Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine, #1)

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Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine #1)

3.72 of 5 stars 3.72 · rating details · 117,107 ratings · 15,060 reviews

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. And 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 o...more

Hardcover, 352 pages

Published June 7th 2011 by Quirk

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Jun 16, 2012 Crystal Starr Light rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-club, young-adult, so-bad-it-s-horrible, ha-ha-ha-no-really, read-at-your-own-risk

Looks can be deceiving

Who hasn't seen this creepy book, lurking proudly in the "New Releases" section? It practically SCREAMS Halloween--a nice, delightful scare that makes you lock your doors tighter, leave on the nightlight, and snuggle deeply under your covers.

Only...it doesn't.

Sure, the girl looks REALLY creepy on the cover and many of the back images are enough to give you the eebie jeebies, but NOTHING that remotely scary EVER occurs within these pages. Okay, maybe the very first scene, wh...more

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Aug 12, 2011 Tatiana rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, children-s-middle-school, series-dropped-lost-steam, ala-ya-2012

Let me tell you a secret, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is actually:

(I don't think what follows is a spoiler, but am marking it as such anyway as some people think it is.)

(view spoiler)

Rarely do I come across a book that is as far from what it aspires...more

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Oct 10, 2011 Annalisa rated it 2 of 5 stars

Recommended to Annalisa by: Barnes and Noble

Shelves: horror, middle-grade, young-adult

2.5 stars

Have you ever played that game where one person starts a story and stops mid-sentence and the next person in the circle has to pick up the story? That's how reading this book felt, only instead of jumping from disjointed person to person, it jumps from disjointed photograph to photograph.

Too bad because it started off fantastic. I loved the writing, the humorous way Riggs has with descriptions, and the old-fashion carny photos were a nice touch. I especially loved the analogy of an orph...more 2.5 stars

Have you ever played that game where one person starts a story and stops mid-sentence and the next person in the circle has to pick up the story? That's how reading this book felt, only instead of jumping from disjointed person to person, it jumps from disjointed photograph to photograph.

Too bad because it started off fantastic. I loved the writing, the humorous way Riggs has with descriptions, and the old-fashion carny photos were a nice touch. I especially loved the analogy of an orphaned Jewish boy hiding, not from Nazis, but from monsters because he was peculiar. Fantastic.

But then Jacob set off in search of these peculiar children and the story became weak explanations of these old, neglected photos. I didn't believe them. With the whole backdrop of WWII, I couldn't help but think about all the lost Jewish artifacts gone to people whom they didn't belong to and who didn't deserve them and I couldn't help make correlations. What about the real story behind these photographs? What would these people and their lost relatives think of the way Riggs used snapshots that were never meant to be public? Maybe if Riggs had told a fantastic story I couldn't help but believe and love I wouldn't have thought about the lost real lives associated with the pictures, but as it is, I didn't think his story justified them.

Some of my other issues: sometimes Riggs relies too heavily on the photographs and fails to give adequate verbal pictures. Like with Emma, whose photographs, one too old and one too young, don't look anything like each other. There isn't any written description of her other than she was hot, but with one of the photographs in in shadow and the other her head turned (neither of which were "hot"), I couldn't visualize her.

I also don't think the loop was explained very well. I didn't quite follow how and when the loop restarted each day and what exactly was happening with the fighter jet fireworks night. I wondered for too long whether time inside the loop affected time outside it and I questioned how one was supposed to jump from loop to loop if loops stuck to a 24-hour period. I could have used more explanation about the wights and hollows too.

I think I would have liked the story better without the photographs as excuses for it. Riggs has some talent as a writer and I wouldn't be opposed to reading him again, but if he follows this up with a sequel, I probably won't check it out.(less)

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Jul 27, 2011 Giselle rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal

This book started with a bang. It was very creepy, exciting and really intriguing, but it all went downhill from there. Once the mystery around the house was explained - which was fairly early and without any nuance - it became a very boring and almost childish story, which I didn't expect at all.

One thing I can say I enjoyed was the photographs- they're scattered throughout the book, all black and white and remarkably creepy. They add a nice eery touch to the story and gives it a really unique...more

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Jun 27, 2011 Jo rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, creepycreepy, history-smishtory, when-can-i-move-in, you-got-a-friend-in-me

WARNING: This review may contain excessive (and possibly incorrect) use of the Welsh language. Diolch.

Initial Final Page Thoughts.
Woaaah. Also, the sequel is going to be bendigedig!

High Points.
TERRIFYING. Originality. Kick-ass taids! Creepy but adorable children. Fairy tales… or are they? WW11. Cymru. Culture and heritage. Time-travel. Crumbling old houses. League of Gentlemen-esque locals. Ghosts, spooks and fire-throwers, OH MY. And, my favourite part of this book, the beautiful photos. Looki...more

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Apr 06, 2013 Carol rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy-ya, young-adult, time-period-fantasy, male-lead

Strange.

