Author: Ransom Riggs
Series: Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children #1
Genres: Fantasy, YA, Paranormal, Fiction
Publisher: Quirk Books
Source: Kindle Edition
Pages: 352
Add to GoodReads // Buy on BookDepository
SYNOPSIS: A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of curious photographs.
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.
THE WORLD: In this book we are in our own world. The Earth as we know it but adding some paranormal elements such as "peculiar" children with very creepy but rather interesting powers, creatures of darkness trying to murder these special children, WWII happening again...
For the most part though, we travel from Florida (USA) to a tiny island in the Welsh coast called Cairnholm as the majority of the book takes place there.
For the most part though, we travel from Florida (USA) to a tiny island in the Welsh coast called Cairnholm as the majority of the book takes place there.
CHARACTERS: The main character is Jacob Portman, a 16 year old boy from Florida. Jacob grew up listening to his grandfather's stories of his life as a child in Wales. They were peculiar stories filled with peculiar children and monsters that Jacob used to believe because his grandpa was Jacob's reference and they were very very close. As Jacob grew he stopped believing in those stories though and simply forgot about them until an accident makes him change his mind. His grandpa is attacked by a monster, a shadow-like creature Jacob sees before finding his grandpa's body. After this tragic incident Jacob discovers a cryptic letter his grandpa left him and so he decides to travel with his father to the remote Welsh island his grandpa lived in as an orphan child, Cairnholm. Once in the island Jacob meets Emma Bloom who turns out to be one of the peculiar children of the island and she's the one who tells Jacob his grandfather's (missing piece of the) story. Jacob also meets all the peculiar children and Miss Peregrine, who protects the children from the shadow monsters called Hollowgasts (a.k.a. Hollows).
LOVE: To be honest there is not much love in this book. There are "past loves" and possibly a "developing" one but the book is very superficial about it. Love is not important and is poorly described, it is simply not a focus of this book which is good because there is no reason to focus on it more.
LOVE: To be honest there is not much love in this book. There are "past loves" and possibly a "developing" one but the book is very superficial about it. Love is not important and is poorly described, it is simply not a focus of this book which is good because there is no reason to focus on it more.
PLUS: The pictures. All the pictures about the peculiar children are creepy and amazing and did I say they're also very interesting? Where do these pictures come from? I really like the peculiar children and the description of all their special powers as well. All the powers were very imaginative and unique! And there is a certain paranormal event designed to protect the peculiar children which had me overthinking for an entire week because my head couldn't grasp the concept... I had to watch Hawking movie (great movie!) to finally get the possible physics-based concepts behind it.
MINUS: Only minus I found was that sometimes the narrative, although beautiful, dragged a bit and towards the end there are a few chapters I felt were written for middle-schoolers which I found strange since the first half and its descriptions were beautiful, simply great. Anyway, the idea of MPHFPC had so much potential but disappointed a little bit at parts.
OVERALL: 4 stars. For all the people who think this is a horror story or similar, you're wrong. This book has paranormal elements in it but it's, by no means, a "horror" book like Stephen King's or so. It is an enjoyable read nonetheless and if the next books of the series improve it has a good chance of becoming another favorite series of mine.
EXTRA: Did you guys know there is a movie coming up about MPHFPC? It will be released on early 2016 as it is in post-production now! Jacob was played by Asa Butterfield ("The Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas" and "Ender's Game"), Emma was played by Ella Purnell ("Maleficent" and "Never Let Me Go") and the movie was directed by none other than Tim Burton! I AM SO READY FOR THIS MOVIE!
UPDATE 03/2016: The trailer is here! Enjoy!
MINUS: Only minus I found was that sometimes the narrative, although beautiful, dragged a bit and towards the end there are a few chapters I felt were written for middle-schoolers which I found strange since the first half and its descriptions were beautiful, simply great. Anyway, the idea of MPHFPC had so much potential but disappointed a little bit at parts.
OVERALL: 4 stars. For all the people who think this is a horror story or similar, you're wrong. This book has paranormal elements in it but it's, by no means, a "horror" book like Stephen King's or so. It is an enjoyable read nonetheless and if the next books of the series improve it has a good chance of becoming another favorite series of mine.
EXTRA: Did you guys know there is a movie coming up about MPHFPC? It will be released on early 2016 as it is in post-production now! Jacob was played by Asa Butterfield ("The Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas" and "Ender's Game"), Emma was played by Ella Purnell ("Maleficent" and "Never Let Me Go") and the movie was directed by none other than Tim Burton! I AM SO READY FOR THIS MOVIE!
UPDATE 03/2016: The trailer is here! Enjoy!
.png)
What did you guys think about MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN?
