(no subject)

[alfgifu]

Last night I read Peter Pan in Scarlet. The author has worked out things in Neverland according to an understanding of certain rules (for example, that wearing someone else's clothes slowly turns you into them). Some of the rules I found familiar, others I didn't. She also has a peculiar aversion to anything being anybody's fault, and to letting anyone or anything actually die. It is very well written and does really pick up the mood of the original (with some splendidly sinister bits) but it isn't quite right - which makes it very, very irritating at times.

Anyway, this got me thinking. Neverland is the world that you go to when you're a child. The rules (such as they are) are the rules of childhood - ferocious monsters, Things in the dark, loyalty against grown-ups, mountains, beaches, forests, lions, tigers and bears (oh my!) We all lived there at one time or another, surely? We all had our own understanding of the place? The original Neverland in Peter Pan ties in perfectly with the world I remember, in the way that this sequel doesn't, quite.

So, what is the shape of Neverland? Here are some things I remember - do you agree with them?

• When someone dies in Neverland, they are dead. Gone. Bringing them back is cheating (unless you go back in the time line and stop them being killed).
• To fly, you need to learn once. There is some sort of process (fairy dust & happy thoughts, if you like). Once you've learnt then each time you only have to remember - not to go through the whole process again. You only need the fairy dust once. After that, the only things that stop you flying are a) being too tired, b) forgetting how and c) growing up (same as b, really).
• Make-believe meals might be filling, but everyone can make them, not just Peter Pan.
• I remember deserts, rivers, the sea, islands, forest (which is home) and mountains.
• Weapons. Everyone has them. Swords, mainly, with daggers as a sort of back-up.

Do people agree with that lot? What other things can we remember?