Every book by this author is truly a love letter to found families, but this book also explores the importance of safety and how hard it can be to recognize abuse, especially when it it can be disguised as kindness when you are longing to find a place to belong. This is a very unsettling and uncomfortable story about the vulnerability of kids (especially bipoc queer kids) who feel like that don't have a place to belong. And this story is told over the course of one night when she leaves through the window with Peter Pan himself because of a promise of a party, but she soon realizes that Peter did not walk out of the pages of a fairytale. Wendy has recently moved to Chicago, but when moving into her new bedroom she realizes the window is broken and unable to stay closed. Darling is a modern day thriller reimagining of Peter Pan with a very diverse cast our main character is Black and we have a very full cast of side characters side characters of color (Black, Korean, and Ojibwe), who are queer (lesbian rep, ace rep, bi rep, and a really beautiful Chicago drag scene moment that I could gush about forever), and disabilities (hearing impairment & amputated hand). Her prose and craft are so unique and so smart and every book by her feels like something of magic. Ancrum is truly just a once in a lifetime author. “Upholding the spirit of adventure and the value of found family, Ancrum ramps up the tension. “Spellbinding and psychologically compelling.”- Kirkus Reviews

“ Darling is the Peter Pan retelling with the diverse cast and queer representation of your dreams.”-Aiden Thomas, New York Times–bestselling author of Cemetery Boys Drews, author of A Thousand Perfect Notes and The Boy Who Steals Houses It takes you on a hurricane of an adventure filled with earnest and aching characters you will immediately want to protect, versus sinister and chilling truths you won’t see coming. “ Darling is the magnetic and addictive Peter Pan retelling we deserve. You’ll read it straight on till morning!”-Caleb Roehrig, author of The Fell of Dark “This spellbinding and diabolical adventure could only come from the brilliant mind of K. It will lure you in, but it won’t let you go.”-Marieke Nijkamp, #1 New York Times–bestselling author of This Is Where It Ends and Even If We Break

“Bright, beautiful, and deeply unsettling, Darling is pure magic.

Darling by k ancrum