Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
By Ransom Riggs
Random House
Reviewed by: Aha Blume
For a first novel, Ransom Riggs pulls out all the stops. Although classified as a novel for young adults, teens and adults alike would enjoy this book. Innovative, unique and edge of your seat page-turner, are just some of the words I would use to describe it. Part mystery, part fantasy, this book is a worthy addition to your book shelves.
Sixteen year old Jacob grew up listening to the stories of his grandfather. As a young boy, his grandfather escaped the war in Europe and ended up at a home for orphans on a remote island in Wales. His grandfather shows Jacob pictures of interesting children: a levitator, an invisible boy and many others. But the pictures are fakes, aren’t they? Then Jacob’s grandfather is murdered. His cryptic final words to Jacob, lead Jacob to the island that sheltered his grandfather. And he comes face to face with the possibility that not only were the pictures real but the children and even their headmistress are still alive, even though 1940 was 70 years ago.
Jacob’s adventures on the island, and his discovery of a world unlike any he or us know, drives this story to its shocking, cliff-hanging conclusion.
Whether Ransom Riggs writes a sequel or not is still unknown, but the story could only get better. I recommend reading this book, and I eagerly await the upcoming movie.
