A book - Mrs Peregrines home for peculiar children

The blurb:

A mysterious island.



An abandoned orphanage.



A strange collection of very curious photographs.



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 were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive. 

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.

My thoughts:

I finished this book yesterday, after 4 days of reading. Before I continue, I have to say - this book annoyed me.

I initially downloaded it as a sample, having heard mixed reviews and have to say that I was gripped. The subjects it alluded to - psychological trauma following WW2, supernatural children coupled with the creepy photos all promised for a good read.

After purchasing the rest of the book...it all went a bit Pete Tong (typical). Far too early were the secrets of Jacob's Grandfather's past unravelled and the book turned into a teenage angst-ridden fantasy tale. Subjects were covered briefly but not followed up on or even mentioned again for the duration of the book. The authors portrayal of a Welsh Island, and Welsh people in fact were borderline offensive and I'd be very surprised if he'd actually done any research prior to writing. (An island with one landline phone? And running off generators? In 2011? REALLY?)

The book started brilliantly and promised a chilling read which it simply didn't deliver. The photos were a good addition, however it seems to me that the author found a bunch of photos he liked and then tried to construct the story around them, with half-baked characters and a weak plot. It annoyed me because it could've been so much better.

So although I read it quickly I think it was mainly because I found myself skipping over paragraphs towards the end, just because I wanted to finish it (justifying buying it I suppose) but had lost interest really. The ending hinted at a sequel, which I have already decided I will not be reading.

Have you read it? What did you think?