9780062061652
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The Child Thief audiobook

  • By: Brom
  • Narrator: Kirby Heyborne
  • Category: Dark Fantasy, Fantasy, Fiction
  • Length: 19 hours 36 minutes
  • Publisher: HarperAudio
  • Publish date: November 09, 2010
  • Language: English
  • (13521 ratings)
(13521 ratings)
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The Child Thief Audiobook Summary

The acclaimed artist Brom brilliantly displays his multiple extraordinary talents in The Child Thief–a spellbinding re-imagining of the beloved Peter Pan story that carries readers through the perilous mist separating our world from the realm of Faerie. As Gregory Maguire did with his New York Times bestselling Wicked novels, Brom takes a classic children’s tale and turns it inside-out, painting a Neverland that, like Maguire’s Oz, is darker, richer, more complex than innocent world J.M. Barrie originally conceived. An ingeniously executed literary feat, illustrated with Brom’s sumptuous artwork, The Child Thief is contemporary fantasy at its finest–casting Peter Pan, the Lost Boys, even Captain Hook and his crew in a breathtaking new light.

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The Child Thief Audiobook Narrator

Kirby Heyborne is the narrator of The Child Thief audiobook that was written by Brom

Over the past few decades, Brom has lent his distinctive vision to all facets of the creative industries, from novels and games to comics and film. He is the author of The Child Thief and the award-winning illustrated horror novels The Plucker and The Devil’s Rose. Brom is currently kept in a dank cellar somewhere just outside of Seattle.

About the Author(s) of The Child Thief

Brom is the author of The Child Thief

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The Child Thief Full Details

Narrator Kirby Heyborne
Length 19 hours 36 minutes
Author Brom
Category
Publisher HarperAudio
Release date November 09, 2010
ISBN 9780062061652

Subjects

The publisher of the The Child Thief is HarperAudio. includes the following subjects: The BISAC Subject Code is Dark Fantasy, Fantasy, Fiction

Additional info

The publisher of the The Child Thief is HarperAudio. The imprint is HarperAudio. It is supplied by HarperAudio. The ISBN-13 is 9780062061652.

Global Availability

This book is only available in the United States.

Goodreads Reviews

Emily May

July 11, 2015

If the girl could only have spoken to the other boys and girls, the ones that had followed the golden-eyed boy before her, she would have known that there is always something left to lose. This is a story you know - in a way. You remember how it goes, right? A boy called Peter appears to children and promises to take them to a better place, a place where they will never grow up and never get old. Of course we all know this story. But... what if it wasn't all that it seemed? What if Peter held back dark secrets about the place he takes the children? What if there was a more sinister reason those children never got to grow up?What I find most surprising is that I never realised how creepy and frightening the basic premise of Peter Pan could be when twisted ever so slightly. Think about it. A mysterious boy of unknown origin creeps through the windows of children's bedrooms and lures them away in the middle of the night. Why was I never completely freaked out by this? Well, now I'm terrified.The Child Thief is a lengthy, complex, but extremely compelling fantasy that weaves in elements of multiple folklore retellings, Arthurian mythology, historical fact and gorgeously creepy artwork. It should not be mistaken for a young adult novel, it's extremely graphic and disturbing in parts, but beautifully written and tinged with that inescapable sadness reminiscent of the original Peter Pan stories. It's at once a bloody horror story and a lesson in growing up - even the eponymous protagonist of the novel is simultaneously horrifying and endearing. We are the lost, the wild, the untamable. In this story, Peter seduces the children who are lost, abused and forgotten - the ones who have nothing left to lose and gladly follow the golden-eyed boy who makes enticing promises. At its core, this is a heartbreaking tale about the abandoned and unloved, and those who don't realise they're loved until it's too late. There are a lot of lessons floating around in this novel, plenty of philosophical musings on life and death. Those who believe this is vastly different from the original Peter Pan have clearly forgotten the darkness of Barrie's stories before the sugar-coated Disney version. I always remember the haunting line Peter says: "To die will be an awfully big adventure." It is a wonderful retelling for old fans, but it also stands on its own as an intricately-woven fantasy world full of wonder and danger. The characters face multiple threats from faeries, witches, pixies, flesh eaters and - perhaps the most bloodthirsty creatures of all - humans. The ending was sad in the perfect kind of way. I love that Brom has managed to create a main character that is some parts monster and some parts hero, you will probably find yourself wondering at times which he is and deciding that he is in many ways both. Given the powerful effect this novel had on me and the way that it is completely unlike anything I've ever read before, how could I not give it five stars?Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr | Youtube

