Customer Reviews

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I purcahsed this book for my daughter who loves to read but found myself stealing it. (Don't worry I'll give it back) The pictures are what peeked my interest. When I realized that they were real (borrowed from vintage photo collections) that was it - I had to learn more. But there is so much more here then just the photos. The author does a great job of tying his creeping photo collection into a wonderfully creepy story. The ending leaves me with more questions then answers so I suspect this is just the begining for Jacob and the other peculiars.

Watch out for this book to make it to the big screen, 20th Centery Fox has purchased the rights.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children was one of those books I discovered online and immediately went out and bought. As a collector of vintage photos myself I was drawn in by the photos but most of all by the trailer on the author's website. The images of abandonment were incredibly compelling. I was prepared for a more traditional ghost story or something similar. What I got was a bit of a surprise but nevertheless a well constructed novel that will make for a terrific movie. If I have one criticism it would be that I found the lead character a bit immature to be believable as a 16 year old. He seemed to present himself more in the neighbourhood of 12 or 13 in the way he related to the other characters in the book. All in all money well spent.

this book is amazing. it is an easy read but the story that it tells is amazing. great story line and the pictures that are in the book help tell the story.

Obviously, I'm not a stickler for detail, because it wasn't until I started reading Ransom Riggs's book Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children that I realized the little girl pictured on the cover is actually floating. Even though I didn't notice this small detail, I was still immediately intrigued by this book because of the spooky looking cover. Everything ' from the picture, to it being printed in black and white, to the fonts and design ' drew me in.

It was cover-love at first sight.

That being said, this wasn't my favourite book. I don't want to knock it down or anything, but my favourite thing about this book was the cover design and the layout and design of the innards of the book ' the pages devoted to the beginning of each chapter, the almost vintage quality of the entire book, and ' most of all ' the inclusion of the creepy photos throughout the novel.

Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children is a book about Jacob, a 15-year-old boy who's best friend is his grandpa. He doesn't lead the best life ' his parents are wealthy, owning a chain of pharmacies across Florida, and one day Jacob will own it. But he's not thrilled about it. His life seems to be lacking excitement, except for when he sits with his grandpa, who tells him stories of his past. These stories revolve around an orphanage on a mysterious island; an orphanage where he had quite the variety of friends, from a girl who could float, to one who can conjure up fire, to another who is invisible.

When Jacob's grandpa dies, Jacob convinces his dad to take him to the island where his grandfather grew up, in the hopes that he can find the orphanage and learn more about his grandpa ' and the mysterious way he died.

For me, when I think about the story itself, I think the first half of it was the strongest. I loved the stories from Jacob's grandpa, and the descriptions of the kids at the orphanage. I was creeped out by the inclusion of the photos, but thought they were incorporated well for the most part. Riggs's writing isn't too difficult, it was almost like reading a Percy Jackson novel ' I liked the main character and the adventures he was undertaking. The story itself wasn't creepy, which is what I expected from the cover and from the synopsis on the front flap. I felt like this book could have been extremely creepy, had Riggs went that route.

The photos were one of my favourite parts of the book ' some were quite tame, others spine-tingling creepy and weird ' but I really think they could have done more for the story. Photos of kids at the orphanage were mentioned by Jacob's grandpa, but then these kids weren't anywhere else in the novel. It's almost like Riggs chose the safer kids to actually incorporate into the bones of the novel ' rather than some of the creepier ones introduced earlier in the book. There were also some inconsistencies with the photographs ' certain characters were meant to be the same person in multiple photos, but didn't look anything like they did in a previous photo.

There's romance in this book, but I felt it was unnecessary. I don't want to spoil anything for future readers, but my thought was that the romance was both unnecessary and just a little morbid. It's a romance that could've just been a good friendship ' I think it may have worked a little better that way.

The end of the book is set up for a sequel, which I have mixed feelings about. I felt that the book was almost too long and went in the complete opposite direction from where I was expecting it to go. I also felt it could have been a solitary book, rather than one with more sequels. Especially if Riggs wants to incorporate more photos ' I'm just not sure how he'll do that because with this first instalment, the great thing about the photos was that they were in the past.

