REVIEW: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Rating: 4/5 Stars
Genres: Fantasy/Supernatural Fiction
Audience: Adult/Young Adult




Summary: A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs.
It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

Lucinda's Thoughts:  This book intrigued me from the start.  Always a fan of the supernatural, the idea that there are others among us sparked my interest.  Jacob's troubles and resulting journey hold the reader's interest and bring about unexpected twisted and turns that are  attention-grabbers.  I would have liked more background story for the peculiar children and their mentor, but understandably a book can only be so lengthy. 

The book's accompanying photographs are mysterious, yet blend effortlessly with the story.  (Kudos to the author and individuals who sought these out, as they are all real photos, not artwork for the book.)  The cover art is also wonderful, and while I would be the last to judge a book by its cover, this cover is compelling. 

Jacob's trip through time and space weave a complex narrative of a world where all is not as it seems, and Jacob is one of the few who can see the difference.  As Jacob's tale progresses, he becomes not only a more mature, multi-faceted figure, but finds himself walking in the footsteps of his grandfather, an enigmatic figure whose own children thought him a mystery.  The conclusion of the book is slightly twisted, and leaves room for a sequel. (Another bothersome aspect of this novel.)  Even so, I am looking forward to the further adventures of Jacob and his "peculiar" comrades.

The following is the book trailer for the wonderful novel: