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mollyzor 's review for:
Hollow City
by Ransom Riggs
It's been awhile since I read the first one, so maybe that's part of the problem, but this was a huge disappointment for me. The story just got more and more out there. The wights and hallows were always after them and they'd get caught and it would be impossible to get away...and then they would. Unlike the first book where the old photographs complemented the story, in this one many of the details (completely random, and unimportant I might add) were definitely added because of a picture. A lot of these details seem very random and clunky and it is easy to pick them out. You can almost guess when a picture is coming up. Example: Riggs described a random girl they met with a hole in her body (depicted on the cover) but she had little, if any role in the actual story.
Review from first book:
Overall, I think it started off very strong. Creepy, yet endearing. Different. It got a little fantastical at the end and I worry that as the series continues it will get more so and will lose what I liked about the book. But I think they are worth the read.
I loved the peculiar children. Jacob was a sullen yet likeable teenager. Everything was just creepy enough to put you on edge, yet when he walked into 1940, it was somehow believable. Like I said, a little too crazy at the end. I worry that it will end up like some other teen fiction series (like Percy Jackson and the ones by Michael Scott, the sorcerer or something like that) where every second the characters are about to die and they somehow get away. The beginning of this book did a great job of including every day things (it's one of my favorite things about HP) Even amidst turmoil there are "normal days". Some authors forget that. I hope that doesn't happen. Fingers crossed. At the very least, the first book in the series is worth the read.
I was worried about it...and I was right to be. Honestly, unless you love YA or teen fiction, stop at the first book.
So disappointing :( I wanted it to be better, but the clues were all there in the first one. I should have kept my expectations low.
Review from first book:
Overall, I think it started off very strong. Creepy, yet endearing. Different. It got a little fantastical at the end and I worry that as the series continues it will get more so and will lose what I liked about the book. But I think they are worth the read.
I loved the peculiar children. Jacob was a sullen yet likeable teenager. Everything was just creepy enough to put you on edge, yet when he walked into 1940, it was somehow believable. Like I said, a little too crazy at the end. I worry that it will end up like some other teen fiction series (like Percy Jackson and the ones by Michael Scott, the sorcerer or something like that) where every second the characters are about to die and they somehow get away. The beginning of this book did a great job of including every day things (it's one of my favorite things about HP) Even amidst turmoil there are "normal days". Some authors forget that. I hope that doesn't happen. Fingers crossed. At the very least, the first book in the series is worth the read.
I was worried about it...and I was right to be. Honestly, unless you love YA or teen fiction, stop at the first book.
Spoiler
The kids escape. The kids have a illustrated book that seems to detail some of the things in peculiarland. They find peculiar animals. They learn all but Miss Wren have been captured (and Miss Peregrine as she's with them). They hang out with gypsies. They kill a bunch of whites with bees. They get to London and follow some Peculiar pigeons that lead them to Miss Wren who has encapsulated herself in basically an ice box to stay safe. Miss Wren performs some hard core magic. Emma tells Jacob he should go back to the present. His little heart is broken. Then Miss Peregrine isn't Miss Peregrine at all, but her brother (gasp!) who she banished from the peculiar world long ago. (I mean at one point "she" murders the Peculiar pigeon once it's gotten them to the right spot, hard to believe Miss Peregrine would do that). I think something else happens but I honestly can't remember. I was just praying for the end by this point. Ends with them once again having to complete some impossible task to save the others.So disappointing :( I wanted it to be better, but the clues were all there in the first one. I should have kept my expectations low.