Hollow City - Ransom Riggs

If you haven't read the first book in Ransom Riggs' series of Peculiar Children novels, then you simply must GET ON THAT!


In all seriousness, though, this series is incredibly inventive and, well, peculiar. Riggs's narrative is beautiful and haunting on its own, but paired with the historical, eerie, fantastical photos, his novels make for an impressive overall story arc that will linger in the minds of readers for a long time after the final sentence. Of course, the worst part is waiting for the next in the series (so, Mr. Riggs, if you could just send me what you've got so far, that would be great...)

In this sequel, Jacob and the other Peculiar children must find Miss Wren, one of the last remaining ymbryne, in order to find a cure for Miss Peregrine, who has been stuck in bird form for days already. The group navigates 1940s England, along with other time loops, in an effort to track down the elusive Miss Wren, and avoid all the wights and hollows along the way. Throughout the tale, Jacob learns more about his powers and how to save his friends, while his relationship with the other Peculiar children evolves and changes as they encounter danger from the war and the supernatural elements of Peculiardom.

 This is a tale told through gorgeous, descriptive prose and complex character development, all focused around themes of friendship, love, trust, and difference:
We rowed out through the harbor, past bobbing boats weeping rust from their seams, past juries of silent seabirds roosting atop the barnacled remains of sunken docks, past fishermen who lowered their nets to stare frozenly as we slipped by, uncertain whether we were real or imagined; a procession of waterborne ghosts, or ghosts soon to be. We were ten children and one bird in three small unsteady boats, rowing with quiet intensity straight out to sea, the only save harbor for miles receding quickly behind us, craggy and magical in the blue-gold light of dawn. 
Isn't that just pretty!?

The photos also allow readers to truly enter the world and question reality as they know it. Hollow City is a fabulous sequel that is a must-read, especially if you like the first in the series.

 Highly Recommended

 BONUS: Check out these awesome trailers for the book (So creepy!)

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