A story that seems somewhat young and incompletely conceived, perhaps one might say, odd. Unfortunately, I had to return the ebook reader (a trial to see if I'm the ereading type), so my concerns are from memory of a brisk read. Frankly, the story is a little messy. The idea of stories from photographs is wonderful; the trouble is that such old photos are better integrated with another age, not a modern one. Just imagine, if Houdini had a Vegas act now: it would fold within weeks on an...more Strange.

A story that seems somewhat young and incompletely conceived, perhaps one might say, odd. Unfortunately, I had to return the ebook reader (a trial to see if I'm the ereading type), so my concerns are from memory of a brisk read. Frankly, the story is a little messy. The idea of stories from photographs is wonderful; the trouble is that such old photos are better integrated with another age, not a modern one. Just imagine, if Houdini had a Vegas act now: it would fold within weeks on an age that has fed on David Copperfield and Criss Angel. Peculiar isn't able to transcend time and still maintain the wonder of a simpler kind of magic of floating girls and growing plants; Riggs finally has to resort to a fireball-throwing girl to truly amaze us. Peculiar wants to be both magical and real, historic and modern, and succeeds at none.

When the connection with an orphanage bombed by Nazis came clear, I wondered if Rigg's was setting up a disturbed psychological horror story, with "monsters" standing in for Nazis in the grandfather's eccentric mind. Maybe he was deluded all along, and the only monsters there were were the human ones? Alas, both the voracious hallowgast and Nazis were equally real. Like the book, I had the equally odd reaction of being both intrigued and annoyed--intrigued by the potential exploration of "real" and "imaginary," but annoyed by the use of Nazis, which seem have become cinematic and literary shorthand for evil. It was disappointing that Riggs did not feel confident enough in either opponent and he had to overwhelm the children with both. I can almost hear the blurbs shouting in capital letters: "Orphans!" "Impossible Odds," "Omnipotent Evil," "Dismembered and Mutilated Sheep," and "Nazi U-boats!"

The youngness shows through in the basic assumption that these "kids" could be seventy-eight or a hundred and eighteen, or whatever age they are, and still have the personality of nine-year-olds, when by rights they should be either creepily strange or psychotic. Really--if one lived fifty years, in the exact same day, over and over again, wouldn't they get a little crazy? (I mean, Bill Murray unhinged after only three or four days in Groundhog's Day). And having the lead peculiar girl, Emma, (view spoiler)

If only I had not read this on a first-edition e-ink book, I might have better appreciated the photographs. I almost feel like I'm missing a crucial element, after reading through some of the other reviews. This is one book that should be avoided in small screen black-and-white. As such, it was probably more two and a half stars. Inventive in an amateur patchwork quilt kind of way.

Cross posted at http://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2013/0...(less)

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Feb 06, 2012 Archer rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: casual readers

Shelves: almost-kick-ass, books-i-own, books-that-should-be-better, dark-fantasy, easy-read, failed-potential, fantasy, fiction, historical, kindle, should-be-better, thriller, young-adult, time-travel, almost-likable

Actual Rating - A little over 2.5 stars I liked it but it had some major flaws in it that dragged the rating right back.

I feel decidedly unsatisfied after reading Miss Peregrine's. When I went into the book I was expecting something vastly different to what I got. I had been mislead by the following:

"A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. And a strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children", an unforgettable n...more

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Aug 09, 2011 Kelly Leigh rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-fantasy, young-adult, x-men-esque

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children also known as the Tale of (view spoiler).

Before I spew out my thoughts, I'd like to give credit where credit's due. Mad props to the author for incorporating visual eye-candy as in the vintage photos peppered throughout this novel. Excellent job with that endeavor. And I do adore Riggs' writing style. One word - Enchanting. Now on with the show . . . .

Little known fact: a hellmouth far worse than the one in Detroit...more Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children also known as the Tale of (view spoiler).

Before I spew out my thoughts, I'd like to give credit where credit's due. Mad props to the author for incorporating visual eye-candy as in the vintage photos peppered throughout this novel. Excellent job with that endeavor. And I do adore Riggs' writing style. One word - Enchanting. Now on with the show . . . .

Little known fact: a hellmouth far worse than the one in Detroit winked into existence underneath a middle school a stone’s throw from the Gulf of Mexico in a quaint South Florida town. A middle school I had the misfortune of attending. For three excruciating years I had to battle my way through a bevy of possessed demon tweens, deflect countless mean catty comments catapulted my way, all at the hands of a clique of Hellspawn bitchtastic girls, all the while maintaining my sanity. The only thing that made my time at school barely manageable was one Eric V. *wistfully casts my eyes heavenward and smiles* I crushed on him from afar, for that’s how this former wallflower rolled. He did the unthinkable - made me forget all about Hans Solo, Indiana Jones, and just Johnny Depp (the first loves of my life). For three pathetic years I watched Eric date, then breakup with numerous members of the Hellspawn clique. For three pathetic years I wished he would’ve noticed me as more than just a friend. (I feel like this is a Taylor Swift song and that’s so not cool.) Alas, the summer before my freshmen year in high school, I thought this could be my year, the year I’d get noticed. So the first day of high school, I desperately searched the grounds for him, and lo and behold, I finally caught sight of him. And that’s when everything changed, when the unthinkable, the unfathomable happened. Dum dum dum!

