Novel provides escape to a familiar place
Tigerheart
By Peter David, Random House, 2008, 304 pp.
Clap your hands if you believe in Peter Pan and Tinkerbell. Now stop clapping because this isn't their story. It's more like their second cousins' story. That's OK because the characters in fan favorite Peter David's new fantasy novel Tigerheart will still bear familiarity with its readers. The catch is that familiarity should be reserved for the adults, as this is their book. Let the kids enjoy the original for a few more years.
Tigerheart is a new offshoot of J.M. Barrie's classic tale. Although it's not the first to ride on Barrie's coattails, it is definitely, without a doubt, the latest. The biggest difference is that the author uses reincarnations of the timeless characters with alternate names (e.g. Captain Hack for Captain Hook, Gwenny for Wendy). The hard part is merging the timeless memories these names evoke with adult dilemmas and reasoning, but he pulls it off.
The story follows the adventures of young Paul Dear — the namesake similarity to the original's Darling children is not lost — as he goes on a journey of maturity following the tragic loss of his baby sister. This leads him into becoming entwined with this new Peter Pan plus his friends (and enemies).
First and foremost, the novel is a fantasy and that promises one thing: escape. Audiences love magical worlds because they offer pure adventure and excitement, beautiful visuals for the mind, and the nostalgia for memories of pretending to be part of these worlds.
Once we're in this world, the heavy stuff kicks in. Throw in a lot of developed humor, ambiguity and innuendo and this book will soar way over any child's appreciation level. But the mix makes an intriguing getaway for those who have reached the age Peter Pan himself never will.
Jonathan Grass is a Community Journalism Knight Fellow. Reach him at jdgrass@comcast.net.
