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Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children #2
Hollow City
September 3, 1940. Ten peculiar children flee an army of deadly monsters. And only one person can help them - but she's trapped in the body of a bird. The extraordinary journey that began in "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" continues as Jacob Portman and his newfound friends journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. There, they hope to find a cure for their beloved headmistress, Miss Peregrine.
But in this war-torn city, hideous surprises lurk around every corner. And before Jacob can deliver the peculiar children to safety, he must make an important decision about his love for Emma Bloom.
But in this war-torn city, hideous surprises lurk around every corner. And before Jacob can deliver the peculiar children to safety, he must make an important decision about his love for Emma Bloom.
412 pages, Paperback
First published January 14, 2014
9832 people are currently reading
160046 people want to read
About the author
Ransom Riggs
44books23.5kfollowersHi, I'm Ransom, and I like to tell stories. Sometimes I tell them with words, sometimes with pictures, often with both. I grew up on a farm on the Eastern shore of Maryland and also in a little house by the beach in Englewood, Florida where I got very tan and swam every day until I became half fish. I started writing stories when I was young, on an old typewriter that jammed and longhand on legal pads. When I was a little older I got a camera for Christmas and became obsessed with photography, and when I was a little older still my friends and I came into possession of a half-broken video camera and began to make our own movies, starring ourselves, using our bedrooms and backyards for sets. I have loved writing stories and taking photographs and making movies ever since, and have endeavored to do all three.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 19,259 reviews
September 18, 2015
I'm so happy that I decided to reread this! I forgot how crazy that ending was. :o I THINK I'M READY FOR LIBRARY OF SOULS NOW... I THINK. MAYBE NOT, BUT IT'S COMING WHETHER I'M READY OR NOT.
February 3, 2014
Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children is one of my all-time favorite books and I've been waiting to read Hollow City for ages! As soon as I received Hollow City, I began to devour this strange book and I believe Hollow City is even better than Mrs. P's. Hollow City does an excellent job of creating a captivating, magical world and accompanying the plot with finely selected vintage photos.
The photographs in Hollow City are just as bizarre and outlandish as the ones in the first book. I love the way the photos tie into the story and how each photo seems to tell a story of it's own. Each photo provides readers with a visual treat and I feel like reading Hollow City in a physical book is an extraordinary experience. I'm not diminishing audiobooks and ebooks at all, but there's something beautiful and raw about seeing the photographs on a page and not a screen.
It was exciting to see the world outside of Cairnholm (Miss P's island) and to read about the Peculiar children who are traveling to London. The first novel in the series had a very closed environment to it and it was amazing to see the expanded world of the Peculiars. The world-building in Hollow City is thorough and readers will be brought to new loops where there are peculiar animals and other unexpected creatures (for lack of a better term). I loved visiting so many varied locations and reading about the distinct Peculiar locals.
I loved learning more about the Peculiar children in Hollow City and character development is one of Riggs's strongest suits. It was interesting to see Olive, Hugh, and Emma's characters explored further and to see what effects the loop had on them. To live the same moments all over again for so many years is truly a horrifying thing and in some ways, the children are adults trapped in childrens' bodies. The way Emma took charge of the group, when all her life she was cared for by Mrs. P, was truly impressive. I love both Emma and Jacob, but still I don't get their relationship and it feels out of place and extremely unnecessary in this series.
Hollow City is incredibly fast-paced with an interesting story that fans of Mrs. Peregrine's will absolutely love. With plenty of unexpected twists, Hollow City is quite frankly one of the best sequels I've read to date and it definitely surpasses it's predecessor. Ransom Riggs is at his best in Hollow City and his cinematic prose will provide readers with a story unlike any other. When Hollow City came to its satisfying conclusion, I had an urge to reread the book and relive the strangely magically novel all over again. I know I'll be rereading this in the near future as I wait for the 3rd Miss Peregrine's novel to be released.
Hollow City is a wonderful sequel that is an absolute must read and it's truly upsetting how there's only one more book left in this series. Hollow City is a much faster-paced book than it's predecessor in terms of plot and character development. Riggs is an amazing author and frankly I'd read anything this man writes. Excuse me, while I wait for the 3rd and final book in this series...
September 26, 2015
4.4 STARS! Really enjoyed Hollow City - here's my booktalk =D
September 12, 2015
HOLY CRAP. I CAN'T EVEN. I'll write my thoughts when I'm able to GATHER my thoughts, but know that I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH.
January 21, 2014
Spoilers
Disappointing. The plot was uninteresting, the characters were unremarkable, and the romance was lame.
-Summary: Miss Peregine's school and the time loop she created destroyed by hollows/wights/the bad guys, the peculiars/students on the run, Miss Peregine poisoned and not able to fix the loop and protect her kids, Jacob and the other peculiars have to avoid the bad guys and find another headteacher to help Miss Peregine get back to normal.
-The majority of Hollow City was dull, there was too much repetitiveness and everything seemed contrived. All Jacob, Emma, and the other Peculiars did was run from one place to another� They occasionally happened to bump into other peculiars who helped them, and every few chapters the wights/hollows caught up to them and they had to fight them. It was the same boring thing over and over again.
-Jacob was a lot more likeable in this one, he was so whiny and spoilt in the first book. Even though he wasn't as insufferable he was still a blah character.
-It was dumb how the peculiars hardly ever used their powers to fight the wights/hollows, they only used them at the very last minute.
-I enjoyed the peculiar tales with the giant and the pigeon, they were better than the actual story.
-I didn't buy Jacob and co constantly running into other peculiars. Weren't peculiars meant to be rare? It seemed like everyone the gang came across was either a bad guy or one of them. If the peculiars were a dying breed then I doubt they'd be so many of them running around.
-Most of the characters were flat, they only seemed to have a one or two defining facets to their personality. Emma was brave and assertive, Bronwyn was motherly, Jacob was the reluctant hero, Enoch was irritable and mean, and Horace dressed like a gentleman and acted like a coward. There was very little depth and complexity to the MC's.
-Jacob and Emma's romance was lame, everything between them was superficial and unconvincing.
-I rolled my eyes at Jacob and co getting all pissed and outraged when they found an adult peculiar to take charge and were then dismissed and told they no longer needed to do anything. They didn't like being told the adults would take over and that since they were children they could do nothing. They wanted to help and acted all annoyed at not being able to. But a couple of pages later when they were asked to join the peculiar army and fight hollows, they were all 'Oh noes! We don't want to do anything, it's not out job to save everyone!' - WTF?! Their fickleness and contrary nature was annoying and made no sense.
-The twist at the end was pretty good, I wasn't expecting Caul to turn out to be the bird they thought was Miss Peregine.