Eric V was a . . . peaker. His glory days, his prime, his pinnacle, had been reached. In middle school that is. He looked completely different. He no longer possessed that boyish charm, that fresh face of unadulterated hotness. His pinnacle of perfection had been bypassed. Have you witnessed this bizarre phenomenon yourself? Have you witnessed these people I speak of? It was the strangest thing. And no, it wasn’t that I was over him. He really did look different. Crush donezo, bored now! Since that time, I’ve seen many a peaker. But anyhow, point being, I realized that peakers aren’t just reserved for people.This has happened with books as well. Books that hook you, reel you in, peak way too early, and from that moment on, their plot rapidly declines into snoozefest territory, and it isn’t pretty. Books like this one.

Whilst reading Miss Peregrine’s . . . Eric V (whom I haven’t thought about in eons, I swear) popped into my head. Why? For the simple reason that this novel reached its peak, its prime, around page 150, when all was revealed. When the mystery of "who in the heck are the circus side-show kids captured in the bequeathed vintage photos?" was revealed. From there, the story was lost on me. From the get-go I was onboard with the tale, loving said pics (I do have a fondness for photography), amped that Jacob was finally jetting off to England to continue on with his Holmesian investigation. In my mind, the remainder of the novel would be just that. The unraveling of bits and pieces of info. Will Jacob find this house? Who is this bird woman? Where is the other side of the grave Jacob’s grandfather spoke of? I couldn’t’ve been more wrong. Shortly after Jacob’s feet touched English soil (read: a few hours), said mystery was solved (literally, it was solved, no exaggeration), leaving me a tad confused not only as to why that was but why 170 odd pages still remained. Because of this, the remaining plot (?) fell flat and my attention wandered.

I’m still at a loss as to why all had to be revealed so early on. And the Big Bads weren’t enough to keep me hooked. Sorry, but they weren’t. They made an appearance in the very beginning and then at the very end. In the middle, I completely forgot about their existence, so the spooky factor that supposedly occupies the pages of this book was utterly lost on me.

I’m not sure if this is a series, but I wasn’t entranced enough to continue on.(less)

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Aug 21, 2011 Heidi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Four stars: Highly recommend this book.
Wow! What a pleasant surprise this book turned out to be. The old adage don't judge a book by it's cover is definitely pertinent for this book. When I first saw the cover I thought, I don't want to read that book it is probably some creepy, horror story. You do have to admit the cover is a little disturbing, Then I started seeing all to the positive reviews and thought I would give it a whirl. I am so glad I did. The story was so creative and different. I t...more Four stars: Highly recommend this book.
Wow! What a pleasant surprise this book turned out to be. The old adage don't judge a book by it's cover is definitely pertinent for this book. When I first saw the cover I thought, I don't want to read that book it is probably some creepy, horror story. You do have to admit the cover is a little disturbing, Then I started seeing all to the positive reviews and thought I would give it a whirl. I am so glad I did. The story was so creative and different. I throughly enjoyed it until the always disappointing cliffhanger ending!
What I liked:
*This book is mysterious from page one. You are not certain where the story is going to take you but you are sucked right in as you begin on an intriguing adventure. The book moves at the perfect pace not too fast or slow but just enough to keep the reader hooked.
*All the different facets of the story; such as peculiar orphans each with their own unique talent, shape shifters, monsters, temporal distortions and adventure.
*I loved meeting each of the orphans and discovering their special talents. From the invisible boy to the floating girl they were all interesting. Not to mention they each had their own vintage photo.
*The time loop was such a different aspect that was integral to the story.
*The photos were a pleasing and unconventional aspect to this book. I was surprised when I read the author's note at the end regarding the photos. They are actual vintage photos from various flea markets and other interesting places.
*The language and writing in this book are superb. The author has a way with words that is mesmorizing. I was completely enamoured by his descriptions.
*The main character Jacob, I adored this sarcastic teenager, he had me laughing out loud at his numerous snarky comments. I was pleased to monitor his growth throughout the book.

And the not so much:
*The cliffhanger ending of course, I had a sinking feeling as I neared the end of the book that I was in for the disappointment of non-resolution. To make matters worse there was no mention of this being a series so I was not prepared for the ending.
*Unfortunately reading this book on a Kindle does not do it justice. The photos and letters are difficult to discern on the Kindle's screen. This is a book that you should read the physical copy. They are too many details that you cannot absorb on the Kindle or any electronic reader.
* I was sad that I didn't get to spend more time with the Grandfather character in this book. Especially when you discover all of his secrets and personality dimensions. Perhaps there will be more of him in an upcoming book.

