Synopsis (as taken from Goodreads):
A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. And a strange collection of very curious photographs. It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, 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 who once lived here - one of whom was his own grandfather - were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a desolate island for good reason. And somehow - impossible though it seems - they may still be alive.
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤ out of 5 hearts
They say that the best things in life are worth waiting for. As most of you have realized, I get a majority of my books from the city library, though I do my best to support great authors by buying their books when possible. As was expected, Miss Peregrine's had a long hold list. How long, you ask? When I joined the list in early October, I was number 42, which more than triples the last "biggest wait list" I've been on: for TFioS back in July. I didn't get the book until January! Worth it? Undoubtedly so!
It's hard to know where to start, and it's hard to talk about the most wonderful things about this book without a bunch of spoilers, but I'll do my best. For starters, as opposed to the main character in our last sister read, Jacob Portman was relatable, despite being rather dissimilar to me. Most of us know the feeling of not being believed--though perhaps not to the extent of Jacob--and we can all certainly relate to the point in childhood where you simply cease believing in the "fairy tales" you once did.
I absolutely adored the settings of this book: first Florida (2 of my 5 favorite books are set there, it must mean something) and then on an island in Wales. Both, but particularly Cairnholm Island were vividly described by the author, to the point that you could feel as if you were there. Ransom Riggs, among other things, is among the ranks of the few author who can make the weather of their novels interesting without making it a key part of the plot (the first example I can think of that displays this is the children's novel Bridge to Terebithia).
Miss Peregrine's was so unlike any other book I've ever read, and I never quite knew what would happen next. The hero's journey takes such a unique meaning in this book, and the empathy I felt while reading was off the charts. And that, friends, is why Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children not only gets 5 out of 5 hearts, but why it also joins my list of favorite books ever.
Standout Quotes:
“When someone won't let you in, eventually you stop knocking."
“To have endured all the horrors he did, to have seen the worst of humanity and have your life made unrecognizable by it, to come out of all that the honorable and brave and good person I knew him to be— that was magical.”
“I didn’t know what to call it, what was happening between us, but I liked it. It felt silly and fragile and good.”
Album to listen to: I don't know why, but Sigh No More by Mumford and Sons. Children's playtime songs also come to mind,
Now to begin devouring this month's Sister Read! Expect a review soon, as S and I are both ecstatic about reading this book!
~D
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