3 Things:

Interesting storyline that draws readers in quickly.

Unique characters.

A trilogy and now has a movie!

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children creates a new world unique to itself. Each moment spent within this novel gives the reader a thrill of excitement and able to hold the interest of any who love adventure. From the very beginning, the story quickly gripped the attention of the reader and kept it through the rest of the novel. With a creative conflict and interesting characters, the first book of this series quickly made its way onto my list of favorites.

Jacob, the main character, began the story looking up to his grandfather and listening to the variety of tales his grandfather told. As Jacob grew older, he became a skeptic, not believing until tragedy occurred. Forced to reevaluate his choices, he goes through the traditional hero’s journey, accepting the quest rather begrudgingly.

Altered historical images throughout the novel provided a realistic feel to each of the characters and provided a chilling visual for

them. Each moment spent with the characters gave a feeling of being in Miss Peregrine’s home. The Peculiars all contained their own charm and personality. Despite the few scary moments concerning some of the creatures and characters, the book was a fun adventure to experience, and I understand why so much excitement surrounded the book during the 2014 release.

There are very few things I disliked while reading through the novel, except for the fact I didn’t own the next few books to continue. Different details within the book could do with more elaboration, such as Jacob’s grandfather’s backstory, especially his part in escaping from war-torn Poland. Some of the peculiars and their powers could also be elaborated on, but I suppose the next two novels provide more context.

Even though this book falls into the fantasy/adventure category, life lessons can still be found throughout the novel. The characters learn to forgive and to cherish each moment they have with one another, a good reminder for readers and all people. The book also reminds readers subtly that perseverance can be a valuable trait in everyone, heroic or not.

The author Ransom Riggs’s fascination with creatures and creativity is what truly makes the book special. With Miss Peregrine’s being his main work, I’m sure that the next books in the series, Hollow City and Library of Souls provide as much liveliness as the first edition does.  The new movie (released September 30th), shows the fanbase is alive and well. I’m looking forward to reading the next two books and seeing what new adventures await characters I love.

The novel can be purchased online here.

This author can be reached on Twitter at @julz_lozano19

For my last book review, read Black Widow: Forever Red