Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Ransom Riggs - Tales of the Peculiar - Book Review (Penguin) (Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children)

*A new set of stories from the world of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children*

In this collection of fairy tales, Ransom Riggs invites you to uncover hidden legends of the peculiar world. A fork-tongued princess, a girl who talks to ghosts, and wealthy cannibals who dine on the discarded limbs of peculiars are just a few of the characters whose stories will have you hooked.

Featuring stunning illustrations from world-renowned artist Andrew Davidson, this compelling, rich and truly peculiar anthology is the perfect gift for fans - and for all lovers of great storytelling.

Tales of the Peculiar is a beautifully illustrated collection of fairy tales that draws the readers back to the world of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. It is a lovely volume of ten short stories that all start with a fantastic black/white full page of woodblock engravings by Andrew Davidson. 

This golden striking book cover has also been designed by Andrew; it is absolutely stunning, just like the overall production of the book. The illustrations will lead you into a transcending world of fables, myths and mysteries that will pull at the peculiar strings of your fantasy brain. 

I'm not usually a big fan of short stories, but I am a very big fan of Ransom Riggs. All of the short stories exist within his previous novels and give you a fantastic taste of each whether you are a new reader or a previous fan. They are a mixture of beloved fairy tales and legends that the peculiar children grew up hearing; all have been written by and about people with peculiar talents and afflictions. 

The tales are mostly folklore and are meant, primarily, to be punchy and packed full of good stories. They delve into important aspects of peculiar history, such as how Miss Peregrine’s time-looping predecessors came to be through the short story of "The First Ymbryne". The tales are set in a distant era before peculiars lived in time loops. It concerns strange dealings between a peculiar village and a group of disarmingly polite cannibals. 

My favourite story is "The Girl Who Could Tame Nightmares" which is a deliciously dark fairytale told in a clever and imaginative way. It will pick you up and suck you into a bubble of wonderfully weird brilliance which will stay in your dark hungry hearts for some time. 

All of the stories are twisted and filled with a strange and quirky humour which suits me just down to the ground. You can start at any place in the book and easily follow the flow of the narrative. I am confident that you will love all of the stories. There is certainly a great selection to read aloud, but only if you are Peculiar. 

This is a fantastic book to introduce to the world. The characters and the story will soon be seen on the big screen at the end of this month. It has been directed by Tim Burton and stars Eva Green, Samuel L. Jackson and Judi Dench. It looks like an amazing film so check out the movie trailer below. 

Ransom Riggs grew up in Florida but now makes his home in the land of peculiar children—Los Angeles. He was raised on a steady diet of ghost stories and British comedy, which probably explains the novels he writes. There's a nonzero chance he's in your house right now, watching you from underneath the bed. (Go ahead and check. We'll wait.) If not, you can find him on Twitter @ransomriggs.

Andrew Davidson graduated from the Royal College of Art with a Masters in Graphic Design. Davidson has worked as an illustrator in a number of different disciplines, but craft and design have always been the cornerstones of his work. His varied career has included wood engravings for The Iron Man byTed Hughes, more than twelve sets of stamps for The Royal Mail, and the glass etched doors for the Centre Court at Wimbledon. He is married to his wife Julia, and has two sons, Lewis and Hugh.

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Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children Official Trailer (2016) Eva Green Fantasy Movie HD

Really looking forward to Tim Burton's latest offering, Ransom Riggs Ya fantasy book "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" which has been made into a epic looking movie by the man behind Edward Scissorhands and Big Fish. The only problem, we will have to wait until September 30th to see it. 

When Jacob discovers clues to a mystery that spans different worlds and times, he finds Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. But the mystery and danger deepen as he gets to know the residents and learns about their special powers.

Director:

 Tim Burton

Writers:

 Jane Goldman (screenplay),  Ransom Riggs (novel) 

Stars:

 Eva Green,  Ella Purnell,  Asa Butterfield  

Ransom Riggs - 'Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children' Sequel Hollow City and Other News

                                   

                                       

This is an image possibly from the front cover of "Miss Peregrine's" sequel, "Hollow City," which picks up right where the first book left off, following the merry band of peculiar orphans as they travel to London in search of answers.

Who is this stern young man, and why is he lurking in this open door in a pair of the world's most high-waisted trousers? We've no idea, but you can bet the answer is something strange—in the "Miss Peregrine's" universe, it's always something weird. (Perhaps he's come in from out-of-doors to tell us that there's a hollowgast lurking in the yard.) Either way, he'll be waiting to meet you in the pages of "Hollow City" when it comes out January 2014.

Also other connected news: Fox also announced that Peregrine's Home for Peculiars will hit big screen July 31, 2015. The film, based on Ransom Riggs' debut novel, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, will be directed by Tim Burton from a script by X-Men: First Class writer Jane Goldman. The story follows a teenage boy who is transported to an island where he must help protect a group of orphans with special powers from creatures out to destroy them.

Ransom Riggs - Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - Book Review

                                    

     

• Pages - 352
• Published by Quirk Books
• Date - 7 June 2011
• Age 10+
• Isbn - 978-159744761

It's been a very long time since such a book has specifically been brought to my attention, not only through the telling of a great imaginative story, but actually through the physicality of the book itself. Unfortunately, the more that reading trends advance the more the likelihood that the physical hardback will be unavailable. Especially, as we are now in the digital era of e-books - I find it such a great shame. Therefore, to find this book being published with such care, thought and attention really caught my eye. 


The cinematic charm of the vintage photographs throughout the book really made the story come alive. The reader is able to imagine from the very start what the story entails. However, you never actually know until you turn that very first page and find the voice inside.


It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children who once lived here—one of whom was his own grandfather—were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a desolate island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.


I think that the best way to sum up this book is indeed "peculiar", but not in the way the author was meaning. The vision of this story is like no other story that you'll have read before. In fact, it may not be seen again until the next book in this series. In a world that has so many books, some of which lack originality or a unique voice, such uniqueness is refreshing. 


As I've already mentioned, I was sucked into the charm of this book through the book cover. However, the book delivered so much more that I anticipated once the story was finally told. The voice of each character instantly transported me into my own subconscious mind as the story flutters on the wonderfully weird and strange. It left me flipping the pages until there were no more left to turn. However, many more questions were left unanswered by the end.


The book takes you from the reality of a mundane life in America to a fantasy story based around a mysterious island in Wales. Many spine-tingling moments, with interesting outcomes and an emotional trail of the past and the present, produce some very good reading moments. There are many thought provoking moments along the way and friendship bonds with people who all share something in common. 


This book is a really good read for everyone, it might not be what you would expect  but it definitely not be one that you will forget. This is a great debut book with, I believe, film potential.

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