This is a magical little book, a tale of unusually talented
children, time travel and monsters, illustrated with black and white
photographs. Sixteen year old Jacob is devastated when his grandfather, Abe
Portman, dies in his arms, killed by.. something. Everyone says it was dogs,
but Jacob saw a humanoid being that even his friend standing right there didn’t
see. Jacob comes to think that perhaps Abe’s wild stories of an orphanage on a
tiny Welsh island filled with children who could levitate, or lift huge
boulders, or create fire in their hands, and that he killed monsters, just
might be true after all.
Circumstances make a trip to Wales
possible-encouraged by Jacob’s therapist. Once Jacob arrives on the island his
grandfather spent time on during WW II, things turn out to be even weirder –and
more dangerous- than his grandfather described.
This is a lovely coming of age story as Jacob is forced to
grow up abruptly. He’s faced with things that not only endanger friends but challenge
his entire world view. This story has been compared to the X-Men’s school for
mutants, but Miss Peregrine really doesn’t train the kids to use their talents
to fight; she’s content to keep them alive and safe, isolated from the world. It’s
got a touch of Shangri-La, and a bit of the feel of Gaiman, but it’s totally
original. I hear there is a sequel in the works, which makes me very happy.
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