Will

June 12, 2019

** spoiler alert ** Like so many before me, I am fascinated by the tale of Peter Pan, the romantic idea of an endless childhood amongst the magical playground of Neverland. But, like so many, my mind’s image of Peter Pan had always been that of an endearing, puckish prankster, the undue influence of too many Disney films and peanut-butter commercials. That is, until I read the original Peter Pan, not the watered-down version you’ll find in the children’s bookshops these days, but James Barrie’s original and politically uncorrected version, and then I began to see the dark undertones and to appreciate just what a wonderfully bloodthirsty, dangerous, and at times cruel character Peter Pan truly is. - from the author’s siteThis is not your father’s Peter Pan. Brom found some rather un-Disney-like mayhem tucked into this supposedly children’s novel. In The Child Thief he explores those darker regions. Mixing a stew of old-world mythologies, which he very nicely sources for us at the end of the book, Brom has created a very dark view of a childhood lost. What manner of creature is Peter? How did he become the way he is, violent, sociopathic, with some serious mother issues, yet supremely charismatic, deft, and fun? A history is offered. Peter – from the author’s site One thing making the book a fun read is that it is a sort of Where’s Waldo of literary and mythological references. One battle might have been taken from C.S. Lewis, replete with diverse species joining forces. Our Virgil into this inferno is Nick, a Brooklyn kid beset by drug dealers who have taken over his single-mother’s home. Peter, on an ongoing mission to recruit fresh blood for this tale’s version of Lost Boys (and Girls), The Devils, is ever on the lookout for kids with nowhere else to turn. He saves Nick from deadly peril and leads him through the Mist to Avalon, a decaying former paradise, resonant with the many such darkening worlds in children’s literature. A Wrinkle in Time pops to mind, The NeverEnding Story. The darkness here touches some contemporary issues, as the nasty flesh-eaters, degraded Puritans who were trapped in the Mist of Avalon centuries ago, have been dredging up oil from beneath the surface and using it to burn supposedly inflammable, sentient trees in an attempt to push back the magic folk and gain control of the place for their own, and in so doing obliterating the magic to be found in nature, as embodied by Peter and The Lady. Their evil leader is familiar, the completely irrational, sadistic Torquemada type. The Captain and The Reverend - from the author’s siteCharacters are not all so simplistic as the evil preacher. A Captain of the flesh-eaters (the local magic folk are decidedly vegetarian) turns out to be more than he appears. Nick struggles with his attraction to Avalon and the uber-mother, Lady of the Mist, while struggling to come to terms with his actions back in the real world. There is considerable violence in this story, a body count that would be right at home in any contemporary video game (and yes, there is frequent mention of gameboys) and a chilling numbness on the part of most of the characters to the carnage. Arms, legs, and heads are chopped with enough frequency to carpet what remains of Avalon. It is a very male story, sort of a 300 for the pre-and-early-adolescent set. Far too much rah-rah-let’s-go-kill-some-flesh-eaters sort of speechifying. Can we zip up now and move along with the story?There is a climactic big battle that I found a bit too much, even for this. But that is a quibble. Brom has wrought an interesting look at a classic character who has not seen much treatment of this sort before. Root questions are asked, and possible answers offered. In addition, Brom has created beautiful black-and-white illustrations for the beginning of each chapter, and a set of full color paintings for the principal characters. =============================EXTRA STUFFLinks to the author’s personal, Twitter and FB pages

