Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children #1) by Ransom Riggs

Publish Date: June 7th, 2011

Publisher: Quirk

Rating: 2.5 / 5

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

I purchased a copy via Amazon.

Blurb:

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.

First Thoughts

I've been holding on to reading this book for years because, frankly, the cover frightens me! After being assured by many Goodreads friends that it wasn't a scary read, I finally picked it up a week ago. Ok, guys, really?! The old photographs in the book were pretty damn scary.

How does this not give anyone nightmares?!

What I Enjoyed

Learning of the peculiar children's abilities. YYAASS. Old school and way creepier X-Men, basically. You have someone that can control fire, someone that can levitate, a strong person, someone that can foresee things to come. Pretty cool!

What Could Have Been Better

The story in general. Like WTH is going on? It starts out great-- grandpa is killed by the very monster he's been talking about, Jacob goes to the mysterious island to visit the old orphanage and gather clues about his grandfather's life. Then he tracks down a peculiar child, Emma. Good grief. Annoying couple alert. Then something about loops. Like they're in a loop (repeating day) forever to hide from the monsters. Then it's explained that the monsters are people that didn't want to be in loops anymore. So then why were there loops in the first place? I don't get it.

TL;DR

Story isn't scary, but the photographs are. The story goes along great until Jacob finds the orphanage and the Peculiars. WTH is a loop? Kids in love are so annoying. Jacob is annoying. This book was annoying. I can't even review it because I hardly understand it.

2.5 / 5 asterisks