Review: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children – Vintage Photographs and Magical Children

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
Series: Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children #1
Publisher: Quirk Books (2011)
Paperback (356 pages)
Via: Library
Rating:
Also by this author: Hollow City, Library of Souls
Also in this series: Hollow City, Library of Souls
Reading Challenges: 2015 Re-Reading, Read 2015

Synopsis

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of curious photographs.
A horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

Find the book: Goodreads

My Review

This book is a reread for me. It has been a few years since I first read it, as an ebook I might add. When I saw it at the library, I decided it was time for a reread. The pictures look so much better on paper than as part of an ebook.

I mentioned the pictures so I may as well talk about them. Mr Riggs uses old photographs as the inspiration for some of his characters and some of the events. It is wonderful how well they fit with the story he is telling. I enjoyed seeing some creepy and some not so creepy pictures.

The story starts with Jacob Portman, grandson of an eccentric man who likes to tell fantastical stories. It isn’t until Jacob sees his grandfather’s death and the monster that killed him that he finally thinks the stories may be real. Following on clues left by his grandfather, Jacob makes his way to Wales where he finds the island of Cairnholm.

I really liked Jacob. He was a normal kid, well, as normal as any rich kid in the United States can be. He doesn’t believe in fairy stories until he realizes that he is part of one. He finds a place where, for the first time, he feels he can maybe belong.

I enjoyed this book so much. Jacob’s discoveries of Miss Peregrine, the peculiar children with magical abilities,and the wights lead him on some adventures he would never have imagined. I fear that if I say too much more I will be saying too much. 🙂

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Catholic Connections

*Spoiler Alert*
In order to analyze the text and make these connections, there may be some spoilers.
Please do not continue reading unless you have already read the book
or you don’t mind if you read some spoilers.
*Spoiler Alert*

Miss Peregrine is a savior figure to the children who live in her loop (time loop, that is). She rescued them from a variety of places and circumstances and gave them somewhere safe to live. She protected them when even their own parents couldn’t protect them. To Miss Peregrine, the children are her charges and nothing is more important than their safety. In return, the children would do anything for Miss Peregrine.

Then there is Abe Portman, Jacob’s grandfather. He gave up a life of security in Miss Peregrine’s loop to seek out the monsters that hunt him and the other peculiar children. He chooses a life of the unknown and hunting scary monsters over a life of safety and security. He makes a hard choice that ultimately has helped many others. He was able to kill some of the monsters that hunted his friends and he was able to give them his grandson with the same ability: seeing the monsters.

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Which Reading Challenges?

• You Read How Many Books? Reading Challenge
• Hard Core Re-Reading Challenge