Surviving Neverland

by Wolf Gunnar

She was never lost...just misplaced in a story that didn’t belong to her.

Wendy is what they called her, but that was never her name. Not when the boys with knives for teeth crept through the mirrors. Not when the whispers stitched themselves into her skin. Not when the shadows taught her how to bleed beautifully.

In a psych ward that feels more like a stage set for ghosts, she doesn’t remember how she got there...but the mirror does. And so does the man behind it. Hook. Peter. The one who hurt her. The one who loved her. The one who was never two.

Reality fractures. Identities blur. And what started as a fairy tale dissolves into a dark labyrinth of obsession, madness, and power.

This is not a retelling.

This is a reclamation.

510 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication January 27, 2026

Reviews

[Amber Murphy · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️ 2 Stars — DNF at 25%

This book presents a very unique perspective on Peter Pan, told from Wendy’s POV while she’s in a psych ward, and I can see what the author was trying to do. Unfortunately, I ended up DNF’ing at 25% because it was just far too confusing to follow.

I’ve never read anything by this author before, and while his writing is extremely descriptive—to the point where you genuinely feel like you’re inside the story—that same intensity ultimately worked against my enjoyment. The narrative is fragmented, disorienting, and intentionally chaotic, which made it difficult for me to stay grounded in what was actually happening versus what was symbolic or imagined.

Wendy is clearly going through an intense identity crisis, presenting multiple versions of herself: submissive, noncompliant, erotic with a high pain threshold, Catholic guilt, and even a suicidal variant that feels rejected and redacted. While this concept is interesting, it became overwhelming and hard to track, especially so early in the book.

The dynamic between Peter and Hook was compelling but added to the confusion. Hook gives dominant MMC energy—broody, rough, and calloused. “Hook loved you when you’re quiet.” Meanwhile, Peter has total puppy-dog energy—loyal, sweet, and patient. “Peter misses you most when you try to run.” Wendy calls Peter when she wants to be kissed and Hook when she wants to bleed, summed up perfectly in the line:

“You called him Peter when you wanted to be kissed. You called him hook when you needed to bleed.”

There’s no denying the writing is bold and atmospheric, but for me, the story was too confusing and abstract to stay engaged. I think readers who enjoy heavily symbolic, psychological, and experimental narratives may appreciate this far more than I did—but it just wasn’t for me.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full transparency: the beginning of this book felt like a fever dream. Written in poetic prose, it often left me disoriented as scenes bled into one another. I kept questioning what was real. Now I believe that was intentional, meant to reflect the fragmented mind of a victim. Unfortunately, this is where some readers may struggle. But if you stick with it, you’ll witness a powerful shift from victim to survivor.

“𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐮𝐥𝐭. 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤. 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐫. 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐫.”
“𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐝𝐨. 𝐈𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐞𝐫.”

The author’s metaphors grow more meaningful with repetition and as the story unfolds. If you trust the process, the second half becomes more lucid and emotionally rewarding. This book is for those who choose to survive, to live, and to release the lie that they are at fault. You hold the pen to your story. Not the monsters and not the white coats. You choose.

“𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐲𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐬. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞. 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝.”

Early on, I sensed a dissociative identity element, though it wasn’t clear who the host was. I loved that uncertainty. My mind was working overtime. If you know me as a reader, you know that I love reading about characters with DID because I’m fascinated by how the mind protects itself, and this story explores that beautifully in a very unique way. A takeaway from this story is that no one is simply a diagnosis and Neverland is your path forward.

Though fragmented at first, this becomes a deeply moving survivor story. It’s dark and sometimes disturbing, but it carries real weight. I even shed a few tears. Not from sadness, but from that feeling of triumph for overcoming your demons. By the end, I was truly impressed by this author.

[Jess Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an ARC from author Wolf Gunnar. Was so wrapped up in this world of Peter, Wendy and hook. The book draws you into a world where you’re not sure if it’s real or if it’s something she’s dreaming.

Wolf’s writing describes things that have you questioning what your own mind is reading and it’s a wonderful, thrilling experience.

You fall into a world of pleasure, pain, heartache and it doesn’t stop the more you read. Such a wonderful book to read. Definitely puts new meaning to a retelling. It’s psychological and exciting.

