Miss Peregrines Home for peculiar children

Miss Peregrines home for peculiar children is the first book by Ransom Riggs and takes place between 2 time periods/settings, 1940 Wales and modern America. This book is unlike others as throughout the story there is tonnes of black and white, eerie and illusionistic photos from the past that match to the plot of the book. We start off in modern America in which Jacob Portman has been told many stories through out his childhood about monsters and strange children by his grandfather. Whilst he believe they were true when he was younger he has slowly realised they weren't real and his grandfather just made them up. But when his grandfather is murderd he sees the monster that killed me and relises his grandfather was telling the truth. He then travels to Wales with his father to a small almost uninhabitated island where the children (predictably now adults) are supposed to be living but soon he finds out they all died in a bombing in 1940. During a visit to the old house Jacob falls through a ceiling and meets some children who run away at first but Jacob follows and falls through a time loop to the 1940s in which the same day has been repeating itself for years and years. The children turn out to be the same one his grandfather talked about before, whilst learning some history about his grandfather and making friends with the peculiar children who all have strange almost talents, Jacob relises that's the children and their ymbryne, Miss Peregrine are in danger. Only he can save them. 

Firstly this book is unlike anything I have read in a while, the plot is so imaginative and evocative. The use of the pictures makes the story seem so much more real. I love the mystery of the story, every character you read about might not be who you think it is. Minor characters don't seem important to you until the end when you find out what role they truly played. I'll be keeping my eye out for characters like this in the next book. As I said the story is very imaginative and each character is so individual, there peculiarities not being stereotypical, such as flying or reading minds. They are more wispy, they fit with the whole aura of the book. For example: Olive doesn't fly, she floats, Emma doesn't breathe fire, she creates it with her fingers, Hugh doesn't just control bees, they live inside of him. The whole nature of the book is very whimsical, it creates a very fantasy feel and I like the childlike vibe through out the book. It's almost as if the children look young but are old within, which is actually very true due to them being in a time loop. The setting is very historically correct, with the strong theme of war playing a big part in the plot. Both the world and children are at war during the story. The descriptive language used in the story creates very detailed images in your head, you can almost feel everything the children are. Plus the realistic look on family life in the beginning of the book only makes this book more strange with how normal the book starts compared to how peculiarly is ends. However the mystery of the plot is what grabs me, in the beginning your unsure if grandpa Portman is telling the truth or making it up. However then as Jacob starts to believe it so do you, the plot is very immersive and you feel as if you are actually Jacob. Struggling to find the hidden children, not sure if you should believe your crazy grandpa. Angry that people think your crazy. 

I do have a few minor problems with the book though. The story starts of very slow and then suddenly speeds up missing out major storylines, such as Emma and Jacobs relationship. Which I find very weird due to her being with his grandpa previously. Also the lack of explanation as to how Miss Peregrine  knew a bomb was to be dropped on the house confuses me too. Furthermore the beginning of the book is quite boring, I feel as if more could have been done to grab the interest of the reader in the beginning as some may switch off and miss key points that are important later on. Also whilst the language is impeccable it can get confusing, especially if the book is aimed at younger adults. But i guess it does have a learning aspect to it. Additionally I would love further insight into the stories of the peculiar children as they are sort of brushed aside to focus on Jacob when they could play a bigger role in his story too. Other then this I love the book a lot and there isn't too many negative things to say about it. 

Overall I thought the book was a truly wonderful read, I enjoyed the way it made me feel and how different the story was to others. It's very original and I would definetly recommend it if your into fantasy books with modern twists. However I do warn readers the language can be quite complicated and the story ends with a cliff hanger so you will have to read the rest of the series if you want to know more.