Final thoughts this is definitely a must read book in my opinion. I throughly enjoyed the book until the abrupt ending. The writing is absolutely amazing, truly my favorite part of the book. This is an innovative story and I am hoping for the continuation in the near future. It would have been a five star read if not for the cliffhanger ending.
Addendum: After finishing the book and my review yesterday I was curious about a sequel so I visited Mr. Riggs website http://www.ransomriggs.com/ ; he notes that there is a sequel coming but it sounds as if it is going to be awhile! (less)

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Dec 17, 2012 Stefan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is an entertaining, different and very well-put-together novel and an all-around great introduction to a new author. The story is a sort-of Science Fiction/Horror/Fantasy all rolled into one and is told to great effect using mostly authentic old photographs to supplement the story by providing amazing visuals of the "peculiar" people and events of the story. It makes me wonder if the author created his story to fit the photos that he and other collecto...more

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Feb 17, 2013 Chris rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: modern-fairy-tales, youngadult, fantasy-dark

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I have a problem with time travel plots. I really do. I don't know why. Maybe because they make my head hurt. Even Brigadoon, does this, too many blasted years. The whole 100 years thing, I mean what if there is a parking lot there? Or a cabin? Something? (Not to mention, why its okay that everyone goes home to Bonnie Jean). So in all fairness to Riggs, I'm not partial to time travel books.

And this book involes one of those time loops where no one ages, but everyone is okay with that.

Jacob's gra...more I have a problem with time travel plots. I really do. I don't know why. Maybe because they make my head hurt. Even Brigadoon, does this, too many blasted years. The whole 100 years thing, I mean what if there is a parking lot there? Or a cabin? Something? (Not to mention, why its okay that everyone goes home to Bonnie Jean). So in all fairness to Riggs, I'm not partial to time travel books.

And this book involes one of those time loops where no one ages, but everyone is okay with that.

Jacob's grandfather dies, and eventually Jacob travels to a sterotypical ~~Irish~~ ~~English~~ Welsh island where people are very attached to thier sheep. He does this to find out more about his grandfather and the peculiar children his grandfather might have met.

This book really isn't bad, except, outside of the time travel thing, I had some issues.

The first is Jacob. At times, Jacob comes across as a believable surly teen. And the other times, he doesn't. He sounds way too adult, and uses British terms that very few Americans use. It doesn't sound right and is jarring.

Jacob is one of the few characters that is developed. Many of the others just seem invented to use the really awesome photos. Jacob and every one get along too well, too quicky.

And then there is this whole time loop thing. Really, you're okay with being five forever. And I'm sorry, but one line about how it was strange to be about to make out with your grandfather's old girlfriend who is really 80 something before doing said act, does not remove the ick factor. And it's not really the age difference. It's really icky, disgusting, and quite frankly has the feeling of statutory rape (almost, only almost because they didn't go all the way).

Yet, the book does have some good points. When something finally rears its head, the action sequence is good and there is one other aspect of character shift besides Jacob. Though, I wish there had been a better ending.

The real selling point is the pictures, though this too has its drawbacks, for sometimes, especially in the first half, it feels as if plot points and characters are simply there for the pictures. Inspired by is fine, but if you have character simply so you can put in a picture, it doesn't work. It just becomes a shade.

(less)

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Aug 11, 2011 Kirsty rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: never-read-again, free-amazon-vine-books

It's pretty hard to show any originality in books these days, but I was pleasantly surprised by how different this book was. The plot has been cleverly interlinked with many unsettling vintage photos of children doing unusual and spectacular feats.

The story is complex with many mysteries, that are sporadically punctuated with strange photographs. This creates a realism that draws you in and keeps you hooked, as I found myself reading for longer to reach the next picture. For me the photos were...more

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Mar 05, 2012 Eric rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Speculative Fiction fans

Recommended to Eric by: Manny Citron

Shelves: book-club, fantasy, young-adult

I've heard a lot of different books lauded as "the next Harry Potter" -- from YA titles like Eragon, The Lightning Thief, Twilight, and The Hunger Games, to speculative fiction works such as The Name of the Wind and The Magicians. But I have never heard that buzz for Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. In fact, I had thought this was a horror (the cover art is very reminiscent of movies like The Ring and Woman in Black ).

Despite the lack of buzz, this book should be compared favorably...more

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Jul 02, 2012 Bonnie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-thriller, read-in-2011, fantasy, ghosties

Peculiar Children Review
3.5 stars

‘I used to dream about escaping my ordinary life, but my life was never ordinary. I had simply failed to notice how extraordinary it was.’

Going into this book I had the impression that it would be this scary, ‘Shutter Island’ type novel. I also thought it was Adult Fiction. I was wrong on both counts; but was still not disappointed, the story was quite interesting.

