Book: Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children

By: Ransom Riggs

Edition published: 2011

By: Quirk Books

Goodreads description: 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.

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My rating:☽☽☽☽☽/5

Jacob’s grandad has always told him stories. But he never thought those stories were real – just figments of his grandad’s imagination to amuse his young grandson. Now, only now, when a tragedy means Jacob is left alone, does he begin to unravel the mysteries behind the stories and photographs he hasn’t seen since he was little.

I didn’t go far, just around the perimeter of the neat yard in a slow shuffle, watching the sky, clear now, a billion stars spread across it. Stars, too, were time travelers. How many of those ancient points of light were the last echoes of suns now dead? How many had been born but their light not yet come this far? If all the suns but ours collapsed tonight, how many lifetimes would it take us to realize that we were alone? I had always known the sky was full of mysteries – but not until now had I realized how full of them the earth was.

Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children is now proudly on my list of 5 star books.

I was lucky enough to pick up this book at a bargain £2, which made me read it a lot sooner than I had expected, as it was pretty far down my TBR list! I have to say, I’m extremely glad I got my hands on this book now, instead of next year or later. it was truly beautiful.

Not only is this book intriguing, spectacularly interesting and amazingly spooky, what I loved about it most is its peculiarity.

It is different in so many ways, different from the normal teen-fiction and YA novels. And it is possibly the first dark fantasy and horror book I’ve ever loved.

I don’t know how else to describe this book. It is mind-blowing, original and all round peculiar. And actually, it was a lot better than I expected it to be. I wasn’t really sure what to think of this one, but it was astonishing. Honestly, the perfect book for me. I can’t wait for the movie!

The paragraph italicised in this review is an expert from the book, hand-picked by me. I do this for every review, but this one is special. It is possibly one of the most poetic and beautiful paragraphs I have ever come across, and I’m pretty sure I’m not going to forget it very quickly.

As you can see, I’m a little shell-shocked at just how good this book was. Stars all around, guys.

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