Kindle Book: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

  Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

by Ransom Riggs

Length: 384 pages

Format: Kindle book
Price: $6.26

Author Website: http://www.ransomriggs.com/

Basic Premise: Jacob has always known his grandfather was strange. But when his sudden death is surrounded by bizarre circumstances of which Jake seems to be the only one aware, he sets off to find out who - or what - really killed his grandfather.

My Take: 3 out of 10 (scale here)

Not my favorite.  Not even close.  I have a few beefs with this book, one of which was the protagonist.  He's what old people think young people are - irresponsible, careless, and unconcerned about the impact his actions have on others.  To be fair, he learns, grows, and matures throughout the novel, but his actions in the beginning put a bad taste in my mouth that was hard to overcome.  I also didn't "buy in."  Obviously, when you are dealing with fantasy (and this novel must be classified as such, though certainly not your typical fantasy), the audience is required to suspend their disbelief long enough to buy into that which is fantastical.  I missed that boat.  It all felt just a little too...fake for me.  Also - this is one of those obnoxious books where you think it's going to end like, four times and it doesn't.  It just keeps GOING AND GOING.  And then, it ends unexpectedly.  What the heck??

I read it, I finished it, and I may even recommend it to a kid or two, but I won't be rereading or reading the sequel, if there is one.  I see that Tim Burton is rumored to be directing a 2015 film release, which sounds quite fitting.