Loved it. Cannot wait for others to experience this…

Thank you Wolf Gunnar

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

***ARC Review***

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to the author Wolf Gunner for sending me a digital ARC copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

Surviving Neverland by Wolf Gunner is an intense and emotional book that really sticks with you. It pulls you in fast and makes you feel uneasy, sad, angry, and hopeful at different moments, sometimes all at once. The story feels heavy in a good way, like you’re right there with the characters, experiencing their fear and strength as things unfold. It’s the kind of book that makes you stop and think after you put it down, and you’ll probably find yourself still feeling it long after you finish. If you like books that hit you emotionally and don’t shy away from tough topics, this one is definitely worth reading.

A huge thanks to Wolf Gunner for giving me the privilege to read the book before the book is released.

[Melissa Mejia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of receiving this as an e-ARC and will be giving my honest review. WOW mind blowing!! This is a very dark story reclamation of Hook, Peter Pan and Darling Wendy! Please please please read your triggers before diving into this book!! Wendy is in a psychiatric hospital due to her traumas and she has visits from Hook and Peter Pan. This author did a phenomenal job writing this story i felt like i was in the book with her! I could feel all the emotions she was feeling! This again is a very dark story and I cant stress this enough please read your triggers!!

“Reality fractures. Identities blur. And what started as a fairy tale dissolves into a dark labyrinth of obsession, madness, and power.

This is not a retelling.

This is a reclamation.”

[CONNIEBENNETT26 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wolf Gunnar through his original descriptive writing style has penned a darkest retelling of Neverland. Just WOW! A retelling only he could have done with this clarity.
Readers get ready, for a Neverland , you will be leaving a light on a night.

[J.L. Beers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow 🤯

I got this book as an ARC and going into it I knew it would be dark. I don’t have many triggers but my first piece of advice would be to read the warnings before you read the book itself.

This dark retelling of Hook, Peter Pan and Wendy Darling will have you biting your nails.

Wendy was placed in a psych hospital due to how she was dealing with trauma. DID was her diagnosis (also my favorite psychological disorder)

As a woman with a Psychology Degree I devoured this dark and twisted Psychological mind fuck!

Wendy is caught between reality and a space she created in her mind to deal with past trauma. Neverland is a place for her to bleed or come. 🤤 or both!


The story was riveting, intriguing and kept me up at night (reading, not with nightmares).

If you’re looking for a dark and twisted retelling - this is the one for you!!!

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went in with my eyes wide open. Read the trigger warnings so I thought I was prepared.
Let me just say this is not a retelling of a familiar story. This is an epic claiming by author Wolf Gunnar to make it his own and he 💯 succeeds.
This was my most anticipated read for 2026 and that was just based on the cover. Can I just say how stunning it is?
Was I blessed to be chosen as an ARC reader...yes I was.
This book is as dark and twisted as they come filled with deep psychological effects. No spoilers...this is a definite must read for anyone who loves twists, turns and a complete mind f***k.
Thank you Wolf and Dragonfly Design and PR for this opportunity.
I can't wait to continue this journey.

[nikkibookishlife · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surviving Neverland is a twisted psychological retelling that pulls you straight into Wendy’s fractured mind and doesn’t let go. From the very first chapter, you’re questioning what’s real, what’s imagined, and what’s hiding beneath the surface — and that tension keeps you turning pages nonstop.

This is not a light fantasy or a whimsical retelling. This is a dark, emotionally charged psychological fantasy thriller that messes with your head in the best way. 🧠✨ If you love books that blur the lines between madness and desire, pain and pleasure, fantasy and reality — this one delivers.

⚠️ Please check trigger warnings before reading.

Thank you to Wolf Gunnar for providing me with an ARC. All thoughts are my own. 📚🖤

[hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surviving neverland is an amazing retelling of Peter Pan, the unique angle the author takes is amazing.. but can be confusing at first hence the four stars once I was able to understand and follow what was happening the book was amazing. But please read your trigger warnings as this book can get dark! Just want to say thank you for letting me be an arc reader.. and I would definitely read this book again I love the angle that was taken.. it is quite difficult to write a review without spoilers and I genuinely feel like that is a good because the story is so in depth

[Brooklyn L. Wolves · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this story, I thought it was an interesting take of a Peter Pan Retelling that was a lot darker and more for adults. The character development was good and the story was beautifully written. I did get a little bit lost while reading the story because I didn’t realise where it took place. I only know where the story took place because I’ve read other people’s reviews. I shouldn’t have to find out that way what you’re story is about it should be obvious.

