The front cover’s picture – a haunting photograph of a young girl – makes me shudder and open the cover quickly. It takes me a long time to shut it again.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
is (contrary to the haunting cover) not so much a horror but a fantastical mystery and adventure. Riggs writes in a refreshing classical style that reminds me of CS Lewis or H G Wells. Similar to CS Lewis, this young adult book can be enjoyed equally by adults or children.
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
and hallways, it becomes clear that the children who once lived here - one of
whom was his own grandfather - were more than just peculiar. They may have been
dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a desolate island for good reason.
And somehow - impossible though it seems - they may still be alive.
The main character Jacob is a regular, down to earth sixteen year old who unfortunately must deal with a set of extremely irregular occurrences – the first being his Grandfathers murder. In a wonderfully adventurous decision, Jacob travels to his Grandfather’s childhood orphanage to gain some closure and dispel any of the fairytales fuelling his dreams. Little does he know, he will journey to discover the reality of his nightmares.
The book is full of adventure, monsters and msytery. Jason himself describes the monsters 'like something out of David Lynch's nightmares' showing Riggs great perception for popular culture and modern day humour. I particularly enjoyed the Welsh’s childrens use of ‘taking the piss’. A phrase which baffled American Jacob but entertained me!
You can also tell Rigg's past as a geographical journalist as he describes the little welsh island - standing strong against in the sailor's grave sea and pounding British weather. A great setting for the story.
The other notablable gleem of this book are the pictures scattered throughout the movel. Each are original vintage photos from personal collections and really add to the sense of eerie mystery.
This is a brilliantly written book and a original plot which is a breath of fresh ait in the current YA book market. The peculiar children are true characters - each and everyone of them. You are definitely left intriqued to read more about them. And considering the book is left open ended, hopefully we will.
MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN
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