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mediaevalmuse 's review for:
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
by Ransom Riggs
I read this book upon hearing about it through the vlogbrothers YouTube channel, and I was doubly interested in it once I learned how it was created: the author, Ransom Riggs, collected a number of odd, vintage photographs and intended to first publish them as a picture book. An editor, however, suggested putting them into a narrative instead. That alone, I think, is well worth your time - the combination of picture and text makes for a very different reading experience. But there are other things, as I will outline below, that really make Miss Peregrine's a delightful read.
Things I Liked
1.Imagetext: My first reaction to the book was wonder at the use of photographs interspersed in the text: it gives the reader the ability to interact with the story on a whole new level. Readers are able to not only read but see - it's like reading a comic, but in this case, it isn't quite the same because the pictures aren't displaying the action of the story. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed seeing Riggs' collection of odd photographs, and I love that he gave them all personality and character in his novel.
2. Imagination: The premise of this book is absolutely fascinating, even without taking the photographs into consideration. It includes time travel, something akin to superpowers, and monsters - all ingredients for a fun sci-fi/fantasy. I especially loved the concept of the hollowgasts and can't wait to find out more about them in the next novel.
3. Setting: This novel is set in Wales, which in itself is fun to read, but it also combines present day with past and multiple locations that all have an eccentric flavor to them. It was especially entertaining to read about the protagonist's explorations of the landscape and the old house, as well as the territory caught in the time loop in 1940. The pursuit after family information - Jacob's grandfather's past - also lent an air of mystery to the whole story, in addition to the feeling of historical investigation and research. Thus, if you're a fan of fantasy but also historical fiction, this book might be a perfect blend of the two for you.
4. Mythology/Folklore: Without spoiling too much, I will say that there's some well-placed mythology in the novel, and it made my little nerd heart so excited. I love that Riggs was able to blend some folklore into his story, especially given the setting.
Things I Didn't Like
1. Jacob: I will admit, there were times when the protagonist got on my nerves. He's a bit whiny, and he's fairly entitled. He basically dumps his parents and resents them for reasons I still don't much understand.
2. Adult Characters: Branching off my previous point, I didn't quite find Jacob's excuses for dumping his parents believable. Granted, not everything has to be believable in a novel, especially one that includes time travel and kids with special abilities, but I had a hard time suspending my disbelief when Jacob's father essentially gives his son free reign of the Welsh countryside where any number of dangers could befall him. The parents also drop a ton of money to send Jacob to Wales in the first place - a move that seems either like a convenient plot point or a disturbing flaunting of wealth. I can't really tell.
3. Love Story: I didn't much appreciate the love story that Riggs was trying to set up between Jacob and Emma. I liked Emma well enough, and I think her emotional state is one that presents some interesting thought exercises in friendship and hurt - but I felt a bit uncomfortable that someone who had a relationship with Jacob's grandfather was moving on to have a relationship with the grandson.
4. Time Loop Questions: I always wondered why the children, who have been stuck in a time loop since 1940, didn't age mentally. They are able to understand why they are in a time loop and able to talk about complicated topics, but they are still children. I'm not sure why their mental ages didn't advance so they didn't resemble something like a child vampire (think Claudia from Interview With the Vampire), but it wasn't such a bother that I couldn't enjoy the story.
Recommendations: Definitely read this novel if you're interested in superpowers and sci-fi/fantasy. You might also like this book if you're a fan of monster fiction or WWII-era historical fiction.
Things I Liked
1.Imagetext: My first reaction to the book was wonder at the use of photographs interspersed in the text: it gives the reader the ability to interact with the story on a whole new level. Readers are able to not only read but see - it's like reading a comic, but in this case, it isn't quite the same because the pictures aren't displaying the action of the story. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed seeing Riggs' collection of odd photographs, and I love that he gave them all personality and character in his novel.
2. Imagination: The premise of this book is absolutely fascinating, even without taking the photographs into consideration. It includes time travel, something akin to superpowers, and monsters - all ingredients for a fun sci-fi/fantasy. I especially loved the concept of the hollowgasts and can't wait to find out more about them in the next novel.
3. Setting: This novel is set in Wales, which in itself is fun to read, but it also combines present day with past and multiple locations that all have an eccentric flavor to them. It was especially entertaining to read about the protagonist's explorations of the landscape and the old house, as well as the territory caught in the time loop in 1940. The pursuit after family information - Jacob's grandfather's past - also lent an air of mystery to the whole story, in addition to the feeling of historical investigation and research. Thus, if you're a fan of fantasy but also historical fiction, this book might be a perfect blend of the two for you.
4. Mythology/Folklore: Without spoiling too much, I will say that there's some well-placed mythology in the novel, and it made my little nerd heart so excited. I love that Riggs was able to blend some folklore into his story, especially given the setting.
Things I Didn't Like
1. Jacob: I will admit, there were times when the protagonist got on my nerves. He's a bit whiny, and he's fairly entitled. He basically dumps his parents and resents them for reasons I still don't much understand.
2. Adult Characters: Branching off my previous point, I didn't quite find Jacob's excuses for dumping his parents believable. Granted, not everything has to be believable in a novel, especially one that includes time travel and kids with special abilities, but I had a hard time suspending my disbelief when Jacob's father essentially gives his son free reign of the Welsh countryside where any number of dangers could befall him. The parents also drop a ton of money to send Jacob to Wales in the first place - a move that seems either like a convenient plot point or a disturbing flaunting of wealth. I can't really tell.
3. Love Story: I didn't much appreciate the love story that Riggs was trying to set up between Jacob and Emma. I liked Emma well enough, and I think her emotional state is one that presents some interesting thought exercises in friendship and hurt - but I felt a bit uncomfortable that someone who had a relationship with Jacob's grandfather was moving on to have a relationship with the grandson.
4. Time Loop Questions: I always wondered why the children, who have been stuck in a time loop since 1940, didn't age mentally. They are able to understand why they are in a time loop and able to talk about complicated topics, but they are still children. I'm not sure why their mental ages didn't advance so they didn't resemble something like a child vampire (think Claudia from Interview With the Vampire), but it wasn't such a bother that I couldn't enjoy the story.
Recommendations: Definitely read this novel if you're interested in superpowers and sci-fi/fantasy. You might also like this book if you're a fan of monster fiction or WWII-era historical fiction.