Of course, I am intrigued, somewhat, by where Riggs is going with this story, so I do look forward to reading the next one. I hope the next book is just as lovely designed as the first.

"For the king of Babylon stands at the parting of the road, at the fork of the two roads, to use divination: he shakes the arrows, he consults the images, he looks at the liver." -- Ezekiel 21:21 (NKJV)

I was totally charmed by this story in a way that seldom happens when I read juvenile fantasy adventures. Miss Peregrine's ... is that rare book that may be more appealing to adults than to its intended readers.

The use of the unusual photographs is simply masterful and provides an eerie and intriguing context for the story that mere words could not match.

The plot had enough unexpected twists and turns in it to hold my attention and to make me keep reading rapidly to the end, almost as though I were reading an adult thriller.

Normally, I'm quite critical of how natural and supernatural are combined in such stories, but Miss Peregrine's ... seemed to work quite well for me.

I could see a major series being developed from this book ... and I can hardly wait to read it.

Bravo, Mr. Riggs!

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs was the October book club pick here at Gin and Rhetoric. The consensus, from the feedback on both the facebook page and, gasp, in real life, was that the book was fantastic. It is a YA title but, like any good YA book, it has lots of appeal outside of the intended audience. In fact everyone that I know that has read it is over 25, with the exception of my niece, who is 12.
The story revolves around sixteen–year–old Jacob. Jacob was very close with his grandfather when he was little. His grandfather would tell him amazing stories of battling monsters and of the fantastic children he knew in his youth. Children that had very special (think X–Men–type) gifts. As Jacob got older, he began to realize the stories that his grandfather told him couldn’t be anything more than fairytales made up to intrigue and frighten him. But, when his grandfather is brutally murdered, Jacob begins to believe that the stories he had been told in his youth were true. Thus, Jacob sets off on a mission to discover who his grandfather really was
In Miss Peregrine’s Ransom Riggs sets up what is sure to be an amazing series. The story takes place both in the past and in the present, and the transitions between World War II and present day Wales are crafted seamlessly. The characters and the plot are strong and well developed. The genuinely unique thing about this book, and I’m pretty sure that most people would agree with me on this, is Riggs’ use of photographs.
Ransom Riggs has been a collector of vintage photographs for some time, he wrote a little piece for the Huff Post about his collection that includes a sampling of some of the amazing photos he used in the book. The selections from his collection that were used in the book are phenomenal, I found that they really gave me pause, even outside of the context of the book. You can’t help but think “what’s the deal with that picture? How did it come to be taken, and who were those people?” That is definitely not to say that they detract, or distract the reader from the story. They don’t at all. My musings took place after I was finished the story and was flipping back through the photos.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is a great story on its own, but that story is fortified and made even more compelling through Riggs’ effective use of photographs. The one thing about the story that drove me crazy was the ending. Don’t worry, this isn’t a spoiler. It’s just that the book ends as an obvious set up for the next book in the series, so as a reader you’re left dying to know what happens next. I guess that’s not so much a complaint as it is a compliment. I absolutely cannot wait for the next book to come out, even though I’m sure it’s going to be a while.

I loved the whole idea of this book. As young adult/teen fiction, it is marvellous! The characters are intriguing, the plot is well paced, and it brings a refreshing burst of creative possibilities to a generation stifled in "reality". As an adult, I love to find books that broaden peoples ideas of what is possible. After all, we are a widely diverse species with so much to offer if we learn to tap in to our kindness and creativity.

Reason for Reading: I couldn't resist! This book has everything I love in one book: orphans, mysterious island, vintage photographs, creepy atmosphere and an old house. How could I not want to read it.

Here is a book that once again uses photographs and text together in a unique way. The obscure, peculiar vintage photographs are simply illustrative, but the author has had to write his story around already existing photos which enhance the story to such a degree that the book would not be what it is without them. The notes do say that "with the exception of a few that have undergone minimal postprocessing, they are unaltered." Really only one word sums up this book and that is the eponymous "peculiar" for peculiar it certainly is. This is not a fast paced book, not one that will have you racing to the end for the grand finale which may put some of the intended audience off. However, it is more meandering, taking its time, showing us all the "peculiar" characters, who and what they are, as the story unfolds.

