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Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Tuesday - First Chapter - First Paragraph - Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children



Each Tuesday, Diane at Bibliophile By the Sea shares the first part of a book that she is reading or thinking about reading.  This week I'm sharing the first few paragraphs of Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs.  I have been meaning to read this book and, indeed, the whole series for quite some time.  Since the movie adaptation comes out later this month, this seems a good time.  Plus, this will fit in the R.I.P. XI venue quite nicely.  See what you think:



I had just come to accept that my life would be ordinary when extraordinary things began to happen.  The first of these came as a terrible shock and, like anything that changes you forever, split my life into halves: Before and After.  Like many of the extraordinary things to come, it involved my grandfather, Abraham Portman.

Growing up, Grandpa Portman was the most fascinating person I knew.  He had lived in an orphanage, fought in wars, crossed oceans by steamship and deserts on horseback, performed in circuses, knew everything about guns and self-defense and surviving in the wilderness, and spoke at least three languages that weren't English.  It all seemed unfathomably exotic to a kid who'd never left Florida, and I begged him to regale me with stories whenever I saw him.  He always obliged, telling them like secrets that could be entrusted only to me.


Blurb:

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of peculiar 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 decaying bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that Miss Peregrine’s 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.

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Have you read this one?  Planning on seeing the movie?  Think the photos are beyond creepy?  The author says that this book comes out of his love for vintage photography and bizarro stories.  I'll say.

47 comments:

  1. Few books have disappointed me like this one did. Riggs apparently originally wanted to write a picture book instead of a novel, but someone at Quark convinced him otherwise. Too bad; I think this would have been better as a picture book.

    Tim Burton is the perfect director, though. The movie poster is 1000 times more accurate to the tone and content of the novel than the original cover.

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    1. Good to know. I doubt I'll get this read before the movie, but the trailer was lots of fun. May end up just being a movie watch instead of a book read. LOL

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  2. I quite enjoyed the first 2 books. I haven't read the third and have no intention of seeing the movie. Too many things were changed that really don't make any sense to me.

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    1. And you have the other side of the coin, Karen. Thanks for your thoughts. I'm not surprised they changed things. Always seems to happen, right?

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  3. Haven't read the books, but looking forward to giving the movie a try.

    Thoughts in Progress
    and MC Book Tours

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  4. This is one of those books I've wanted to try so after the prologue, I'd read more.

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    1. That's as far as I've gotten. We'll see if I get further along in the next few days.

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  5. I read this one and found it, well, a bit peculiar. Didn't go on with the series after that. I may give the movie a try, though.

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  6. I would read! After Texas Teen Book Festival, I am going with my librarian to see the movie!

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    1. Are you going to the Festival? Lovely. I'll be out of pocket that weekend, but I hope you enjoy it and also the movie. :-)

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  7. I am definitely intrigued. I've been eyeing this book since it came out...and now that there's a movie, I really need to get a copy. Thanks for sharing.

    Here's mine: “ALL THE UGLY & WONDERFUL THINGS”

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    1. Yes, many who have read the book are really excited about the movie. I think the trailer looks fun.

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  8. I bought the first two in this series when I was in NYC, before the third book came out. I haven't read them yet, but I will try to soon, and then buy the third book.

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  9. I have a copy of this one, but have yet to read it. I really should before the movie comes out! Or at least before I see the movie. :-)

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    1. You and me both, Wendy. Not sure it will happen, but you never know. I've gotten as far as the paragraphs I listed here. LOL

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  10. I'm not familiar with this series, but I like the way it starts out. I'd keep going.

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    1. This book has been around for several years, Margot. There are two followup volumes and a movie adaptation is coming at the end of this month. It's very 'fantastic', as in 'fantasy'. LOL

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  11. The pictures are beyond creepy that's for sure!

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    1. I know and the author found them in antique shops and flea markets. They are incredibly odd.

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  12. Nice! Keep on reading. I have it but haven't read it yet. AND I need to make a decision TODAY on participating in the R.I.P challenge.

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    1. Oh go ahead and participate, Debbie. Watching one movie or reading one book is enough. :-)

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  13. While I loved the pictures in Miss Peregrine's, I wasn't enamored of the story. But I loved the movie trailer and hope to see it!

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    1. Didn't that movie trailer look fun? I thought so and will plan to see the movie for sure.

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  14. This sounds good especially for October and Halloween time.

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  15. I must read this! I am looking forward to the movie. Enjoy!

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  16. creepy, that's why I never got to read it. Reminds me of Never Let me Go, which I actually found fabulous.

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    1. Definitely creepy. I've not read Never Let Me Go. I'll put that one on my list.

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  17. This does look creepy and I want to read it! I saw the preview for the movie and really want to see it too.

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    1. That movie trailer was pretty fun, wasn't it?

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  18. Hi Kay, I read the book and really enjoyed it due to the pictures, so unique, it made the book come alive. I am interested in the movie but I am not interested in continuing on with the series.

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    1. I've flipped through and looked at some of those pictures. Wow. Can't believe he found those at antique shops and flea markets.

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  19. I have seen the pictures and they are so unusual, so strange. I've noticed that in a lot of old photographs, the children and adults look very odd, and unlike people I've seen in my life. The children often look older than their years. I wonder why.

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    1. It seems to me in the old photos I've seen of my mother's family, they were all unsmiling. Maybe because they had to sit so long before the flash came or maybe that was just the way. I always thought it was odd that some took pictures of caskets and even the dead person. Ick!

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    2. Yeah, my uncle took a photo of my grandfather (his father) in his casket.

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  20. The movie trailer looks good like something I would like. The book cover looks creepy like something that would give me the willys. I think I will watch the movie. I like Tim Burton's movies.

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    1. Yes, that will likely be what I end up doing first.

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  21. Haven't read this but I've heard lots of good things about this series. I think I'll most likely watch the movies first. ;)

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    1. I suspect that will be true for me as well. :-)

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  22. I've read the whole series and really enjoyed it. The first book is my favorite. The creepy photographs work really well with the text. Enjoy!

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Thanks for stopping by! I am so happy to hear your thoughts and will respond as soon as I can. Happy Reading!