing more than that. I liked the way Jones dealt with the challenges and joys of a polyamorous relationship, and the gradually improving way Hook and Cecco dealt with each other, but because I didn't like Jill's relationship with Cecco to begin with, it ultimately fell flat for me.

I do recommend this book, but only if someone has already read the first two volumes in the series. Knowing the backgrounds of the characters is absolutely necessary to understanding the dynamics between the characters and the history of the island.… (plus d'informations)

I picked this book up on a whim at a library conference and - much to my surprise - found myself talking to the author there at the conference and ended up thoroughly enjoying it. The cover art does not do this book justice, so just ignore the cover. The characters of Wendy and Peter are given much more depth and even the Lost Boys gain a hefty dose of personality. Also, the author's description of Never Never Land brings it to life with such detail you can almost see the terrain laid out in your mind like a carefully drawn map. Highly recommended if you're looking for something fun to read.Warning: this is basically fan fiction, using the 2003 film Peter Pan as inspiration.… (plus d'informations)