[Vibeke Sørlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ohhh this was a ride to the darkest side of a mind!
Peter Pan, Hock and Wendy in a psych ward!

The amazing cover tells the story of of this book, this is just perfect!

Recommend read triggers if you have any

You like darker books I recommend this!

[Heather H · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is a descent disguised as a fairy tale—and a fairy tale stripped of its mercy. It reimagines Wendy not as a child lost to wonder, but as a woman fractured by dissociation, memory, and survival. Through the lens of DID, the familiar terrain of Neverland becomes something far more dangerous: a psychic architecture built to contain what could not be endured directly. What unfolds is not a retelling, but an excavation—slow, disorienting, and unflinching.
At the center of the narrative is an elusive figure known only as the Author, whose journal structures the novel itself. The journal is not simply a framing device; it is a method of survival. Linear time collapses. Memory arrives in fragments, symbols, repetitions. Truth resists obedience. The book understands something essential about trauma: when horror exceeds comprehension, the mind does not confront it—it escapes. Fantasy becomes not denial, but translation. Neverland is not whimsy or refuge; it is a system. A place where pain can be slowed, renamed, ritualized—made survivable.
Peter and Hook move through this landscape as opposing gravitational forces. Peter is allure, longing, suspended innocence—the promise of love without consequence. Hook is structure, punishment, inevitability—the metronome that keeps time when chaos threatens to spill over. Hook’s language is precise, intellectual, almost clinical: rhythm, pacing, control. Pain, under his gaze, is not random. It is measured. Administered. Anticipated. The sadomasochistic dynamic that unfolds between Hook and Wendy is deeply unsettling not because it is explicit, but because it is logical. The novel never asks whether Wendy desires pain. It asks whether she desires control over it—the ability to choose the terms of her suffering after a lifetime where pain arrived uninvited and unnameable.
Love, in this narrative, is not redemptive. It is conditioned. Learned early. Repeated. The book explores how affection can become fused with harm, how desire can be shaped by terror, and how self-hatred grows when the survivor mistakes adaptation for moral failure. Wendy’s greatest torment is not what was done to her, but what her mind learned to do in order to endure it. Hatred becomes a necessary boundary. Fantasy becomes a moral partition. The cost of survival is fragmentation.
Medical professionals move through the narrative as imperfect witnesses. Doctors and psychological experts attempt to name, diagnose, and correct, but their language often flattens what it cannot hold. At times, Wendy’s own mind betrays her as well—reshaping truth to preserve survival at the expense of coherence. The novel is deeply skeptical of tidy recovery arcs. It suggests that clarity does not reliably arrive through diagnosis, and that being asked to abandon a fantasy world without acknowledging the horror it once contained can itself become another form of erasure.
In its final movement, the novel gestures toward resolution but refuses to offer it cleanly. Wendy becomes a rescuer, seeking out other girls trapped in similar labyrinths. Yet the author deliberately destabilizes this premise, leaving unresolved whether these girls are literal others or echoes—past selves, fragments frozen at the moment of fracture. Rescue here is not triumphant. It is recursive. Most disturbing is the means by which this rescue is enacted: through bloodletting and self-harm, framed not as destruction but as revelation—an attempt to cut away the lies victims have learned to repeat, often inherited from professional narratives that offered structure without understanding. The novel neither sanctifies nor condemns these acts. Instead, it forces the reader to sit with the terrifying internal logic of trauma, where pain can masquerade as truth when no other language has ever been safe.
Threaded quietly throughout the narrative is Lily, a nurse whose presence stands in stark contrast to those who seek to define Wendy. Lily does not interpret. She does not correct. She recognizes. Her seeing is unspoken, unforced—suggesting a familiarity with fracture that cannot be taught. The text implies that Lily understands Wendy’s inner world because she once relied on a similar architecture to survive—and because she learned, slowly, what it costs to remain there.
In the novel’s final image, Lily is left standing before her own mirror—her own implied Neverland. The text does not show her crossing. It lingers instead in the pause. Lily knows the door. She understands what that world once offered, and what it would demand again. The restraint of this moment is its quiet devastation. To see clearly and still choose not to disappear—to hold space for another without stepping back into one’s own former refuge—is presented not as heroism, but as something far rarer, and far less visible.
The novel closes without moral comfort. It offers no clean redemption, no promise that survival resolves into peace. Instead, it insists on a harder truth: that fantasy can be both refuge and prison, that adaptation is often mistaken for pathology, and that healing—if it exists at all—may look like standing at the threshold of old survival mechanisms and choosing, deliberately, not to vanish into them again.
This is not a story about being saved.
It is a story about how the mind saves itself—and what it costs to live, awake, with that knowledge afterward.