‘Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children’ is the story of sixteen-year-old Jacob who has grown...more

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Jun 25, 2011 Joy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Technically I am giving this 4 1/2 stars for minor editing flaws. The worst example is referring to "Billy" when there is no Billy in the book anytime before or after.

Having that out of the way, we discovered the book quite by accident only to learn that it is already soring up the book charts and has a movie contract. I say "we" because this was a summer read-aloud that I shared with my husband. It was great fun to read, comment, and speculate about the events, and pass it over to share the pic...more

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Jan 18, 2013 Bettie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: tbr-busting-2013, winter-20122013, young-adult, fantasy, cover-love, published-2011, britain-wales, boo-scary, wwii, anti-semitic, nazi-related

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Aug 17, 2011 Kathleen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

At first glance, I thought that Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children would be a horror story, and I do love a good book that can scare the daylights out of me, but when I started to read the book, I realized that the storyline was from the fantasy genre which I admit is not one of my favorites. That being said, I thought the first half of the book was strange, as in really weird! Trying to follow the author's direction with the storyline was a bit slow for me, it just couldn't hold my att...more

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Mar 26, 2012 Wigs rated it 2 of 5 stars

I can't even.

The poor execution of a good idea is just so upsetting to me.

The main problem with this book is that the entire time I was reading I felt like a high school English teacher grading a student's paper, when in fact I am not a teacher or anyone who majored in English or writing. If I am simply a normal reader thinking this, then who the hell was working as the editor?? Did they not bring up these issues? Clearly the several people the author listed in his acknowledgements couldn't have...more

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May 22, 2012 Dierdra Byrd rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, mystery, authors-i-want-to-read-again, favorites

This will contain a few very minor spoilers but I doubt it would ruin anything if you have not read this book yet.
The first half of the book really had my attention and I wanted to see what was going to happen, however after the time travel part it lost me a little bit. I felt like some things could have been explained better in the book for instance when Jacob first went through to the other side it was confusing about where he ended up at. There was some over explained parts of the book and so...more

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Jun 25, 2011 Kelli Spear rated it 3 of 5 stars

You know the saying "Never judge a book by its cover"? well, in this case, DO! It was what grabbed my attention. Upon reading the premise, I was even more sure I had to read this. I am so glad that I did! It's such an amazing and creative story. The vintage pictures included complement the story so well. They truly make you believe these things are real.
*SPOILERS MAY FOLLOW*

I found the beginning of the story touching in so many ways. Jacob (protagonist) and his stories of growing up with his gr...more

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Oct 18, 2011 Kathryn rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, abby-recommended, world-war, fantasy-fiction

If I could, I would give this book 2 1/2 stars because it was more than OK but I didn't actually like it. I found the central character, Jacob, completely unlikeable. He reminds me of the female protagonist in "Revolution" but she had a dead brother, a sick mother, and an absentee father to blame for her emotional turmoil. Jacob, on the other hand, has a two-parent cushy life that he can't seem to get comfortable with. Fair enough, it happens, but I was never sure how Riggs wanted me to feel abo...more

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Oct 26, 2011 Bry rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, fantasy, young-adult, mystery, series, disappointing

Visually this book is easily 5 stars, but in reality it is like a beautiful airheaded woman.

The photography is amazing especially considering it is real, but the plot is weak.

This book sold itself as a creepy, quirky ride, but sadly it never reached the heebie jeebie level it promised. The photographs while beautiful and odd were used as too much of a crutch within the book, depended on too much. Instead of being supplemental to the plot, they were the only glue holding the rest of it all toge...more

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Jan 17, 2012 Mike (the Paladin) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

I want to go slow here. I'm always aware at times like this that I'm still unpublished and I really do hope to do something liked by some readers as much as this is.

Still, tastes vary and while I didn't dislike this I think maybe the synopsis and blurbs I'd read had given me more anticipation than is fair. I read a short review (or two) from readers who really liked this book and so was looking forward to it.

The idea of using the "vintage photos" (many of a "spooky variety") was so far as I know...more I want to go slow here. I'm always aware at times like this that I'm still unpublished and I really do hope to do something liked by some readers as much as this is.

Still, tastes vary and while I didn't dislike this I think maybe the synopsis and blurbs I'd read had given me more anticipation than is fair. I read a short review (or two) from readers who really liked this book and so was looking forward to it.

The idea of using the "vintage photos" (many of a "spooky variety") was so far as I know pretty original (I'm not aware of another book built around a stack of of old photos anyway). From what I read it seems that Ransom Riggs came across these pictures after he'd already been playing with the idea for this book.

