Neverland: J. M. Barrie, The Du Mauriers, and the Dark Side of Peter Pan

The untold story behind Peter Pan The shocking account of J. M. Barries abuse and exploitation of the du Maurier family. In his revelatory Neverland, Piers Dudgeon tells the tragic story of J. M. Barrie and the Du Maurier family. Driven by a need to fill the vacuum left by sexual impotence, Barrie sought out George du Maurier, Daphne du Mauriers grandfather author of the famed Trilby, who specialized in hypnosis. Barries fascination and obsession with the Du Maurier family is a shocking study of greed and psychological abuse, as we observe Barrie as he applies these lessons in mind control to captivate Georges daughter Sylvia, his son Gerald, as well as their children—who became the inspiration for the Darling family in Barries immortal Peter Pan. Barrie later altered Sylvias will after her death so that he could become the boys legal guardian, while pushing several members of the family to nervous breakdown and suicide.