-The pictures and how they were incorporated in the story was the best part of the book, they were the only element that made Hollow City stand out from every other generic YA series.
All in all, I wasn't overly impressed, there were only a couple of things that were done well.
Disappointing. The plot was uninteresting, the characters were unremarkable, and the romance was lame.
-Summary: Miss Peregine's school and the time loop she created destroyed by hollows/wights/the bad guys, the peculiars/students on the run, Miss Peregine poisoned and not able to fix the loop and protect her kids, Jacob and the other peculiars have to avoid the bad guys and find another headteacher to help Miss Peregine get back to normal.
-The majority of Hollow City was dull, there was too much repetitiveness and everything seemed contrived. All Jacob, Emma, and the other Peculiars did was run from one place to another� They occasionally happened to bump into other peculiars who helped them, and every few chapters the wights/hollows caught up to them and they had to fight them. It was the same boring thing over and over again.
-Jacob was a lot more likeable in this one, he was so whiny and spoilt in the first book. Even though he wasn't as insufferable he was still a blah character.
-It was dumb how the peculiars hardly ever used their powers to fight the wights/hollows, they only used them at the very last minute.
-I enjoyed the peculiar tales with the giant and the pigeon, they were better than the actual story.
-I didn't buy Jacob and co constantly running into other peculiars. Weren't peculiars meant to be rare? It seemed like everyone the gang came across was either a bad guy or one of them. If the peculiars were a dying breed then I doubt they'd be so many of them running around.
-Most of the characters were flat, they only seemed to have a one or two defining facets to their personality. Emma was brave and assertive, Bronwyn was motherly, Jacob was the reluctant hero, Enoch was irritable and mean, and Horace dressed like a gentleman and acted like a coward. There was very little depth and complexity to the MC's.
-Jacob and Emma's romance was lame, everything between them was superficial and unconvincing.
-I rolled my eyes at Jacob and co getting all pissed and outraged when they found an adult peculiar to take charge and were then dismissed and told they no longer needed to do anything. They didn't like being told the adults would take over and that since they were children they could do nothing. They wanted to help and acted all annoyed at not being able to. But a couple of pages later when they were asked to join the peculiar army and fight hollows, they were all 'Oh noes! We don't want to do anything, it's not out job to save everyone!' - WTF?! Their fickleness and contrary nature was annoying and made no sense.
-The twist at the end was pretty good, I wasn't expecting Caul to turn out to be the bird they thought was Miss Peregine.
-The pictures and how they were incorporated in the story was the best part of the book, they were the only element that made Hollow City stand out from every other generic YA series.
All in all, I wasn't overly impressed, there were only a couple of things that were done well.
Want to read
December 4, 2013what is it with you people and rating books that aren´t even PUBLISHED??!!! COME ON!!
January 14, 2018
Are you still into the creepy vintage photos?
Welcome to a Deeper, maturer, richer & more convenient sequel.
really sad we won't watch a Movie out of it..
Tim Burton only concluded the whole series in an ending that's even worse than Book One's, it almost made me ditch Book Two.
I'm glad I didn't, unexpectedly loved it, this time Ransom Riggs here add more depth into the world he built in book one. THE PECULIARDOM
The wonders and mystical world of Peculiarity, their animals, different loops, history.
Mixed with the real world horrors of WWII..
The devastated London, the prejudices and racism..
Everything's similar, as in our world as the peculiar's..there's those who are good, and who are bad.
And everything's connected.
It's one simple plot, the mid plot of the Trilogy, one Mission, so it's simple and more focused. Yet, action packed and really full of thriller and twists.
** The Mission **
Let me put it this way, no spoiler at all,
“Get Miss Peregrine to one of the last remaining ‘uncaptured� Ymbrynes, God knows who, in any un-attackted loop, God knows where, avoiding Wights and Hollows, who's constantly one step too close, and avoiding the horrors of WWII’s German bomb assaults on Londod, which is constant too, to get her into the human form again, after being severely hurt by the end of book one, before it's too late to return human, that's mean only 5 days maximum.�
And don't forget the constant watchers...
This long journey in tight time is really rich, fast and have a great mixing between the World of Peculiar and our real world.
Like this old bonds between Peculiars and Gypsies since they're both outcasts, both suffer prejudices cause they're different. Both wanderers souls clinging to the margins of the world.
I even started to feel the world of Peculiar, Mutant X, Witch and Wizards and muggles, The Diviners, all part of real world and all in all very well hidden. Unless you really open your eyes.
There's also these horrors of war, many hidden, symbolic references to the Nazi hate of less blood and Jews generally.
-The horrible wights experiments on Peculiars for example reminded me much of the Nazi scientific ones on people for the welfare of Aryan race only-
But the sad thing is, the Peculiardom is in grave danger here.. even for its animals.
And with all loops raided, our friends are in real danger, facing real threats and real decisions must be made. Specially Jacob..who has sold his normal life for one in real death threat.
So let's see;
** The Characters **
The really good thing in book two that it add more depth into Jacob’s character and his motivations.., remember his need to discovering the World?
Well, in this journey he will go into even Time Travel.
And of time, it has a very good way in dealing with it, to not be an extreme unbelievable fantasy, you know dealing with time is tricky -even J.K. Rowling felt the burden of creating the Time Turner-
All the characters getting clear enough, We even get more into their past..and how they got here.
it's one of the best things here that we finally too close to the characters more than, I believe, book one.
Enoch, this sadistic racist jelous - yet part of the group-, is really has important role here.
Horace ; this elegant young man obsessed with style and tuxedos, he made a real fun comic relief in many points. As well as
Olive ; the eye wonder of the group, young sweet and funny, and her love of stories really helped.
Bronwyn ; the tough protector she's really good character. I loved how she called Jacob “brother� just before the sad events by the end of the book.
Millard ; his love to explore is almost as equal to Jacob.
And talking about Jacob and his wish to explore that ended him up in this world in first place.
It wasn't just this which made him stay.. it was love.
and his Love Interest, Emma.
I have to say I wasn't convinced by it much, the love theme here I felt was a bit off, or forced, or even a bit sad and unnatural.
BUT, this book is really made it right� made it real and convenient.
Thanks to Emma which her character this time is really way better than book one.
And you'll know why she, and Jacob too felt obliged to this journey to save Miss Peregrine.
The Brave, cunning bad ass Miss Peregrine. Who must be saved as soon as possible. and truly will be missed as her actual form "Eva Green was awesome in the role BTW"
Then came the ending...the thrilling creepy nightmare , weird dream, a sad decision and a very twisted turn of events.
Back to the atmosphere of book one.