I find (found) that I couldn't really get into the book. The characters were there but they swung at times from a little too much detail about what they were thinking and feeling to times when it wasn't there at all. I never really got involved with our protagonist (and in a way it seemed I should have. I mean it's true I'm "older" but when i was in school I was also sort of a loner, like Jacob [I can never remember his name, which doesn't speak well for a main character]). There was a rather large cast of characters here (Mrs. Peregrine's wards) and in most cases they don't get fleshed out.

Strangely once we meet the peculiar children the story settles into one that treads some fairly well trodden ground. To say more will/would constitute a spoiler so I'll wait and say something below a spoiler warning. Still, there are parts of the book that might make it worth a read (the tie in of the photos mainly I suppose). It opens with a nice spooky air and doesn't lose it (completely) till maybe half way through. It's a relatively short book and is an easy read, and (of course) ends by setting up a sequel/series of book(s) to follow.

So, not bad with a good idea, 3 stars.

(view spoiler)(less)

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Jun 25, 2011 Isamlq rated it 4 of 5 stars

Peculiar indeed...

The title and the cover decided things for me, and between the two of those, I was half convinced this would read like one of those YA historicals ala-Vixen or Luxe (given the cover) or one of those Series of Unfortunate Tales (given the title.) Wrong on both counts.

The Good:

Pictures. Everything Jacob said when describing those portraits were accurate: creepy, formal and yeah, creepy. They remind me of my grandparent's portraits hung in the house my mother grew up in. Both tho...more

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Jun 13, 2011 Sarah Jordan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Every so often a book comes along that is pure magic, and "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" is one such book. Part fantasy, part adventure, part eccentric photo collection, this is a story that will enthrall and enchant teens and adults.
Jacob is the sixteen year old narrator, and he is intelligent, funny, realistic and perceptive. He is very close to his secretive grandfather, who used to tell him fantastic tales of his youth, and the children's home where he grew up. These tales wer...more Every so often a book comes along that is pure magic, and "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" is one such book. Part fantasy, part adventure, part eccentric photo collection, this is a story that will enthrall and enchant teens and adults.
Jacob is the sixteen year old narrator, and he is intelligent, funny, realistic and perceptive. He is very close to his secretive grandfather, who used to tell him fantastic tales of his youth, and the children's home where he grew up. These tales were often accompanied by odd old photographs, and these same photographs are included in the book, creating a rich visual record that transports the reader on a magical journey. Jacob believed in the possibility of a magical life because of his grandfather and the tales he told. But as Jacob grows older, he stops believing in magic as his grandfather begins to age and show signs of senility.
After the shocking murder of his grandfather, Jacob's life is turned upside down. He sees something unbelievable, something that lends credence to his grandfather's stories, and his parents and the police question his mental stability. In an attempt to help Jacob reconcile what is real from the fantastic, his father takes him to Cairnholm Island off the coast of Wales. Once on the island, Jacob feels the impact of being in a place seemingly out of time and separate from the world. The island seems to hide secrets of its own, its fog providing a curtain between the present and past. But hoping the reality of his grandfather's childhood will allow Jacob to heal, his father permits Jacob to explore the island and the old Home. But what Jacob finds forces him to believe in the magical and fantastic once again. Soon events take a darker turn, as Jacob learns he is being hunted by evil beings for shocking reasons.
As Jacob says in the story, "Sometimes you just have to go through a door", and this would make a great theme for the book. Jacob must make frequent leaps of faith in order to decipher his grandfather's cryptic final words. He must find the inner strength to deny the opinions of his parents, the police, and his psychiatrist and follow his heart and his instincts. Taking these chances is like going through a door, never knowing what is on the other side. But every door he goes through brings him closer to his grandfather's secrets, and these secrets come alive (sometimes literally) as Jacob continues his quest.
Enthralling, magical, spooky and wonderful, "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" is one of the most original and captivating books I have read in a very long time. Read this!!(less)

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Jul 18, 2011 Laura (Bookish Belle) rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was different and interesting. I'm so glad I can finally read and watch reviews on it so I don't spoil myself. ;] The beginning of this book was great, and the early middle (does that make sense?) was a little boring, but the ending was spectacular! The perfect amount of suspense and action.

The main character named Jacob who has a strong bond with his grandfather. He's been told these fairy tales about an orphanage he used to live at. Something happens to his grandfather and he is lef...more

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Jul 06, 2011 Megan rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is a beautiful work of art and the first novel by Ransom Riggs. Sadly, I didn’t love it nearly as much as I wanted to, and am still feeling conflicted by it.

What this book has going for it is that it is strikingly beautiful. The cover features a super creepy old black and white photo of a levitating little girl, the title printed in a lovely font, and doodles which are reminiscent of tombstone art from Victorian era cemeteries. Inside, this book is ju...more Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is a beautiful work of art and the first novel by Ransom Riggs. Sadly, I didn’t love it nearly as much as I wanted to, and am still feeling conflicted by it.

