Image provided by Issy Gee
Normally, I wouldn’t recommend books based on their covers. There’s a whole saying about it, after all: ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’. This is an exception. Ransom Riggs’ Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children tells the story of Jacob Portman, a teenager who believes he must be the most ordinary person around. But when his grandfather dies, old secrets start to come to light, pushing him into a world of children with miraculous abilities and dangerous monsters. As he makes his way through an increasingly peculiar world, he struggles to live up to his grandfather’s legacy and unravel the mystery he left behind. If that wasn’t enough of a hook for you, then you should know that its intricate storyline is accompanied by strange vintage photos that always warrant a closer look. Each one allows you to see a scene or character in your mind’s eye, painting a clear picture of the book’s happenings. It’s an enrapturing tale of legacy and mystery, of morality and, most importantly, peculiarity.
If by some chance you’ve seen Tim Burton’s movie adaptation of the book, then you only have more reason to find a copy and jump right in. While the movie does manage to imitate the strange and unique rhythm of the book, it completely misses the mark on plot and storyline. Some of the most complex and compelling scenes are completely absent from the movie, a true crime, if you ask me. Oftentimes the book and the movie are so different I forget that the latter is based on the former. So, if you use the movie as an excuse not to read the book; you’ll be missing out.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is written in first-person, past tense, and is only the first in a series of six books, each as fascinating as the one before. Riggs’ characters, despite (or perhaps because of) their extraordinary abilities are never unrealistic or unrelatable. Each one is unique and will leave a lasting impression on the reader. Riggs manages to combine elements of historical fiction, dark fantasy, and horror fiction to create a literary masterpiece that is memorable for more than just its vintage photos.
As October ends and November begins, Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children is perfect for the slow transition from October, the month of horror and jump scares, to November, the month of cold winds and pitch black nights.