Book Review #756 - Neverland by Margot McGovern

Kit Learmonth would rather die than grow up and leave Neverland …

When she was twelve, Kit Learmonth watched her parents drown in a storm as their boat sailed over the Tranter Sink Hole. Now seventeen, Kit doesn’t remember the incident, and she doesn’t want to. In fact, her only clear memories from before her parents’ death are of the fantastical stories of pirates and mermaids that she and her dad invented about the small island where she grew up, a place she calls Neverland. 

Following Kit’s parents’ deaths, her uncle and guardian, Doc, transformed the island into a boarding school for mentally ill teenagers and sent Kit away to school on the mainland. But when Kit tries and fails to end her life, Doc brings her home to the island and places her in the care of his colleague, Dr Hannah Ward. 

Resisting her treatment, Kit instead pulls her friends deeper into her world of make-believe. It’s only when Kit and her new boyfriend, Rohan, take the fantasy too far and land themselves in very real danger that her faith in Neverland is shaken, and Kit must find a way back to reality.

My Rating: 2.5/5

I had to read this book for a book club and it is not a book I would have likely picked to read myself.

First of all I have absolutely no personal knowledge of mental illness, depression, self-harm etc but I felt like this was not properly addressed in this book for example the protagonist Kit never really gets the help she desperately needs.

This was one of those books that the characters drive the story and I struggled with that style with this one because I never really connected with any of them. 

I loved the setting of the island especially the secret cave that Kit escapes to throughout. I also loved the sailing element although I know nothing about it, it felt like it was accurately described and well researched.

The mystery element was really slow paced but ultimately worth the wait as I didn't see it coming.

Overall, I felt like this book had similar elements to it as P is for Pearl another book I had to read for my book club but I felt that P is for Pearl was better written.