What this book has going for it is that it is strikingly beautiful. The cover features a super creepy old black and white photo of a levitating little girl, the title printed in a lovely font, and doodles which are reminiscent of tombstone art from Victorian era cemeteries. Inside, this book is just as aesthetically pleasing. The inside cover is a brown and beige design which brings to mind gloomy Victorian wall paper, the actual pages are a thick paper and decorated at the bottom with little brown scrolls. And of course there are the pictures. This novel is filled with wonderfully disturbing and bizarre old black and white photos which complement the narrative. These old photos are all taken from private collections and I applaud Ransom Riggs’s ability to construct a story around so many odd images.

Where this book failed is that I don’t believe quite as much attention to detail was involved in the actual telling of this tale as was put into the presenting of it. Yes, this book is visually striking. But after a strong beginning, the story falls a little flat. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children features sixteen year old Jacob Portman, who is just starting to wonder if there is some truth to the crazy stories his grandpa has told him his entire life. Stories of strange birds, monsters and, of course peculiar children living together in an orphanage on a tiny island off the coast of Wales. My discontent for this story stems from the fact that while it appears to be a young adult book, it is written as more of a book for older children. Or maybe it is because I am a girl used to the angst and the drama, and this mystery is also an action story written by a male author. Either way, this book has a lack of character development, insight, and emotions.

The peculiar children here are defined by their oddities, rather than their personalities. Jacob spends a considerable amount of time with children who are considerably younger than him (grade school and middle school age) and the interactions aren’t any different than when he is spending time with adults or other teens. A sweaty, hormonal, impatient sixteen year old boy should have a big brother complex, a power complex, or some reaction to spending time with younger kids, but Jacob does not. Jacob himself should be an interesting kid to read about. He is a bit of a loner, doesn’t have any friends and has (predictably) emotionally absent parents. Yet, we don’t see him struggle with his own oddness or social issues. When adversity strikes, Jacob steps up to the plate just like any other heroic YA hero.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children isn’t a bad story. Not by any means. It’s a decent story in an eye-catching book and features a new paranormal world that will surely fascinate tons of people. However, all of the attention put to the looks, the plot and the action left the characters to suffer. Plus, there is one major issue with the fantasy aspect that was never explained and that itself bothered me more than anything else. If you don’t mind a small spoiler, go ahead and read (this is something that becomes introduced around page 150) (view spoiler)

It’s doubtful that I will read the next in this series. I am however eagerly anticipating Ransom Riggs book of found photographs, Talking Pictures,which will be released next year. His writing style is not for me, but he (apparently) has an amazing collection of found photos.
(less)

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Aug 10, 2012 Vicky rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, for-review, read-in-2012

Originally reviewed at: http://www.booksbiscuitsandtea.co.uk/...

Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children has been on my wishlist for quite a long time so when I was contacted by the publisher and was sent a review copy, I couldn’t wait to get started. What made me want to pick it up in the first place was the fact that it’s so different from everything else out there. It’s illustrated with vintage photographs of peculiar children who might seem really creepy at first but their presence makes...more Originally reviewed at: http://www.booksbiscuitsandtea.co.uk/...

Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children has been on my wishlist for quite a long time so when I was contacted by the publisher and was sent a review copy, I couldn’t wait to get started. What made me want to pick it up in the first place was the fact that it’s so different from everything else out there. It’s illustrated with vintage photographs of peculiar children who might seem really creepy at first but their presence makes perfect sense once you’re reading the story. To be honest, I sort of expected something darker but it turned out to be completely different. It’s rather a mysterious adventure than a creepy horror story – but unputdownable all the same.

The first part of the novel is set in the United States – Jacob tells the story of his childhood and the stories his grandfather used to tell him when he was a kid. Stories about a levitating girl, an invisible boy, a boy who was able to lift a boulder, and bizarre tales about monsters who were after him – and of course, no one believed him. Jacob’s grandpa was actually one of my favourite characters from the book. I loved the fact that even Jacob didn’t believe him initially. Then, as he sets out on a journey to Wales in order to uncover the truth and he reveals some vital secrets, he gradually realises how wrong he’d been. And not only did his grandpa have to live in a world where he could never feel safe, he had to live with the fact that no one (including his family) would believe him. I felt really sorry for him.

With Jacob leaving Florida, there comes a shift in the story. Just like the weather which goes from bright and sunny to cold and rainy, the story’s atmosphere turns sinister and quite haunting as well. From a suburban family drama we’re transported into a whole new world – a world full of secrets, a world where bizarre creatures and levitating children do exist. For us readers, this second half of the novel seems to be like marmite – you either love it, or you hate it. I’ve heard several people say they didn’t like this shift in the story and the fact that it’s so different from how the story started out. And I do agree with them to a certain extent – it is different. It really is. But I think the tricky part is to keep in mind that it’s all fiction. Forget that the book started out like an everyday story about an everyday high school boy – it’s fantasy. And it did work for me.