And If I hated the long first 10% of this book, LOVED the rest of it, the last 10% of it is one of the most thrilling endings for a second good book of a sequel.
So if Book One was 3 stars for me -+ extra one for the design & idea- This one is easily 4.5 stars.
The author said in the Acknowledgment that book two took longer time than expected to release. I can clearly see that this patiently writing did magic..
with all this richness , even if it's like a bit other series, like this book of Peculiar stories was fun, reminded me heavily with Rowling's "The Tales of Beedle the Bard"
So now I can't wait for the final part of the “First Trilogy� of Mr. Ransom Riggs planned series of the Peculiardom.
Mohammed Arabey
from 20 October 2016
To 25 October 2016
Welcome to a Deeper, maturer, richer & more convenient sequel.
really sad we won't watch a Movie out of it..
Tim Burton only concluded the whole series in an ending that's even worse than Book One's, it almost made me ditch Book Two.
I'm glad I didn't, unexpectedly loved it, this time Ransom Riggs here add more depth into the world he built in book one. THE PECULIARDOM
The wonders and mystical world of Peculiarity, their animals, different loops, history.
Mixed with the real world horrors of WWII..
The devastated London, the prejudices and racism..
“Are you so concerned with the well-being of normals that you’d risk Miss Peregrine’s life to protect a few of theirs? A thousand of them aren’t worth one of her! Or one of us, for that matter!�
Everything's similar, as in our world as the peculiar's..there's those who are good, and who are bad.
And everything's connected.
“If even outcasts and downtrodden folk like yourselves can’t muster a bit of compassion for others,� she said, “then there’s no hope for this world.�
It's one simple plot, the mid plot of the Trilogy, one Mission, so it's simple and more focused. Yet, action packed and really full of thriller and twists.
** The Mission **
Let me put it this way, no spoiler at all,
“Get Miss Peregrine to one of the last remaining ‘uncaptured� Ymbrynes, God knows who, in any un-attackted loop, God knows where, avoiding Wights and Hollows, who's constantly one step too close, and avoiding the horrors of WWII’s German bomb assaults on Londod, which is constant too, to get her into the human form again, after being severely hurt by the end of book one, before it's too late to return human, that's mean only 5 days maximum.�
And don't forget the constant watchers...
This long journey in tight time is really rich, fast and have a great mixing between the World of Peculiar and our real world.
Like this old bonds between Peculiars and Gypsies since they're both outcasts, both suffer prejudices cause they're different. Both wanderers souls clinging to the margins of the world.
“It was hard to imagine anyone objecting to these kindly people. Then again, similar prejudices were among the reasons peculiars had withdrawn from society. Such was the way the sad world turned.�
I even started to feel the world of Peculiar, Mutant X, Witch and Wizards and muggles, The Diviners, all part of real world and all in all very well hidden. Unless you really open your eyes.
There's also these horrors of war, many hidden, symbolic references to the Nazi hate of less blood and Jews generally.
-The horrible wights experiments on Peculiars for example reminded me much of the Nazi scientific ones on people for the welfare of Aryan race only-
But the sad thing is, the Peculiardom is in grave danger here.. even for its animals.
� “Miss Wren meant this menagerie to be an ark, but gradually it’s become a tomb.� “Like all our loops,� said Enoch. “Like peculiardom itself. A failed experiment.� � ‘This place is dying,� Miss Wren often said.� Addison’s voice rose in imitation of her. � ‘And I am nothing but the overseer of its long funeral!� � Addison’s eyes glistened, remembering her, but just as quickly went hard again. “She was very theatrical.”�
And with all loops raided, our friends are in real danger, facing real threats and real decisions must be made. Specially Jacob..who has sold his normal life for one in real death threat.
“Despite everything, this peculiar life was what I’d always wanted. Strange, I thought, how you can be living your dreams and your nightmares at the very same time.�There's a real good development here about the characters and motivations.
So let's see;
** The Characters **
The really good thing in book two that it add more depth into Jacob’s character and his motivations.., remember his need to discovering the World?
Well, in this journey he will go into even Time Travel.
“I am a time traveler. This is real. I, Jacob Portman, am traveling in time.� This was astonishing enough. More astonishing, perhaps, was the fact that time travel hadn’t broken my brain; that by some miracle, I had not yet devolved into a gibbering crazy person ranting on a street corner. The human psyche was much more flexible than I’d imagined, capable of expanding to contain all sorts of contradictions and seeming impossibilities. Lucky for me.�
And of time, it has a very good way in dealing with it, to not be an extreme unbelievable fantasy, you know dealing with time is tricky -even J.K. Rowling felt the burden of creating the Time Turner-
� “They were of the past, and the past always mends itself, no matter how we interfere.� “Which is why you can’t go back and kill baby Hitler to stop the war from happening,� said Enoch. “History heals itself. Isn’t that interesting?”�
All the characters getting clear enough, We even get more into their past..and how they got here.
it's one of the best things here that we finally too close to the characters more than, I believe, book one.
Enoch, this sadistic racist jelous - yet part of the group-, is really has important role here.
Horace ; this elegant young man obsessed with style and tuxedos, he made a real fun comic relief in many points. As well as
Olive ; the eye wonder of the group, young sweet and funny, and her love of stories really helped.
Bronwyn ; the tough protector she's really good character. I loved how she called Jacob “brother� just before the sad events by the end of the book.
Millard ; his love to explore is almost as equal to Jacob.
“And maybe it was childish, this old urge to explore for exploring’s sake. There was romance in the unknown, but once a place had been discovered and cataloged and mapped, it was diminished, just another dusty fact in a book, sapped of mystery. So maybe it was better to leave a few spots on the map blank. To let the world keep a little of its magic, rather than forcing it to divulge every last secret. Maybe it was better, now and then, to wonder.�
And talking about Jacob and his wish to explore that ended him up in this world in first place.
It wasn't just this which made him stay.. it was love.
and his Love Interest, Emma.
I have to say I wasn't convinced by it much, the love theme here I felt was a bit off, or forced, or even a bit sad and unnatural.
BUT, this book is really made it right� made it real and convenient.
““Why are you pushing me away?� “Because you have a real home and a real family, and if you think any of us would’ve chosen this world over those things—wouldn’t have given up our loops and longevity and peculiar powers long ago for even a taste of what you have—then you really are living in a fantasy world. It makes me absolutely ill to think you might throw that all away—and for what?� “For you, you idiot! I love you!�.�
Thanks to Emma which her character this time is really way better than book one.
And you'll know why she, and Jacob too felt obliged to this journey to save Miss Peregrine.
