I first started this series back when it first started, when there was only one book instead of six and long before there was a movie. The series I am referring to is Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. Recently, I decided to reread the earlier ones and catch up on the later ones since I’ve missed the last few. When I first picked up Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children I didn’t know what to expect. It opens on Jacob Portman, a young man living in modern Florida, who happens to be rather close to his somewhat eccentric grandfather. The same grandfather who tells stories of people, children really, with the most interesting abilities. Jacob, being a teenager, had long since stopped believing his grandfather but when he dies in a mysterious and violent incident Jacob started re-examining the old stories, and the accompanying photos. Desperate to lay it all to rest, Jacob convinces his parents to let him travel to a small island off the coast of Wales where his grandfather had lived in a group home, prior to his stint in the military during the second world war. Almost immediately he starts finding things that don’t add up and are even contradictory until he stumbles upon the truth, literally. He quickly finds himself drawn into a world that is peculiar, to say the least, as he discovers that perhaps his grandfather was telling the truth about the children with special abilities.
As you can imagine, I found this concept of peculiar children to be rather interesting. I have read a lot of books about kids with powers but this particular portrayal is one of the more original ones. The reason for this is quite simple, the powers are way more varied. I mean, there are some of the more typical ones such as the ability to create fire or lights and the ability to control plants. However, there are several that are more unusual and esoteric, so to speak. One person has bees in their stomach that fly out every time they open their mouth. They are unable to prevent them from coming out and have only limited control of them. There is one that can float or levitate but they can’t turn it off. They have to be constantly tied down in order to not float off. As you can imagine this adds considerable layers of elements that can be used in the story. However, even this is not my favorite part of the book. I mentioned that Jacob’s grandfather had photos of the peculiar children. These photos are actually included in the book. They are clearly actual photos and not illustrations. In my opinion, this adds a layer of, I don’t know, maybe authenticity to the story. I know some are probably doctored but they are still fascinating to look at and add an interesting layer and flavor to the story as a whole. This book is getting 4.5 out of 5 stars.
This was an interesting read and every bit as good as I remember from the first time I read it. I would definitely recommend it to other readers, especially older teens and young adults as it was aimed at that age range. Based off of some of the content I don’t think it would be suitable for younger readers. However, I do think it would appeal to older readers. I say this primarily because it has such an interesting premise that it would potentially have a wide appeal. Even if you are an adult, if you happen to enjoy books with fantasy elements consider trying it out. I think you will like it if you do. Keep an eye out for future reviews of the rest of the series and as always feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. I look forward to hearing what you think.