The only thing I didn’t particularly like was how easily Jacob gives up his whole life and says goodbye to his family in the second half of the novel. The fact that he doesn’t really hesitate or worry about the consequences of his decision but sticks with those people whom he met only a few days previously was the only thing that I found highly unrealistic (even for fantasy). Having said that, it really is a gripping story.

Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children is a must-have for young-adults and adults alike. It’s something that will make you want to keep on reading late at night and something that will no doubt stay with you for a long time. I can’t wait to see how the story continues!(less)

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May 06, 2012 Cyndi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Let me begin with the fact that this novel was a great surprise to me. I loved it! It was haunting, beautiful and dare I try a pun, a bit peculiar.

The premise of the story was easily believed and the reader quickly becomes a willing (imho) voyeur to this world that is just beyond the mind's sight.

The juxtaposition of the vintage photographs with the ongoing tale is a wonderful plot device that gives the story it's haunted vibe. They add so much layering and depth. Plus they are a tad creepy!

The...more

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Mar 22, 2012 Louise rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrens-books, disapointing, neat-concept-poor-execution, relies-on-a-gimmick, fantasy, annoying-depictions-of-britain, disturbing-romance, promising-start-then-fizzles, american-fiction, 1-star, male-authors, world-war-ii, reviewed, impulse-buy, first-in-series, ongoing-series, will-not-read-sequels, gave-to-charity, time-travel, read-2011, 2010s, 21st-century, crappy-romance

First off I want to state that despite giving this review only one star I did not hate it, neither, however, can I in good faith rate it as 'ok'. It wasn't ok, it was a total mess, but lurking in the first few chapters there was the potential for a good book - if only the author had been more concerned with the writing than the pictures.

The book's Wikipedia page says 'This children's book was originally intended to be a picture book featuring photographs Riggs had collected, but on the advice o...more First off I want to state that despite giving this review only one star I did not hate it, neither, however, can I in good faith rate it as 'ok'. It wasn't ok, it was a total mess, but lurking in the first few chapters there was the potential for a good book - if only the author had been more concerned with the writing than the pictures.

The book's Wikipedia page says 'This children's book was originally intended to be a picture book featuring photographs Riggs had collected, but on the advice of an editor at Quirk Books, he used the photographs as a guide from which to put together a narrative.' and you can tell. The photographs aren't used to illustrate the story so much as the plot has been stretched out of shape to incorporate the pictures. The especially sad thing about this is that I would have loved the original concept - it was the photographs that drew me into buying this book and dissapointment at the mangled plot that made me donate it to charity.

The writing actually starts off well enough. For the first few chapters I was hooked, I even recommended it to my younger sister who hardly ever reads. It was tense, atmospheric, and the use of photographs - presented as once belonging to the protagonists recently deceased grandfather - made sense. However once the protagonist reaches the Welsh island he thinks will hold the answers to all his questions about his grandfather the plot takes a turn into WTFery.

Putting aside the irritating clichéness of the setting - a bleak windswept island that's barely heard of modern tecnology and the even more irritating superior attitude of the American protagonist who has heard of modern technology (such out of reach places do exist, afterall). The plot decided to take a bizare turn from creepy and atmospheric children's-horror -which was what it had been sold as - to (view spoiler)

The use of pictures became increasingly poorly justified as we moved away from ones that were part of the Grandad's collection, and it soon became clear that the photographs were a crutch for both the plot and the writing. Why write a detailed description when you can say one short sentence and then stick in a picture? And then consistency issues within the photographs themselves started to appear too - I gave my book to charity so I can't double check but the protagonist's love interest looked like a different person in each photograph she appeared in and none of them matched the protagonists repeated textual description of her as 'totally hot' (maybe I'm just being shallow there though and if I'm wrong about it being a different girl in each do correct me).

After a very promising start the middle section was dragged out and dull - a cross between Tom's Midnight Garden (without the charm) and (view spoiler) with an unnecessary dose of emotionally disturbing romance. Then along came the ending; an info-dump and an anti-climax leading to a 'to be continued'. Thanks, but no thanks, the gimmick couldn't be sustained past the half way point of one book, let alone prop up a whole series.

I feel bad giving a debut author such a bad rating so some positives:
I really enjoyed the first few chapters, Riggs writes well in the first few chapters and the depiction of a grieving teenager with post-traumatic-stress was well done right up until the point they got to cliché Bleak-Island. If he hadn't commited himself so hard into stringing along a plot purely to including his favourite photographs, Riggs could have written something quite good (or better than this at least).(less)

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About Ransom Riggs

I grew up in Florida, went to Kenyon College in Ohio, then film school at USC in LA, where I still live. I write books and screenplays, blog daily for mentalfloss.com, and make short films.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is my first novel. I'm really excited about it -- it was challenging and rewarding and I hope people like it. If you read that and like the found photographs in it, y...more

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Talking Pictures: Images and Messages Rescued from the Past

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children: The Graphic Novel

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