Nicole

July 05, 2021

This book is loosely based on Peter Pan story. It reimagines many aspects of the story such as Peter's motives, Nevernever, and the Captian. This will be a very short review.Our Peter in this book is more like an anti-hero. I loved him. He’s not perfect, he made many mistakes, and certainly did questionable things but Peter's smile is a most contagious thing.This is not YA. It’s grim, gory, and has sensitive content such as rape, abuse, sexual act. our heroes are children lured by Peter’s promise to escape their violent world. But little they know, there’s always something to lose regardless of what they’ve went through. We follow the story from Peter’s eyes and a boy named Nick. While other children adore Peter, Nick is not convinced. He’s not in awe of his speech and action. In his opinion, Peter tricked him. He wants out. however, things aren’t so simple and life in Avalon, even if not by a conscious choice, still has its magic and wonder.I enjoyed reading this book and seeing things unfold. It’s not predictable and definitely one of the darkest retellings I’ll ever read. It also features some beautiful illustrations of the characters and creatures in the story!

Chantal

November 06, 2015

"The darkness is calling. A little danger, a little risk. Feel your heart race. Listen to it. That’s the sound of being alive. It’s your time, Nick. Your one chance to have fun before it’s all stolen by them, the adults, with their cruelty and endless rules, their can’t-do-this, and can’t-do-that’s, their have-tos, and better-dos, their little boxes and cages all designed to break your spirit, to kill your magic". Buddy read with Nina (Click for her review).I loved it. I loved it. I loved it. I seriously struggled writing this review because every time I think of this book I become a gushing, ineloquent mess. This book reminded me of what it means to be a total fangirl.I know that no book is ever perfect. But in my opinion, The Child Thief comes pretty close. Brom hasn’t just written a novel, he has created a masterpiece. You know that feeling when you read a book and you feel like it was written just for you? Tailor-made? That was how I felt while reading this Peter Pan retelling.Why, you ask? Well, this book has…- An antihero. In case you don’t know, there is NOTHING I love quite as much as a realistic, consistent antihero.- A kick-ass female character. Brom’s version of Tiger Lily, loved her.- A complex, well-developed fantasy world. - An infusion of all kinds of different mythology, folklore and fairy tales. From Celtic mythology and Arthurian legend all the way to pagan myths. Is there anything better?- An eclectic cast of characters who are flawed and complex. All intriguing in their own right.But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s try to break this down (even though my words will never be able to make this book justice).Peter Pan is one of my favorite classics and there is so much potential for Peter Pan retellings to be incredible because they offer so much room for originality, creativity and imagination. Still I was hesitant, having read Tiger Lily earlier this year, I wasn’t sure if any retelling could ever compare. And really, the two don’t compare. They couldn’t be more different from one another. This book is so strange and peculiar yet manages to instill in the reader a sense of realism that is awe-inspiring. I believed everything. Nothing felt constructed or contrived, the whole story made so much sense once I could see the whole picture. The plot development felt organic. It was tragic and heartbreaking but also filled with action and suspense.In this version of the Peter Pan story, Peter is portrayed as a seducer: he preys on the abused, mistreated, enslaved. He seeks out children who fit these categories – the children who themselves believe they have nothing left to lose – and essentially promises them a better life, a life in Avalon, a mysterious magical island where faeries and monsters are routine. Fourteen-year-old Nick is one of those boys and he follows Peter through the Mist. Nick quickly realizes however, that things aren’t the way he hoped them to be. The Child Thief is a very dark book. From the first couple of sentences you can gather that this is not a book for children, or even a young adults. It is often disturbing and violent, the writing is gory and the whole novel screams sadness, pain, fury, loss and guilt. It contains many heavy issues such as child abuse, rape and torture and although it’s not about those things, they play a significant role in the story. Generally, I feel pretty neutral about books that are excessively gory and violent; it doesn’t bother me but I also won’t seek them out actively. More often than not, I found that authors use these descriptions to replace plot and