What I read this month: August 2024

In August, I only read one book, but it was a hefty one! I've generally been avoiding anything too long or intense, and this one was both of those things. Someone at work recommended it after she realized I'm a Stephen King fan, although the book this one reminds me of most is his son Joe Hill's NOS4A2.

I had to read this one in sips here and there at first because it starts with some pretty dark themes right off the bat, but once I hit the halfway point, I found myself speeding toward the end.

The Child Thief by Gerald Brom

In this novel, Peter Pan meets Welsh mythology and horror. The Child Thief is a dark reinterpretation of Peter Pan, providing background about who the perpetual child is and why he lures children from their beds to Neverland.(Or, in this case, Avalon.) We see immortal Peter's impact on the kids he's "rescued" since ancient times up to modern day. Just as Neverland is a magical world adjacent to ours, so is Peter's Avalon in The Child Thief. Eventually, these two worlds collide. 

I enjoyed the first half of this novel immensely. I often forget that I like horror, even the gruesome stuff, and this is horror done very well. I liked getting glimpses into Peter's early years and the slow reveal of his plans for the band of feral children he's collecting in Avalon. The way Welsh mythology is woven in adds a depth to the story the original tale is missing.

Once the novel pivoted toward the climax, I lost some of the joy. At this point, the main conflict is finally revealed, and it seemed to come out of nowhere. I wish there had been a little more foreshadowing to set up the second half of the novel. I found part of the final battle hard to swallow, but that's because I often have a hard time enjoying urban fantasy that gets...really urban. (When we see the fantastical world and real world collide, my willing suspension of disbelief tends to falter.) The world-building was so fun and detailed that when events of the second half began, they almost felt like they belonged to a different book.

That said, I was appropriately horrified and intrigued all the way through. The end of the novel was satisfying, even though I had figured out one of the twists early on, and I felt like the characterization of Peter and his change in priorities at the end was well-earned.

If you like horror, fairy tales, gore, and fantasy, I'd highly recommend this book. I'll be reading more from Brom (and Hill) in the future, especially as Halloween approaches.

Ali