daedelys - reviewed on 1/5/2010 + 1218 more book reviews

I was surprised that an author who's done screenplays for such great movies just didn't impress me as an author. Normally, I love reading a story from a fairytale villain's point-of-view, but this one just wasn't as good as I was expecting.

Where I think this is okay for teens and older to read, I'm a little disturbed about glorifying the acts of a dysfunctional teen-age villain. Especially when some of the things that happen early-on in the book, like enjoying being whipped with a scourge and threatening to kill fellow students, are just unsettling. Especially when James is some kind of delinquent god to the young boys in the school he attends and where characters who should be good, like Arthur Darling, are nothing more than sadistic bullies.

One thing I did like was that he had a pet spider, especially since I have several--although mine are all safely caged, but was disappointed that they were to only add to his wicked persona and didn't do anything to help the spider's image. I also wasn't surprised at Ananova's interest in James, since young girls are often attracted to the bad-boy types.

The story also never really explains how Hook went bad (Perhaps in another story?). Especially with him freeing slaves aboard a slave-ship. It just doesn't seem plausible that a man destined for villainy would abhor the atrocities of slavery.

Overall, it wasn't that great of a book and I doubt I'd look for a sequel by this author if he did write one. I just wasn't impressed.

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