worldbuilding, which makes me feel like they are only trying to appall or disgust me instead of telling me a story. This isn’t the case here: Brom uses bloody and horrifying passages where they serve the story, where they enhance, where they add realism. Never did the descriptions overpower the plot. The writing itself is hauntingly beautiful. Poetic where it needed to be, simple where it should have been. Easy to read yet reminiscent of the original Peter Pan. Perfectly suited to the story being told. Then there is the issue of pacing. The Child Thief is quite a lengthy novel and yet I wasn’t bored a single second. This book did not drag. Ever. I was at the edge of my seat the entire time and sometimes I even had to put the book down because I was getting so excited I actually had trouble breathing, something that barely ever happens. After finishing it I felt drained and physically exhausted, as if I’d been the one to go through all these events.The worldbuilding was amazing. Avalon was a fascinating and well-constructed place but what I loved even more was the relation between Avalon and the “real” world. It was so interesting to see how the magic worked and how different people reacted to it; the internal logic was fantastic. Best of all were the characters. Brom managed the elusive feat of creating a cast of characters that were simultaneously unlikable and endearing. There is no hero and no villain. The characters are just people, real and genuine, and it worked perfectly. I loved almost all of them, and those I couldn’t love because they are just too despicable, I understood. Peter himself was such a deliciously ambiguous character. Part hero, part monster, he is self-centered and delusional, sadistic and foolhardy. In fact, he borders on being a sociopath; stealing away children for his own gain and satisfaction without thought to what is might do to them. He doesn’t hesitate to use their own weaknesses against them. Everything comes with a price. Everything. Some things just cost more than others. And despite all his flaws, I couldn’t help but love him. Maybe it’s because I have a soft spot for antiheroes, but I found Peter to be an amazing character. The way Brom slowly presents his backstory to the reader greatly humanizes him and I felt so much empathy for this traumatized, lonely boy who was just trying to live the best life he knew how. A truly complex and layered character who will doubtlessly leave the reader intrigued. We also have Nick, the second main character besides Peter. I was so fond of him. I admit, when Nick was first introduced I was a little worried because I was scared he’d fall prey to special snowflake syndrome. BUT Brom completely turned it around, making Nick into an incredibly realistic character I could totally root for. His bravery was admirable. All the Devils were great. They were distinct and fleshed-out. None of them stupid; they made mistakes but not the kind that were just put in to help move the story along. These were real mistakes, understandable mistakes. It might be frustrating, but never annoying. There were characters like Leroy, Ulfger and the Reverend that I despised with a fiery passion and yet…I could understand where they were coming from. This book seriously messed with my mind and made me question everyone. When I come to rule I will put an end to their debauchery. Faerie shall become a force to be feared. Ulfger, a name spoken in frightful whispers. We will make men-kind remember their place and will hide behind the Lady’s Mist no longer. So much complexity.And then there are the themes. This book is just teeming with interesting philosophical questions about morality, life and death, and what it means to do the right thing. Brom comments on religious fanaticism and its consequences, colonialism, war and sacrifice. If there was ever a book that perfectly portrays the meaning behind “there are two sides to every story” The Child Thief is it. Both sides so blinded by their fear and hate of each other that they couldn't see they were all fighting for the same thing.It’s also a book about loneliness and what neglect can do us. I found it to be both extremely compelling and very meaningful. When I thought the book couldn’t get any better, there were sentences like this: I’m…I am a god! Oh Brom, you were just trying to make my mouth water, weren’t you?To sum up, I cannot praise this book highly enough. For obvious reasons it isn’t a book for everyone, but if you can handle darker topics, I suggest you pick this one up. A novel that is horrifying and enchanting, beautifully written and different from anything I’ve read. A serious contender for my favorite book of the year.P.S. I recommend getting the physical copy if you can. There are GORGEOUS illustrations by Brom himself that you don’t want to miss out on.

