Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
By: Ransom Riggs
Published: 2011
# of pages: 352
Official description:
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.
A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography,Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.
My opinion: Don't be fooled! The description and the cover make this book seem like a suspense/Gothic/ghost/horror story. This is a fantasy book, pure and simple. The first third isn't strictly fantasy. I was even really creeped out in the first few chapters. However, it turns into a sci-fi/fantasy novel complete with time travel and fantastical creatures. I was disappointed, but you don't have to be if you know what you're getting into.
The inclusion of the pictures makes this book fascinating! I loved it and thought it was so unique. However, I was a little annoyed that a few of the pictures could have been left out altogether and then in some parts the narrative offers fake sounding explanations for the pictures. Not all of the pictures needed to be specifically mentioned, the explanations (justifications?) broke up the narrative.
Why I gave this book 4/5 stars: Unique story, cool pictures, misleading description, not the most well-written.
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Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.
2 comments:
I haven't read this yet, though I would like to. Your review is the first one that comments on it not being a gothic, which I thought it was. I am disappointed! I want a good creepy gothic book! That said, I will get this from the library then, I think.
Susan, I read so many reviews of people really disappointed and upset that this book was not what they thought. It made some people leave bad reviews although it isn't a bad book if you have realistic expectations! I hope you like it!
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