[Twinkle.butt.reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me begin by saying this: the word dark doesn’t even come close. This isn’t just a shadowy read…it’s a poetic, taboo-laced psychological fever dream that tiptoes through the kind of darkness that makes your stomach flip… and somehow your heart feel warm while doing it. Welcome to Neverland, where innocence went to die and trauma took the throne.

Surviving Neverland is a bold, unsettling reimagining of Peter Pan that puts Wendy front and center not as a side character, not as a damsel, but as a survivor. This story digs deep into memory, obsession, identity, and the kind of emotional scars that don’t fade just because you grew up. Gunnar doesn’t hold your hand here. He drags you beautifully through the wreckage.

Wendy, Reclaimed: Finally, a Wendy with teeth. She’s layered, damaged, reflective, and painfully real. The prose is hauntingly gorgeous, like poetry whispered in the dark when you know you shouldn’t be listening. These aren’t fairy-tale cutouts. They’re complex, morally messy, and emotionally charged in ways that will absolutely mess with you.

How the past shapes who we become and how hard it is to take your power back. The lines blur constantly, keeping you questioning what’s real and what’s a coping mechanism. This book is not afraid to step into taboo territory and stare it down. The pacing can slow during introspective moments, and yes—you do need to pay attention. This isn’t a skim-and-go read.

This is not a comfort read. This is a sit-with-your-feelings read. If you like your stories dark, twisted, poetic, and psychologically rich and if you’re not afraid of taboo themes Surviving Neverland will live rent-free in your head long after the last page.

Fairy tales were never meant to be safe… and this one proves it.

[Susan (Purplegalaxyreads94) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Huge thank you to Wolf Gunnar and Dragonfly Design & PR for the gifted eARC in exchange for my honest review! Now, on to my thoughts…and wow was this book a surprise!

The story of neverland and Peter Pan, Hook and Wendy are not new to me by any means. I’ve always enjoyed this story and retellings of Peter Pan have been a favorite of mine as I love seeing what authors come up with to make it their own. However, Wolf Gunnar definitely took me by surprise with this one. Having the idea of Wendy being placed in a psych ward due to her trauma and from being in “neverland” definitely made this book so much darker and more intriguing than any other retelling I’ve read.

This story has all the major elements to turn it into a huge success. Wolf was able to completely twist this story around and make it his own original work that takes the reader on a dark and winded road where you find yourself questioning what is real and what is fake. The psychological elements in this story were my absolute favorite and I am so happy that I got to read this story. My mind felt completely rewired so many times and I need Wolf Gunnar to receive all the applause for that.

I cannot give away anything more than this because I need more readers to check this story out for themselves and to go into it blindly because I can promise you that you won’t regret it!

[Nancy C · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not even 100% sure what to say about this book. I stepped out of my comfort zone for this one, and it showed but I am proud of myself for reading it.

This book takes place in the mind of a woman in a psych ward, so it is very hard to follow as I have never been subjected to a psychotic break. For me, it was slow to read however I have many positives to say about the book as a whole.

It's beautifully written. Wolf Gunner has a way of making objects feel real, he gave life to a house, a ship and an island. Things were described through taste and touch in a way I could practically feel and taste while reading. This book is as beautiful as it is disturbing. The way this story was twisted was incredible, and how Wendy learned about choice while trying to survive. I have to give this man a round of applause for understanding women's oppression and their right to a choice & consent.