Natalie

April 11, 2015

"In a small corner of Prospect Park, in the borough of Brooklyn, New York, a thief lay hidden in the trees. This thief wasn't searching for an unattended purse, cell phone, or camera. This thief was looking for a child." THIS. This is how you start a book. This is how you grab my attention, keep me reading through lectures, ignore my duties, and instill a burning need to search up The Child Thief fanfiction ASAP. Because I have to know what happens next. And once writers grab you by the have-to, it's all over.The Child Thief is a gothic retelling of Peter Pan that would bring Stephen King to his knees. You're used to cute little Disney Peter or the slightly hotter one from the live-action reboot. Once Upon A Time has a Peter Pan too, I hear. This Peter is nowhere near sweet. "His eyes gleamed at the thought. Hell, and it'd be fun too. Watching their faces as they juggled their guts." He's an antihero of the likes of Tyrion Lannister. A changeling, he was abandoned by his mother and left to the wolves. Goll the cannibal raised him before he got slaughtered by grown-ups. So when he walks into a mysterious mist and emerges in a tropical wonderland, you can hardly blame him for wanting to stay.But Avalon (Neverland) is dying. The Lady of the Lake, guardian of Avalon, is withering away. So what does our brave hero do? Kidnap some abused kids, ones who have nothing to stay on earth for anyway and train them to fight his war. "It's at a secret place. An enchanted island. No grown-ups allowed. It's full of faeries, goblins and trolls. We can stay up as late as we want. No teachers or parents to tell us what to do. We don't have to take baths, brush our teeth or make our beds." Peter Pan reminds me of Puck from The Iron King, but on steroids. Vicious, playful, and a streak of loyalty that stretches as far as his interests. And I fucking love him. I want to take him in my arms, give him a cookie, then do nasty, nasty things to him on my bed. My copy contains a mini-interview, where the author says his Peter Pan was, in fact, inspired by Robin Goodfellow, which in turn stems from pagan wilderness gods. Brom mixes fey folklore and pagan myths really well here and tosses a dash of horror in for kicks. Because Peter Pan, if you really think about it, is hella disturbing.There's this other character Nick, who I pegged for a special snowflake at first since Peter noted his resolve in the Mist and said no kid had ever found him again after he strayed from the path. “Nick,” Peter said, his words quick and urgent. “No matter what you hear, no matter what you see, ignore them. Avoid their eyes. And whatever you do, don’t dare speak to them.” Peter glanced into the fog. “If you lose the path Nick, your bones will never leave the Mist.” He's brave, stout of heart and does handy stuff with a spear, blah, blah, blah. Plus, he got mad at his mom for not buying him expensive skater sneakers when she had to rent their house out to drug-dealers to make ends meet.Then because Brom is awesome, Nick changes. He becomes a well-rounded, complex character I could root for. Honestly, I don't think there's a character I actually hate. Not Leroy the bully or the fanatic Reverend. The Captain Hook is supposed to be the enemy and man, my heart aches for him. Yup, that guy. He's not the fiendish, mustachioed man Disney makes him out to be. He's a father to two boys and just wants to get home. Them fighting to leave Avalon like Peter wants them to would almost be funny if it wasn't so tragic.Slight sexism aside (there are few prominent female characters), The Child Thief is the most awesome thing I've read in a long time. Last time I gave a book five stars without hesitation was in 2014 for A World Without Princes. That should give you an idea of its brilliance.