The Brave, cunning bad ass Miss Peregrine. Who must be saved as soon as possible. and truly will be missed as her actual form "Eva Green was awesome in the role BTW"
Then came the ending...the thrilling creepy nightmare , weird dream, a sad decision and a very twisted turn of events.
Back to the atmosphere of book one.
And If I hated the long first 10% of this book, LOVED the rest of it, the last 10% of it is one of the most thrilling endings for a second good book of a sequel.
So if Book One was 3 stars for me -+ extra one for the design & idea- This one is easily 4.5 stars.
The author said in the Acknowledgment that book two took longer time than expected to release. I can clearly see that this patiently writing did magic..
with all this richness , even if it's like a bit other series, like this book of Peculiar stories was fun, reminded me heavily with Rowling's "The Tales of Beedle the Bard"
So now I can't wait for the final part of the “First Trilogy� of Mr. Ransom Riggs planned series of the Peculiardom.
Mohammed Arabey
from 20 October 2016
To 25 October 2016
October 4, 2023
These covers! Those photos! If ever a series was all about its world building and imagery, this is it!
Jacob has had no choice but to cast his lot with the Peculiar Children with their 'loop' realities under threat by the Corrupted, the Wights and the Harrowglast. Using more superbly spooky vintage photos and double downing on the world and time-travel reality building, the second book in this series cements this as the real deal, a quality, captivating and entertaining Young Adult read driven by a... vintage photos! On this second reading, the use of vintage photos to illustrate the cast and story gets a bit wooden, as it begins to feel like the photos themselves have shaped the story, which in turn is why the plotting, just like in the first book, is the main casualty. A fair 6 out of 12, Three Stars read, dropping a Star on this re-read.
2023 and 2019 read
Jacob has had no choice but to cast his lot with the Peculiar Children with their 'loop' realities under threat by the Corrupted, the Wights and the Harrowglast. Using more superbly spooky vintage photos and double downing on the world and time-travel reality building, the second book in this series cements this as the real deal, a quality, captivating and entertaining Young Adult read driven by a... vintage photos! On this second reading, the use of vintage photos to illustrate the cast and story gets a bit wooden, as it begins to feel like the photos themselves have shaped the story, which in turn is why the plotting, just like in the first book, is the main casualty. A fair 6 out of 12, Three Stars read, dropping a Star on this re-read.
2023 and 2019 read
February 13, 2018
I definitely enjoyed this book more than the first installment when I read it a two years ago. There were definitely slower moments that were rough to get through, but ultimately, I really enjoyed how the plot progressed in this novel and cannot wait to see how it ends!
March 11, 2018
4.5 Stars
Wow, what an amazing ending. I totally didn’t see that coming!
Something also interesting is that, until reading the author’s note, I had NO idea that Ransom Riggs and Tahereh Mafi (author of the Shatter Me series) were married. I’m sure I’m the last person to future this out...but crazy fun fact if you didn’t know.
But anyway, there is something about this series and this world that I just really love. I don’t get to the obsessed fan girl level with too many things, but this series has me buying POP Funkos, graphic novels, companion novels...le sigh.
Anyway. Can’t wait to see what the final book brings, although I’ll be sad to see it end. Hopefully it doesn’t wreck me.
Wow, what an amazing ending. I totally didn’t see that coming!
Something also interesting is that, until reading the author’s note, I had NO idea that Ransom Riggs and Tahereh Mafi (author of the Shatter Me series) were married. I’m sure I’m the last person to future this out...but crazy fun fact if you didn’t know.
But anyway, there is something about this series and this world that I just really love. I don’t get to the obsessed fan girl level with too many things, but this series has me buying POP Funkos, graphic novels, companion novels...le sigh.
Anyway. Can’t wait to see what the final book brings, although I’ll be sad to see it end. Hopefully it doesn’t wreck me.
January 23, 2014
3.5 stars.
Unfortunately, Hollow City is a case of Second Book Syndrome.
Extremely slow start, with many scenarios that I found just too far fetched. There has to be a suspension of belief when reading any work of fiction, especially fantasy. But it was too far a stretch for me to believe that the events could happen so easily. Not that the characters had an easy journey, but just too much felt contrived, as if Riggs had really struggled to weave his story around certain photographs. I kept getting a vibe that was reminiscent of A Series of Unfortunate Events. That isn't necessarily a bad series to be compared to, although that vibe felt considerably more childish than what I had come to expect from the previous Miss Peregrine novel.
While I loved the photos in the first book, I felt like they hindered the telling of this one, it wasn't as flawless this time. I would prefer fewer photos, or even none at all if it meant a better quality story. This isn't to say that the story isn't quality, because it is. I am a fan of this series and this author. But I think maybe he tried too much with this book. Hard to explain. It just wasn't an enjoyable read for me personally 75% of the time. I found myself wishing it would either pick up or end already.
However, I will say that the end threw me a twist and built up the action. It left off at a good place and makes me want the next book right away. This end section (I'm not sure how much of the book this includes, less than the last quarter) was probably worth 4 or 5 stars to me. But as exciting as it was, I still couldn't overlook the slow beginning.
Unfortunately, Hollow City is a case of Second Book Syndrome.
Extremely slow start, with many scenarios that I found just too far fetched. There has to be a suspension of belief when reading any work of fiction, especially fantasy. But it was too far a stretch for me to believe that the events could happen so easily. Not that the characters had an easy journey, but just too much felt contrived, as if Riggs had really struggled to weave his story around certain photographs. I kept getting a vibe that was reminiscent of A Series of Unfortunate Events. That isn't necessarily a bad series to be compared to, although that vibe felt considerably more childish than what I had come to expect from the previous Miss Peregrine novel.
While I loved the photos in the first book, I felt like they hindered the telling of this one, it wasn't as flawless this time. I would prefer fewer photos, or even none at all if it meant a better quality story. This isn't to say that the story isn't quality, because it is. I am a fan of this series and this author. But I think maybe he tried too much with this book. Hard to explain. It just wasn't an enjoyable read for me personally 75% of the time. I found myself wishing it would either pick up or end already.
However, I will say that the end threw me a twist and built up the action. It left off at a good place and makes me want the next book right away. This end section (I'm not sure how much of the book this includes, less than the last quarter) was probably worth 4 or 5 stars to me. But as exciting as it was, I still couldn't overlook the slow beginning.
March 8, 2018
If you have read my reviews before you know I am picky when it comes to bizarre, supernatural fantasy novels. I loved , but didn't care for . Well, so far, the bizarre magic and "peculiar" characters of of this series are on the positive side of things for me.
