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A review by azure_oblivion
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
I decided to wait until I had read the second book to write a review, and I'm glad I did, because I liked book 2 a lot more and I can encourage you to stick with the series if, like I was, you're unsure about reading the sequels. Thankfully I bought this book as part of a box set, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered with the rest of the trilogy.
Don't get me wrong, I like the writing style and the world Ransom Riggs has created. It's very detailed and I enjoyed being introduced to it. I also liked solving the mystery of Jacob's grandfather along with the protagonist. However, that's exactly how a lot of this book felt to me: an introduction. Obviously, the stars of the book are the Peculiar Children themselves, but by the end of it I felt like they were mere acquaintances and I hadn't been given more than an overview of who they were and what they could do. Thankfully, Riggs redeemed himself with book 2, which is much more exciting and I recommend sticking with it. I felt more or less indifferent at the end of book 1, I didn't get sucked in, I didn't get swept away, and at times I felt a bit frustrated that things that were obvious to me weren't immediately picked up by the characters. At times I felt like I was at a panto yelling "He's behind you!" at the clueless character on stage, but hey, this is a book for younger readers, so I suppose I can't expect too much.
All in all, a nice bit of escapism, but if you're looking for something a bit more impressive, the next book should satisfy this.
Don't get me wrong, I like the writing style and the world Ransom Riggs has created. It's very detailed and I enjoyed being introduced to it. I also liked solving the mystery of Jacob's grandfather along with the protagonist. However, that's exactly how a lot of this book felt to me: an introduction. Obviously, the stars of the book are the Peculiar Children themselves, but by the end of it I felt like they were mere acquaintances and I hadn't been given more than an overview of who they were and what they could do. Thankfully, Riggs redeemed himself with book 2, which is much more exciting and I recommend sticking with it. I felt more or less indifferent at the end of book 1, I didn't get sucked in, I didn't get swept away, and at times I felt a bit frustrated that things that were obvious to me weren't immediately picked up by the characters. At times I felt like I was at a panto yelling "He's behind you!" at the clueless character on stage, but hey, this is a book for younger readers, so I suppose I can't expect too much.
Spoiler
My only really big complaint is the romance factor. Let's face it, it's a bit creepy, isn't it? And it also seemed a bit pointless, like Riggs was too lazy to find a better reason for Jacob to stick around for the rest of the series, or else it was an afterthought, as though the author felt that to fit in with the whole YA genre this book needed a bit of smooching. I liked Emma's past with Abe. I don't think the story needed her to then act cradle snatcher to his grandson. But hey, this could just be my opinion.All in all, a nice bit of escapism, but if you're looking for something a bit more impressive, the next book should satisfy this.