Vanessa

August 31, 2015

This review was also posted on Books With Chemistry.In a small corner of Prospect Park, in the borough of Brooklyn, New York, a thief lay hidden in the trees. This thief wasn’t searching for an unattended purse, cell phone, or camera. This thief was looking for a child.I think you all know I’m a girl with a twisted mind. The dark, gory, pessimistic and disturbing things fascinate me to no end. That is not something new. Since a kid, I was pretty cynic. It is no surprise then to say I always saw Peter Pan as a child thief. Think about it: A kid who lures other children into leaving their houses at the most remote hours of the night without telling their parents. Sounds suspicious, doesn’t it?So, when I found this book and saw many people were disturbed by the way Peter was portrayed in this, I couldn’t help but get curious. Besides, it’s a retelling of Peter Pan! Just think about all the potential it could have to be original and fantastic!This takes concepts from the original tale, but it’s not a simple retelling. It gets more imaginative and dark, and I kind of love it. We have Avalon, an island where no grown-ups are allowed and people don’t age, there are lost kids, faeries, trolls, flesh-eaters. Peter is one of its inhabitants and he’s looking for people to help him save his land. Thus, he becomes a child thief – but not of any kids: He looks for the desolate ones.The story starts with Nick, a 14-year-old who’s in trouble because his mother got in some mess with some drug-dealers. Peter comes to save the day and convinces Nick to leave New York and go with him to a land of magic – Avalon.When they get there, Nick realised things were not as he imagined to be – and that everything is perhaps worse than his life in the “real” world. There are bloodthirsty children – all of them with reasons for leaving their respecting homes and joining Peter. Plus, there is darkness in the isle and there are threats that must be eliminated.The plot alone is not a factor that will make me fall completely in love with a book. The characters are actually the most influential aspect. Here, they’re all well developed and they’re flawed. There are kids who do stupid, reckless things, they curse, they can let their emotions overcome them, they can ruin things because of their bad decisions, they fuck up, etc. Peter is perhaps the best example.Even when he’s the “child thief,” he does what he does because he has good intentions in mind. Of course his way of doing things is not the best one: He can kill, mock, bully, just as he can comfort.Nick was great as well. He decides to go to Avalon to save himself – a selfish action from his part, but when he gets there and starts to know the place, he changes his way of looking at things and he realises his actions are not necessarily the best.Since those are the main characters, those are the ones I decided to talk about, but every character is realistic. As I said, all the kids in there (and the adults too) commit mistakes, they fuck up, they regret and they get tougher.Along with the characters, another important aspects come: Writing and world building. For a fantasy, this latter one is essential. A fantasy world has to make sense and since it’s not set in the real world, then there must be some descriptions as to how things work there. This book did not lack of world building.It helped too the fact that the writing was beautiful. It was atmospheric and kind of melancholic sometimes, and it suited perfectly the entire tone of the novel. Plus, it didn’t shy away the dark stuff, which as I said, was the original reason why I let my curiosity win.There were also illustrations that did complete justice to the book. These illustrations could get a little creepy at times, but they were great and they made me get even more invested because I could have a clearer picture of Avalon and the characters in my mind.I cannot complain about a single thing because everything worked for me. Besides, there were some underlying messages about loneliness and humans that only made me love this book better. If you’re looking for a retelling that shows the darkest aspects of humanity while also telling a sad but beautiful story with good writing and realistic characters, then this is for you and I do not hesitate in recommending this.