When I mention being picky on this type of book, there is just something that I am not sure I can describe with words that either makes the book super awesome or totally disappointing. It's a fine line between creative and silly. If the bizarreness doesn't feel natural, it doesn't hold my interest. With the Miss Perigrine series, it is way weird, but I dig it! Riggs knows how to write the unbelievable in a way that I like.
Also, I love the incorporation of the old time, sepia tone photographs. In the afterwards, Riggs mentions that they are actual photos (some of which are slightly modified). It is a cool idea to take an unusual photo and add a backstory too it. Sounds like it would be a fun way to do creative writing story prompts.
Finally, the ending made me want more - I wasn't ready for it to end! Glad there is another book for me to keep the fantasy going!
When I mention being picky on this type of book, there is just something that I am not sure I can describe with words that either makes the book super awesome or totally disappointing. It's a fine line between creative and silly. If the bizarreness doesn't feel natural, it doesn't hold my interest. With the Miss Perigrine series, it is way weird, but I dig it! Riggs knows how to write the unbelievable in a way that I like.
Also, I love the incorporation of the old time, sepia tone photographs. In the afterwards, Riggs mentions that they are actual photos (some of which are slightly modified). It is a cool idea to take an unusual photo and add a backstory too it. Sounds like it would be a fun way to do creative writing story prompts.
Finally, the ending made me want more - I wasn't ready for it to end! Glad there is another book for me to keep the fantasy going!
March 10, 2023
“Strange, I thought, how you can be living your dreams and your nightmares at the very same time.�
The peculiar children in Ransom Riggs' Hollow City (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, #2) are on the run! Danger at every turn! Until finally...okay, there's a twist thrown in. While Riggs' Hollow City is a well-written sequel in which we learn more about the nature of the peculiars (and their enemies), overall, I wasn't as wowed or intrigued. To me, it felt like the filler of a 3-book series. Still, I'm intrigued enough to go forth and read the next installment, Library of Souls. 3.5 stars
The peculiar children in Ransom Riggs' Hollow City (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, #2) are on the run! Danger at every turn! Until finally...okay, there's a twist thrown in. While Riggs' Hollow City is a well-written sequel in which we learn more about the nature of the peculiars (and their enemies), overall, I wasn't as wowed or intrigued. To me, it felt like the filler of a 3-book series. Still, I'm intrigued enough to go forth and read the next installment, Library of Souls. 3.5 stars
August 1, 2015
I think I liked this one a little better than the first.. SO excited for book three!
July 3, 2021
4.25
I really enjoyed this book, I think the first one is slightly better although the plot is good, I felt it like "too much" with this is I was more than halfway through and I already wanted it to happen like this is getting too long but still was really good and it has those fantastic vibes of the first book
I think it's 4 books but! I'll give it the .25 because of Emma OMG! EMMA! I absolutely love her she's really really good! Plus, that finale when she tells all those things to him OMG! I was stfu that's amazing!
If Ransom writes a book about romance I would totally read it
I really enjoyed this book, I think the first one is slightly better although the plot is good, I felt it like "too much" with this is I was more than halfway through and I already wanted it to happen like this is getting too long but still was really good and it has those fantastic vibes of the first book
I think it's 4 books but! I'll give it the .25 because of Emma OMG! EMMA! I absolutely love her she's really really good! Plus, that finale when she tells all those things to him OMG! I was stfu that's amazing!
If Ransom writes a book about romance I would totally read it
December 19, 2016
Did not finish at 67%
People who know me, know so well that I'd rather cry out of boredom while reading a book than actually give up on it. My DNF shelf has only two books and this is the third.
I know it's unfair to rate an unfinished book, but it's also unfair that this book is that bad.
I don't regret this decision, not one bit! This is the first book in my reading history to have me struggling with even opening the cover, I've struggled since page one and then I thought that no I wouldn't be the kind of a reader who gives up on books just because they couldn't get into them, we all know that books sometimes get to be boring but then pick its pace while you read on. This right here wasn't just boring, it was childish, trivial and very very VERY overhyped that I'm starting to doubt my mentality -maybe I'm not just aspie- maybe I'm just incapable of coping with the hype?
Maybe it's me and not the book?
Maybe I should've read between the lines?
Maybe I should start liking dogs who smoke pipes and wore green glasses?
Or maybe I should start befriending humans who growl and park?
Maybe I should like books with no plot? Or even ridiculous ones?
Or Maybe I should invest my time trying to like books with creepy pictures that are just being shoved into my face?
Maybe it's okay to think that a character can be that shallow and underdeveloped?
Maybe I should secretly fangirl over a granny who loves her ex's grandson?
Maybe I should waste my time reading something that is just absolutely nonexistent?
Real reasons why I hated this book
- I don't know why but I felt like the whole idea of Hollow City was only written because Ransom Riggs found some photos of animals who areguess what?peculiar and thought yes, there's also peculiar animals which was okay we haven't heard of that before but yeah whatever.
-The characters, I don't know when was Ransom Riggs planning to actually put some effort on those kids? Like shading them or whatever? They still feel so shallow and not there, at some point I almost forgot who Bronwyn and Horace were. It's like he flatlayed them over a stereotypical category of bad character-driven books;
The bad boy: Enoch
The mysterious boy: Horace
The funny boy: Millard
The stupid, good for nothing boy: Jacob (also runs by the name Bella Swan)
The mother hen girl: Bronwyn
The naive girl: Olive
The angry girl: Emma (also runs by the name Exclamation-Mark-Queen)
The one who isn't that important but he was essential because the photo said so: Hugh
-The plot, or was there any?
-This time the photos really felt forced and uncomfortable, I felt embarrassed for the author, how strange that was, the plot was being shoved at me by photos that actually were messy, unnecessary and awful!
-How many peculiars are there on Earth? weren't they supposed to be, like hidden? They met one seriously every step they took.
-The romance, or was there any?
I wanted to love this series because it seemed like an amazing one, it was so hyped and I was so excited but then BAM disappointment overwhelmed me. I apologize for my cash but I'm not continuing this series. At least not any time soon.
People who know me, know so well that I'd rather cry out of boredom while reading a book than actually give up on it. My DNF shelf has only two books and this is the third.
I know it's unfair to rate an unfinished book, but it's also unfair that this book is that bad.
I don't regret this decision, not one bit! This is the first book in my reading history to have me struggling with even opening the cover, I've struggled since page one and then I thought that no I wouldn't be the kind of a reader who gives up on books just because they couldn't get into them, we all know that books sometimes get to be boring but then pick its pace while you read on. This right here wasn't just boring, it was childish, trivial and very very VERY overhyped that I'm starting to doubt my mentality -maybe I'm not just aspie- maybe I'm just incapable of coping with the hype?