Jacob comes to the island to get over the death of his grandfather who had told him fantastical tales of this place his whole life to prove that it is just an island after all, but he quickly learns his grandfather's tales were true. The story settles in and slowly reveals the secret of the island, the house, the children, Jacob's grandfather, and eventually Jacob's part in it all. A very moody atmospheric story that I quite enjoyed. I loved the characters and as a lover of vintage photos was totally fascinated with the photographs.

My only concern with the book is a certain tone of vulgar language coming mostly from Jacob, the narrator. There is some swearing but it is the vulgar images that certain language convey which is of more concern. The only reason I can think of this use is to show that Jacob is from the here and now, as opposed to the 1940's of the other children, though some of those boys have vulgar turns of phrase as well. I wouldn't recommend the book for younger children. Also, the book ends with the characters all set to take on a new adventure which is obviously a set-up for a second book, which is rather disappointing as I am getting tired of sequels and series these days. Whatever happened to the good ole standalone? However, teens and adults should find a rather spooky read that will keep them entertained.

I usually love YA books, and can see that teens will enjoy this one. As an adult I found it flawed. But, it is meant to be read by young adults so I do recommend it to anyone who wants a unique, engaging story. This has great characters and even though the author kept us waiting a long time to find out what the threat was to the Peculiar children there was plenty of weird stuff to keep us intrigued. I found it fell short of suspense and tension once the evil entities showed up and it fell far below creepy. Jacob moved around in the dark without a hint of anxiety so I didn't feel any either. Like other reviewers have said, the ending set us up to make sure we'd go out and buy the sequel which is a marketing ploy that drives me crazy.
I'm pleased to see they're making a movie of this book, though. I think it'll translate well to the screen and I'll be sure to go see it.

Pros: character growth, creepily atmospheric, high quality physical book, creatively meshes backstory with mythology and history

Cons: don't learn as much about the kids as you'd like, doesn't fully explain their abilities or why they're born as they are

For Parents: some swearing, some violence (mostly offscreen), kissing

If ever there were an argument against ebooks, it would be Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. Yes, you can read it on an ereader, and yes, the story would still be creepy and fun, but you'd miss something about the experience. This is a beautiful hardcover, with thick pages and gorgeous black and white photographs scattered throughout. Holding it and turning the pages is part of the ambiance the story creates.

Jakob Portman grew up hearing his grandfather's fantastic stories about the children's home he was sent to in England as a Jewish Polish immigrant in World War II. The stories were about children who could do peculiar things, like levitate, hold fire and lift very heavy things. But the violent death of his grandfather, along with the old man's last words, make him wonder if there was some truth to his stories.

This is a slow paced coming of age story. Mr. Riggs takes time to develop Jakob as a character, especially regarding his mental state, as well as the settings, in the book.

At first glance, the children seem like X-Men rip offs. They're said to be the next step in evolution and have different, extraordinary abilities. But while some of the abilities are useful, others - like having 2 mouths or bees living inside your body - are not at first glance advantageous. And while one group of peculiars thinks it would be grand to use their abilities to subjugate normals, the rest simply want to live in peace.

I loved how the author amalgamated their existence with history as witches, changelings and circus performers. It gave the book a sense of history, and the kids a practical reason to hide.

The downside of the novel is that you don't learn as much as you'd like about certain things: the kids (their histories and abilities), how the loops work and why people are born peculiar. I'd love to see Riggs bring out a book of the grandfather's stories or a photo album of Miss Peregrine's home, with the stories of how each child came to be there.

There seems to be a move in SF towards the reimagining of history with a horror slant. While Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children is mostly set in the present, it reminded me of Eutopia by David Nickle and Mr. Shivers by Robert Jackson Bennett.

This is an open ended novel with series potential. It's a slow, atmospheric work that adults and teens will love.