Shannon

October 19, 2009

In the seedy underbelly of New York and Boston, children are being neglected, abused, molested, beaten up and forced to run away from home. These vulnerable, unloved children are not entirely alone. Watching from the trees and shadows and fire escapes is a wild, charismatic half-fae boy called Peter. He rescues them from abusive parents, from street gangs and from the hardships of their world, and offers them the chance to live in paradise, to play games with other children and never have to grow up into a hateful adult.Fourteen-year-old Nick is one such child, bullied and physically abused and threatened by the drug dealers who have moved into his grandmother's house to help them cover the bills. Feeling betrayed by his mother, he takes the dealer Marko's stash and runs off into the night, only to find it harder than he thought to avoid Marko's drug pushing street gang. It is only the sudden appearance of Peter that saves Nick's life, and while it takes a little extra convincing for Peter to lure Nick to the island, he succeeds.The island is Avalon, home of the Lady whom we know of as the Lady of the Lake. Once nestled in Britain, the death of the old ways and the rise of Christianity saw the faerie folk, the elves and trolls and other creatures, threatened, persecuted, executed. The Lady let the island drift across the ocean, until eventually it settled off the coast of what is now Manhattan, where friendly trading with the indigenous people occurred. But then their old foes arrived at the continent, and two big ships of Puritans accidentally landed on the shores of Avalon. Death and cries of "demon!" quickly resulted; the ships' canons proved too great for the faery folk, who retreated to the northern stretches of the island. To protect Avalon, the Lady created the mist, which hides Avalon and also detaches it from time and space. Time passes more slowly on Avalon, and humans are unaware of its existence. But it is there, and only Peter, being half-human, can navigate the treacherous, magical path back to the human world, where he finds more children to bring home with him.Altered by the magic of the island, the children become fast and fleet of foot, they stop ageing and become just as wild as Peter. And Peter needs them, needs them all, to fight an endless war with the Flesh-eaters who are slowly devouring the island, killing and burning the trees and searching for the Lady - and a way off a land they consider Purgatory.The children live and die for Peter, as Nick quickly realises, but things are even more dire for him: he is too old for Avalon, and the magic is twisting him into something dark and monstrous - into a Flesh-eater, the enemy.This is a dark, violent and grisly re-telling of J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan, and as a large-format, almost square and very heavy hardcover, it's worth the price and the aching arms to get this edition. It is beautifully illustrated by the author, Brom, who has worked on World of Warcraft, comics such as Batman, Diablo and Doom as well as Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow. This is his third book, and it's a thing of beauty and wonder and horror.I fully respect the author's copyright on his illustrations, but I really wanted to show you some and there were a couple floating around the internet that are from his promotional website (http://www.bromart.com/childthief.html): [image error] An image of Peter in the tree. These gorgeous sketches herald the start of each new chapter, while between pages 278 and 279 are full colour illustrations like these, of Peter, the Lady and one of Peter's Devils, Sekeu: [image error] Even if you hold out for the paperback, at the very least take the book off the shelf at the book shop and flip through it, to see these drawings.The story is highly detailed but the prose is - not stark or colourless, but almost factual, lacking pretension or frivolous adjectives. A taste:"He snuck several sidelong glances at the pointy-eared boy. There was something captivating about him, something about his strangeness, the wildness in his eyes that Nick found exciting. From his gestures to the odd way he was dressed, even in the way he bopped down the street so light on his toes, like some real cool cat -- bold as brass, as though daring anyone to challenge his right to be there. Nothing escaped his attention, not a flittering gum wrapper, a cooing pigeon, or a falling leaf. And he was ever glancing up at the stars, as though making sure they were still there." (p.25)At times (the quote isn't an example of this), it can become too slow as the almost toneless narrator methodically describes everything, but that is my only problem with the story. I've actually never read the original, but I have an old ex-Deloraine Primary School Library edition from the 60s (that's my primary school). I don't remember why I got it, because the story of Peter Pan never really interested me. I'm not even sure why. After reading about Brom's inspiration for this re-telling, though, I'm quite keen to read it. Brom talks about reading the original story again as an adult, and noticing all the dark stuff, the disturbing things about Peter, and one line in particular about the fate of Peter's Lost Boys, that "when they seem to be growing up, which is against the rules, Peter thins them out..." I have to agree: there is something incredibly ominous about this thins them out line. Creating the Child Thief is no far stretch, since Barrie's Peter Pan did in effect kidnap children; creating a Child Thief who thought of lost children as "new blood", fodder for the war against the Flesh-eaters in order to save his Lady, fits perfectly.Interwoven in the story of Nick and the other Devils and their fight with the Flesh-eaters, parallel even, is the story of Peter - his origins, how he came to Avalon, how he came to have a band of wild children called Devils. Inherent in Peter's story is his own tale of neglect and abuse, as well as the chance to see Avalon in its glory, before the Scourge began to kill the forest and the magical creatures were forced to flee to the furthest corners to escape the Flesh-eaters. It's an engaging story, this story-within-a-story, at times heart-breaking, but when you come out the other side Peter is a tangible, known entity, a boy you can understand and sympathise, while at the same time being unalterably Other.The dark tones of the novel, the grittiness, the vivid descriptions of things right out of horror movies - it all creates a very real, vivid, believable world that has begun to go mad. More than that, it very clearly represents a kind of fairy tale rendering of the clash of pagan and Church, the death of magic in the hands of the pious, the death of the imagination in adults. Fantasy, as one theory goes, is often frowned upon as a genre because it encapsulates Play - and play is a childish thing, something you are supposed to outgrow. It is the perfect genre, then, in which to capture this and mourn it. And who better than Peter Pan, the boy who didn't want to grow up, to be the figurehead?Things aren't as simplistic as all that. To hear the Flesh-eater's side of the story is just as horrible, and I actually felt sympathy for the Captain who only ever wanted to get off the cursed island and see his little boys again. This is another theme: how miscommunication, and misunderstandings, can lead to bloodshed and lifelong hatred. It has happened time and again throughout our history - squeeze it onto a small island and you have it play out in microcosm, with no way to ignore the high cost. This is one of the things I love about Fantasy, the genre - and something most fans deny that it does: it's ability to explore our shared histories, examine and shine light on the good and the bad, reminding us of how repetitive history can be, how we don't learn, and showing us that there can be another way; or at least, showing us the consequences if we follow the same, well-worn path as before. With history so old and boring to most of us, Fantasy can play a pivotal role in bringing things to life. Because our history and culture influences us so much when we write, even authors who aim for nothing more than to tell a good story end up saying so much more. (Then there are the ones who can't even tell a good story: we learn nothing much about ourselves from them!) The Child Thief shines a light on a great many aspects of our culture and society and history, both past and present, and the open ending helps add to the mythological nature of the character Peter Pan. Far from detracting from the original story, this feels like the real thing. Read for its own sake, you'll never look at Peter Pan in quite the same way again.