Maybe it's me and not the book?
Maybe I should've read between the lines?
Maybe I should start liking dogs who smoke pipes and wore green glasses?
Or maybe I should start befriending humans who growl and park?
Maybe I should like books with no plot? Or even ridiculous ones?
Or Maybe I should invest my time trying to like books with creepy pictures that are just being shoved into my face?
Maybe it's okay to think that a character can be that shallow and underdeveloped?
Maybe I should secretly fangirl over a granny who loves her ex's grandson?
Maybe I should waste my time reading something that is just absolutely nonexistent?
Real reasons why I hated this book
- I don't know why but I felt like the whole idea of Hollow City was only written because Ransom Riggs found some photos of animals who are
-The characters, I don't know when was Ransom Riggs planning to actually put some effort on those kids? Like shading them or whatever? They still feel so shallow and not there, at some point I almost forgot who Bronwyn and Horace were. It's like he flatlayed them over a stereotypical category of bad character-driven books;
The bad boy: Enoch
The mysterious boy: Horace
The funny boy: Millard
The stupid, good for nothing boy: Jacob (also runs by the name Bella Swan)
The mother hen girl: Bronwyn
The naive girl: Olive
The angry girl: Emma (also runs by the name Exclamation-Mark-Queen)
The one who isn't that important but he was essential because the photo said so: Hugh
-The plot, or was there any?
-This time the photos really felt forced and uncomfortable, I felt embarrassed for the author, how strange that was, the plot was being shoved at me by photos that actually were messy, unnecessary and awful!
-How many peculiars are there on Earth? weren't they supposed to be, like hidden? They met one seriously every step they took.
-The romance, or was there any?
I wanted to love this series because it seemed like an amazing one, it was so hyped and I was so excited but then BAM disappointment overwhelmed me. I apologize for my cash but I'm not continuing this series. At least not any time soon.
August 21, 2015
That ending has killed me... Well and truly killed me...
But anyway, this book is utterly brilliant!!
I absolutely adored Miss Peregrine's home for peculiar children and had pretty high hopes for this book. All I can say is that this book was better than I could've ever hoped and may well be the best sequel I have read in my life!!
The characters in this book are all so incredibly unique and precious! They're written so well and the dialogue/relationships they have with one another all feel so real. Every single one of these peculiar children has a special place in my heart, and always will.
This plot was amazing, there really wasn't a dull moment! The pacing of the book worked really well and everything within the plot was so intricately planned out that the story all fit together perfectly and made an excellent, gripping and entertaining read!
I honestly could not put this book down and I'm incredibly excited/scared for the next book! It comes out in September so not long to wait now but I really don't know how I will survive waiting!!!!
But anyway, this book is utterly brilliant!!
I absolutely adored Miss Peregrine's home for peculiar children and had pretty high hopes for this book. All I can say is that this book was better than I could've ever hoped and may well be the best sequel I have read in my life!!
The characters in this book are all so incredibly unique and precious! They're written so well and the dialogue/relationships they have with one another all feel so real. Every single one of these peculiar children has a special place in my heart, and always will.
This plot was amazing, there really wasn't a dull moment! The pacing of the book worked really well and everything within the plot was so intricately planned out that the story all fit together perfectly and made an excellent, gripping and entertaining read!
I honestly could not put this book down and I'm incredibly excited/scared for the next book! It comes out in September so not long to wait now but I really don't know how I will survive waiting!!!!
March 8, 2016
“What I believe is that when it comes to big things in life, there are no accidents. Everything happens for a reason. You are here for a reason -- and it's not to fail and die.�
Hollow City is DARKER and CREEPIER than book one. I was really glad to finally see what's going on with children at the beginning of this book. The world of this book is madness, it's not something joyful for someone. Emma becomes a lead character in Hollow City, and her courage makes this book turn out to be the unputdownable one.
I liked eveything in this book, even if it's not excited as the first one, but it gave me the creepy vibe all the time. Hollow City is a nightmare, I could't sleep when I finished this one. It's a contingency reading, you will NOT know what will happen next until it blows in you face. Ransom Riggs twisted his story to the point that I couldn't catch up anymore, but it's a good thing because that was totally a fascination.
“A song and a smile from someone I cared about could be enough to distract me from all that darkness, if only for a little while.�
Hollow City broke my soul and clenched my heart tightly. Every character in this book mirrors something more than how good they are, they have their souls to speak for whatever they want to do. However, this book is deep. It's more than a YA novel for me, it taught me to be a strong person and told me about how to fight this cruel world.
Highly recommended !
***
เนื้อเรื่องเล่มนี้สนุกมา� แต่บรรยากาศในเรื่องจะไม่มีความลึกลับเหมือนกับเล่มที่แล้ว ในแง่ของการผจญภัยถือว่าเข้มขึ้นและสนุกกว่ามา� โดยเรื่องราวจะเกิดขึ้นกลางกรุงลอนดอนที่ตกอยู่ภายใต้สงคราม จึงมั่นใจได้เลยว่ากลิ่นอายลอนดอนป� 1940 ต้องมาแน่ๆ รวมไปถึงการเดินทางข้ามลูปเวล� และการแก้ปริศนาของเหล่าเด็กประหลาด แรนซัม ริกส์ฝีมือเฉียบคม เขาสามารถเขียนภาคต่อโดยที่ยังรักษาคาแรคเตอร์ของทุกตัวละครเอาไว้ได้อย่างหมดจด เขาไม่ได้ยั� tragedy ให้แก่ตัวละครและทำให้พวกเขาสูญเสียความบริสุทธิ์ไป กลายเป็นตัวละครที่ดาร์คขึ้นและนิสัยเปลี่ยนไปเหมือนกับที่นิยาย YA ส่วนมากชอบทำ แต่เขาใช้เหตุการณ์ต่างๆในหนังสือเคี่ยวกรำให้สภาวะทางจิตใจของตัวละครค่อยๆเติบโตขึ้นโดยที่คนอ่านไม่รู้ตัว จนสุดท้ายแล้� ... เด็กๆที่เคยถูกปกป้องอยู่ใต้ปีกแม่นก ก็กลายเป็นเด็กที่สามารถยืนหยัดต่อสู้บนลำแข้งของตัวเองได้อย่างไม่น่าเชื่อ
