Is Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children Worth the Read?

I’m currently enrolled in LIT 322: Contemporary Fiction Analysis at Southern New Hampshire University (because, why not?), and this week’s reading was Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. You’d think YA would be aimed at teens, but surprise, surprise: publishers actually define it as being for readers between 16 and 25, though the audience is clearly much older.

Now, let’s talk about the book itself. It’s an interesting concept, no doubt. The story begins and ends with Jacob, the protagonist, narrating in past tense, which is a choice that sets the tone for the book. Jacob’s trying to uncover the truth about his grandfather’s mysterious death, but of course, the story becomes much more than that. It’s a self-discovery journey, though Jacob doesn’t realize it right away. He thinks he’s out there digging for the truth about his grandfather’s past, but really, he’s digging into his own peculiar identity. That’s a solid plotline, but here’s where I start to get skeptical—because, well, of course I do.

Jacob's journey leads him to a time loop on a secluded island, where he encounters his grandfather’s “peculiar” friends—children who haven’t aged a day since the 1940s. Time travel and immortality? Sure, it’s not the worst thing I’ve seen in YA, but we have to talk about the romance between Jacob and Emma. Emma, his love interest, is an old woman who was in love with Jacob’s grandfather (oh, yeah, that part). So, Jacob strolls in, and it’s like the stars align and suddenly, Emma’s got her heart all fluttering for him. I mean, if you really think about it—Emma was literally waiting around for years while Abraham (Jacob’s grandfather) went on to live his life. Then Jacob comes in, and boom, they’re practically soulmates. It’s not the focus of the story, but that dynamic felt like a strange, awkward subplot, and I can’t help but wonder how many readers just gloss over it. Did anyone stop and think, “Wait, this is kind of weird”?

Now, let’s move on to the part I was really waiting for—the peculiar powers. Jacob eventually learns that he too is peculiar, with the ability to see these monsters (and yes, let’s just say they are monsters in every sense of the word). This part of the plot had so much potential, but I feel like Riggs just didn’t do enough with it. The monsters could have been more than just a plot device, right? There could have been more buildup, more tension, and honestly, more horror—because if you’re going to introduce creepy, terrifying monsters, don’t just let them fade into the background. Jacob’s abilities and his encounters with the monsters felt rushed. We get a quick glimpse, and that’s it. For me, that was a missed opportunity.

Speaking of rushed, the pacing in the latter half of the book was… well, rushed. The first and second parts of the book really take their time to develop Jacob’s personal journey and his discovery of the peculiar world, but the action in the final part seems to be crammed into just a few pages. It’s like Riggs was suddenly like, “Okay, time to wrap this up!” and we just had to deal with the sudden whirlwind of action. The fact that the book shifts into this time loop setting, with its historical fiction angle, is great, and that’s actually what’s keeping me interested enough to continue the series. The children’s stories being set in 1940s Wales—that’s the good stuff. The brief preview of the next book promises a bit more depth there, and honestly, I’m intrigued enough to see where it goes.

But here’s my speculation: If Riggs had spent more time fleshing out the action and the powers Jacob was developing, the story would have felt less like a slow burn and more like a continuous, engaging ride. There’s a lot of potential here—interesting characters, a unique setting, and an almost haunting atmosphere—but it feels like the book’s execution didn’t quite meet its promise. Maybe, just maybe, Riggs was saving the good stuff for later books in the series, but that doesn’t excuse how rushed the finale felt.

Overall, this isn’t a bad book. In fact, I’m invested enough to see where the series goes. But I can’t help but feel that it’s a bit too scattered at times, and that there’s more to this story that’s just waiting to be unpacked. Whether or not it gets there—well, that’s what I’ll find out in the next book.

Rating:

3/5