If you love something that makes you sit back and think, while also sending you on an adventure in a world that is dark and inviting; this is absolutely for you. This smut was not romantic, and not sweet. Please be warned, this is a dark read

[Sandy Santos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC book .. This book I read very quickly ! It is a deep , dark , disturbing in a good way different version of Peter Pan told mainly by Wendy .. It has a lot of triggers , so be aware before you read it .. It’s basically Wendy trying to figure out what’s real while dealing with some serious trauma, and the book leans into that confusion on purpose.
The whole thing has this “am I dreaming or losing it” vibe that kept me reading. Hook and Peter aren’t cute or charming here — they’re unsettling, and that’s kind of the point.
If you like books that mess with your head a bit and don’t mind a darker tone, this is worth picking up. If you’re looking for a light fantasy or a straightforward retelling, this probably isn’t it. But as a twisted, psychological spin on Neverland, it definitely delivers.

[Georgia · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

🪝

🖋This was dark and intense. It is an incredible blend of psychological madness and sexual intensity. You are fully immersed into the world with Wendy and like Wendy may have a difficult time deciphering what is real from what is not. The author intentionally creates this confusing atmosphere to further pull you into the story.

🖋If you're looking for a light fantasy or a whimsical, modern day retelling of Peter Pan or Captain Hook this might not be for you. If you want a dark, twisted, emotionally captivating psychological fantasy thriller... you'll probably find it here.

🖋As always, be aware of your own triggers prior to reading.

🪝I really enjoyed the cover for this book. It captures your attention as well as the essence of the book itself.

🖋Thank you to the author and BookFunnel for providing me with an ARC. All thoughts and feelings are my own.

[Ashley]

The opening chapters were trippy and I wasn’t quite sure what I was reading. It made it difficult for me to keep reading and that was disappointing because I had thought it sounded like something I'd enjoy… By about 10%, I was just skimming along because I really, really wanted to like this, but something about the focus on starting the shaping of Wendy at age 17 just made me uncomfortable. I ended up DNFing at about 15% because it just wasn't for me.

I don't think it's badly written, it made me think of the flowy script of poetry and as I don't typically care for poetry, it's clearly a me issue. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I received a free advance copy of this book from the author via Dragonfly Design and PR.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC from Dragonfly Design.

The artwork for the book is beautiful. The concept of the book is intriguing and struck my interest. Yet the execution of the story was confusing. I know it takes place in a mental institution but the way it jumped around felt very dream like (and not in a good way). The writing used a lot of similes and metaphors, almost like it was meant to be poetry, not prose. I could possibly appreciate it more in poetry format, fragmented more like a diary. An aspect I felt a major ick towards was the use of Peter, being a boy, and his exploits with Wendy, whose age range seems to fluctuate. It is disturbing to say the least. I will admit I only got through about 35% of the book; maybe I was not the target audience.

[Penny Ormsby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surviving Neverland by Wolf Gunnar isn’t just a book, it’s a full blown psychological experience. Best described as a mind-bending Peterpan, the story makes you feel unsteady in the best way, as if you’re losing your grip on reality right alongside the characters.

Wolf Gunnar’s writing pulls you in completely. The atmosphere is immersive, disorienting, and intense, blurring the line between what’s real and what isn’t. You question every turn, every thought, every truth.

Perfect for readers who love dark, twisted narratives and want something outside of your average read. This book messes with your mind and leaves you thinking.

[Charlotte KillahMisaReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was soo different to what i have read in the past it was so well written and the journey was long and unforgettable , a retelling unlike any before ! u wont regret this book ! but ur brain will need a few days afterwards

[Kayla Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

So thankful to have been chosen as an ARC reader for this. Was a little bit of a struggle in the beginning but I absolutely devoured it. Such a great book. Make sure to check your triggers because it is dark

[Readingwithdesi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoo this book! It’s a beautiful twisted ride!

This isn’t your typical Peter Pan retelling this is a dark twisted thriller! Basically Wendy trying to figure out what’s real or not. Worth checking out for sure!

As always Check your triggers before reading

Thank you to the author for this early read