อีกสิ่งหนึ่งที่เราชอบมากเลยก็คื� ... สารที่ริกส์พยายามจะสื่อกับคนอ่านผ่านทางเนื้อเรื่องของเหล่าเด็กกำพร้าที่ต้องต่อสู้กับชะตาชีวิตตัวเอง โดยเฉพาะตอนที่มิลลาร์ดคุยกับพ่อเด็กยิปซีที่เป็นเหมือนเขา เรารู้สึกว่ามันลึกซึ้งมาก� ประโยคสั้นๆตรงนั้นถือว่าสะกิดใจเราไปเต็มๆ แต่จะมีคาแรคเตอร์หนึ่งที่เรารำคาญมาก� ก็คื� ... อีน็อค คือเขาเป็นเด็กผู้ชายที่แบบชอบแย้ง ชอบขัดขาเพื่อ� แต่เวลาคับขันก็สามารถหันไปพึ่งได� คำพูดของเขาบางครั้งเราก็รู้สึกร้ายกาจเกินไ� แต่ก� ... ถ้าเด็กส่วนมากในเรื่องนี้ถูกเรียกว่� optimistic อีน็อคก็คงจะเป็นตัวแทนของ pessimistic อย่างแน่นอ� ถือว่าเป็นความบาลานซ์ในหนังสือนิยายเล่มหนึ่งที่ค่อนข้างสมบูรณ์แบบอยู่เหมือนกัน
มีประเด็นที่เราชอบมากมา� ถ้าเอามารีวิวหมดคงยาวเหยีย� อย่างการสอดแทกจริยธรรมความเป็นมนุษย์ที่ถูกหล่อหลอมขึ้นมาภายใต้สภาวะอันกดดันของสถาบันครอบครัวรวมไปถึงสิ่งที่เลวร้ายที่สุดอย่างสงครา� ริกส์ก็สามารถทำมันออกมาได้ดี ละเอียดอ่อน ทำให้เนื้อเรื่อ� sensible อย่างแยบยล ขึ้นอยู่กับผู้อ่านจะสังเกตเห็นประเด็นเหล่านี้ได้เองในท้ายที่สุดหรือไม�
บวกลบคูณหารก็ชอบพอๆกับเล่มที่แล้วนะ ถึงแม้ว่าเนื้อเรื่องจะคนละแบบ แล� Hollow City ต้องบอกว่าเนื้อเรื่องมันลึกกว่ามาก� ถ้าอ่านแล้วไม่สังเกตให้ดีจะรู้สึกว่ามันเป็นนิยาย YA ผจญภัยแฟนตาซีธรรมดาๆเล่มหนึ่ง แต่ถ้ามองให้ลึกกว่านั้� ... ทุกบทสนทนาของตัวละครสามารถสะท้อนเสียดสีความเป็นจริงในยุคปัจจุบันได้อย่างตรงจุดจริง�
December 10, 2020
Do you ever find yourself climbing into an open grave during a bombing raid..and wish you'd just stayed in bed?
If only you knew how often I've run into that exact situation...
The peculiar children are in the midst of escape. Their ymbryne is irreparably injured, the wights are right behind him and hollowgasts are ahead. And as with so many YA books, they have to save the world (at least there isn't a love triangle).
The peculiars stumble upon a time loop leading to somewhere extremely peculiar. (Note: Nice tie-in to the - good, subtle plug). Adding in creature-peculiars threw me off (it could have been the awful voice given to the emu-raffe in the audiobook) or the sheer craziness of adding in a whole new dimension (via animals) to an already extremely stretched book.
As before, this one is littered with vintage photos depicting the characters. This is a bit of a conundrum because while I love a book with pictures, it sometimes felt like Riggs stretched the story to include all of the images he wanted. Riggs: Oh Em Gee. Is that a dog with a pipe? No freaking way, this is totally going in the book.
Once again, I love and appreciate that Jacob is a bit of a wimp while Emma is this feisty strong gal. I've hardly read any books with the male lead being consistently shown up by the girl he likes (without adding in jealousy or mean-spirited envy).
Fun book - looking forward to the third!
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November 16, 2016
*4.5 HOLLOW STARS*
"Strange, I thought, how you can be living your dreams and your nightmares at the very same time.�
I only picked this one up because I recently ended up watching the movie adaption of Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children and that kind of got me back in the mood to continue this series.
But I gotta say, I enjoyed this one so much more than the first book! I'm really glad I decided to continue this trilogy, I can only imagine how crazy the last book is going to get!
It's not that I necessarily disliked the first one, I actually ended up rating it 4 stars apparently, but I just expected something more I guess... And this one did the trick! The story was overall a lot better and more captivating, whereas the first one kind of dragged on and wasn't as interesting to read. I also noticed a lot of improvement in Ransom Riggs' writing style and way of telling things. (Or that could also be just me being way more into this book than the previous one lol)
Our group of peculiars also had a bigger role in this book and got a lot more depth, whereas I felt like in the first book, most of those characters were being kept pretty shallow and they concentrated more on Jacob, who's one of my least favorite characters to be completely honest.
Full review coming soon!
"Strange, I thought, how you can be living your dreams and your nightmares at the very same time.�
I only picked this one up because I recently ended up watching the movie adaption of Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children and that kind of got me back in the mood to continue this series.
But I gotta say, I enjoyed this one so much more than the first book! I'm really glad I decided to continue this trilogy, I can only imagine how crazy the last book is going to get!
It's not that I necessarily disliked the first one, I actually ended up rating it 4 stars apparently, but I just expected something more I guess... And this one did the trick! The story was overall a lot better and more captivating, whereas the first one kind of dragged on and wasn't as interesting to read. I also noticed a lot of improvement in Ransom Riggs' writing style and way of telling things. (Or that could also be just me being way more into this book than the previous one lol)
Our group of peculiars also had a bigger role in this book and got a lot more depth, whereas I felt like in the first book, most of those characters were being kept pretty shallow and they concentrated more on Jacob, who's one of my least favorite characters to be completely honest.
Full review coming soon!
January 22, 2014
That ending: WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?
June 26, 2022
I waited a long time after finishing Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children before picking up this sequel. I was worried I’d have forgotten a lot.
But thankfully it all came rushing back once I’d dived in.
Warning spoilers below for book 1!!!!!!!!!!
So Jacob and the other peculiar children have fled their island home with Miss Peregrine trapped in her bird form. They need to find someone who is able to help her.
Their journey leads them into wartime London, a strange cave full of even stranger animals all the while constantly on the look out for whights and hollows who are out to get them.
An enjoyable journey story with a gripping ending which made me super keen to pick up book 3 asap!
But thankfully it all came rushing back once I’d dived in.
Warning spoilers below for book 1!!!!!!!!!!
So Jacob and the other peculiar children have fled their island home with Miss Peregrine trapped in her bird form. They need to find someone who is able to help her.
Their journey leads them into wartime London, a strange cave full of even stranger animals all the while constantly on the look out for whights and hollows who are out to get them.