Michael

November 18, 2009

I deeply admire this book. It is brilliant, dark, stunning, imaginative . . . all those adjectives people throw around when reviewing great books. And this is a great book. Absolutely wonderful.

Cindy

May 05, 2019

It was awesome! Talk about fractured fairy tales! It took the Disney-ized tale we grew up with and gave it a wicked set of teeth! The Lost Boys are no longer adorable waifs wrapped in teddy-bearish outfits, and life in Neverland is not a romp in an enchanted realm, but a savage struggle for survival against creatures of unbelievable viciousness. This book is definitely not for children. It was still a very absorbing story, and Brom does a great job of fleshing his characters out from the cartoonish images we know and love. No one is completely good or bad--every character has compelling reasons for his actions, even "the bad guys." I give it an R rating for language as well as violence, so I will not be recommending it to my students. Adults, however, may enjoy having this pastel story from their childhood re-presented in vivid colors and gory detail!

Frequently asked questions

Listening to audiobooks not only easy, it is also very convenient. You can listen to audiobooks on almost every device. From your laptop to your smart phone or even a smart speaker like Apple HomePod or even Alexa. Here’s how you can get started listening to audiobooks.

  • 1. Download your favorite audiobook app such as Speechify.
  • 2. Sign up for an account.
  • 3. Browse the library for the best audiobooks and select the first one for free
  • 4. Download the audiobook file to your device
  • 5. Open the Speechify audiobook app and select the audiobook you want to listen to.
  • 6. Adjust the playback speed and other settings to your preference.
  • 7. Press play and enjoy!

While you can listen to the bestsellers on almost any device, and preferences may vary, generally smart phones are offer the most convenience factor. You could be working out, grocery shopping, or even watching your dog in the dog park on a Saturday morning.
However, most audiobook apps work across multiple devices so you can pick up that riveting new Stephen King book you started at the dog park, back on your laptop when you get back home.

Speechify is one of the best apps for audiobooks. The pricing structure is the most competitive in the market and the app is easy to use. It features the best sellers and award winning authors. Listen to your favorite books or discover new ones and listen to real voice actors read to you. Getting started is easy, the first book is free.

Research showcasing the brain health benefits of reading on a regular basis is wide-ranging and undeniable. However, research comparing the benefits of reading vs listening is much more sparse. According to professor of psychology and author Dr. Kristen Willeumier, though, there is good reason to believe that the reading experience provided by audiobooks offers many of the same brain benefits as reading a physical book.

Audiobooks are recordings of books that are read aloud by a professional voice actor. The recordings are typically available for purchase and download in digital formats such as MP3, WMA, or AAC. They can also be streamed from online services like Speechify, Audible, AppleBooks, or Spotify.
You simply download the app onto your smart phone, create your account, and in Speechify, you can choose your first book, from our vast library of best-sellers and classics, to read for free.

Audiobooks, like real books can add up over time. Here’s where you can listen to audiobooks for free. Speechify let’s you read your first best seller for free. Apart from that, we have a vast selection of free audiobooks that you can enjoy. Get the same rich experience no matter if the book was free or not.

It depends. Yes, there are free audiobooks and paid audiobooks. Speechify offers a blend of both!

It varies. The easiest way depends on a few things. The app and service you use, which device, and platform. Speechify is the easiest way to listen to audiobooks. Downloading the app is quick. It is not a large app and does not eat up space on your iPhone or Android device.
Listening to audiobooks on your smart phone, with Speechify, is the easiest way to listen to audiobooks.

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