An enjoyable journey story with a gripping ending which made me super keen to pick up book 3 asap!
April 5, 2020
I absolutely freaking adored this book! It’s my second time reading it and it was even better this time around. The story is even more gripping than in the first book and as I got to know more about the world of peculiars, I couldn't help but fall even more in love. This book is jam packed with action and is absolutely nerve wracking from start to finish. I loved getting to know my favourite characters more as well as being introduced to new ones which I can't wait to learn more about in the next book. I also really enjoyed the bits of the Tales of the Peculiar. They added an extra element to the story that I loved. And once again the photos were stellar and really made me feel like I was living the story along with the characters.
November 16, 2015
I love this series. The peculiar children in these novels are so fascinating. This story had me hooked just like the first book did. There were parts I wasn't crazy about but it was still good and the pictures were good, too. Looking forward to the next in the series!!
April 8, 2021
Second book in the Miss Peregrine's series takes no time beginning where the last left off so i won't waste time starting this review!
Miss Peregrine is trapped in bird form and her peculiar children need help to get her turned back into her human form. To that goal they track down Mrs. Wren across war torn London coming across many other peculiar children. The vintage photos add believability and context. the kids themselves are about the same as in the first book. Jacob is still a underwhelming character to me. The ending was very good. Like the first book pace starts out slowly then accelerate to the shocking ending!
This series is keeping my interest. and has surprised me here and there. I'm enjoying it. On to the next!
Miss Peregrine is trapped in bird form and her peculiar children need help to get her turned back into her human form. To that goal they track down Mrs. Wren across war torn London coming across many other peculiar children. The vintage photos add believability and context. the kids themselves are about the same as in the first book. Jacob is still a underwhelming character to me. The ending was very good. Like the first book pace starts out slowly then accelerate to the shocking ending!
This series is keeping my interest. and has surprised me here and there. I'm enjoying it. On to the next!
August 24, 2022
I enjoyed this in the end! It wasn't amazing, but Hollow City was a nice atmospheric read that kept me entertained.
“Strange, I thought, how you can be living your dreams and your nightmares at the very same time.�
Hollow City takes place immediately after the ending of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children- only a few hours at most, actually. I won't talk about the premise so that I don't spoil #1, but the beginning is definitely exciting and a LOT faster than Miss Peregrine's. The stakes are higher from Page 1, and it definitely feels a lot more fast-paced in this sequel.
“Just because they knew it was lost didn’t mean they knew how to let it go.�
Starting with the characters. I think the characters are one of the weakest parts of this series, because they are so BLAND. They should be interesting since they're 'peculiar children' and all, but instead they come across as personality-less cardboard cut-outs. Jacob, the protagonist, was incredibly dull and the romance between him and Emma even duller. This definitely isn't very strong character-wise, so I'd avoid this if you're a character-driven reader.
“Do you ever find yourself climbing into an open grave during a bombing raid..and wish you'd just stayed in bed?� (Haha totally, Jacob 😉)
Moving onto the writing. Ransom Riggs' writing isn't particularly descriptive or pretty, but it's easy enough to read and definitely sets the atmosphere well. It has this atmospheric, creepy quality that definitely makes the story more interesting. I think it worked well for this story, with the creepy vibes and historical style. I liked it overall! 🙂👍
“A song and a smile from someone I cared about could be enough to distract me from all that darkness, if only for a little while.�
Lastly, the plot. The plot was one of my favourite parts of the book! It was a lot more fast-paced than Miss Peregrine's, but slow enough that it didn't feel like it was going too slowly. I liked how there was more action in this one, as it definitely upped the stakes. And that twist in the last 50 pages- OH MY GOSH!! 🤭🤭😳😳 I totally didn't see that coming. From a person who has a deep appreciation for surprising twists, I definitely think that this was a good one 😌😌
I also liked the inclusion of the vintage photographs, as they added a whole other dimension to the story. They are very weird, but so is the book so I think it fits.
“We aren’t so different. Outcasts and wanderers all—souls clinging to the margins of the world.�
Overall, Hollow City was definitely a unique and interesting read! If you want a mildly creepy story that has the feel of horror without being horribly scary/bloody, then this series is for you! That ending definitely has me interested in continuing the series at some point, so I hope I'll be able to do that soon. I can definitely see Book #3 being really good... 😏😏
~ 3.5 stars
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I enjoyed this!! 🙂👍Probably around 3.5 � in the end. RTC!
“Strange, I thought, how you can be living your dreams and your nightmares at the very same time.�
Hollow City takes place immediately after the ending of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children- only a few hours at most, actually. I won't talk about the premise so that I don't spoil #1, but the beginning is definitely exciting and a LOT faster than Miss Peregrine's. The stakes are higher from Page 1, and it definitely feels a lot more fast-paced in this sequel.
“Just because they knew it was lost didn’t mean they knew how to let it go.�
Starting with the characters. I think the characters are one of the weakest parts of this series, because they are so BLAND. They should be interesting since they're 'peculiar children' and all, but instead they come across as personality-less cardboard cut-outs. Jacob, the protagonist, was incredibly dull and the romance between him and Emma even duller. This definitely isn't very strong character-wise, so I'd avoid this if you're a character-driven reader.
“Do you ever find yourself climbing into an open grave during a bombing raid..and wish you'd just stayed in bed?� (Haha totally, Jacob 😉)
Moving onto the writing. Ransom Riggs' writing isn't particularly descriptive or pretty, but it's easy enough to read and definitely sets the atmosphere well. It has this atmospheric, creepy quality that definitely makes the story more interesting. I think it worked well for this story, with the creepy vibes and historical style. I liked it overall! 🙂👍
“A song and a smile from someone I cared about could be enough to distract me from all that darkness, if only for a little while.�
Lastly, the plot. The plot was one of my favourite parts of the book! It was a lot more fast-paced than Miss Peregrine's, but slow enough that it didn't feel like it was going too slowly. I liked how there was more action in this one, as it definitely upped the stakes. And that twist in the last 50 pages- OH MY GOSH!! 🤭🤭😳😳 I totally didn't see that coming. From a person who has a deep appreciation for surprising twists, I definitely think that this was a good one 😌😌
I also liked the inclusion of the vintage photographs, as they added a whole other dimension to the story. They are very weird, but so is the book so I think it fits.
“We aren’t so different. Outcasts and wanderers all—souls clinging to the margins of the world.�
Overall, Hollow City was definitely a unique and interesting read! If you want a mildly creepy story that has the feel of horror without being horribly scary/bloody, then this series is for you! That ending definitely has me interested in continuing the series at some point, so I hope I'll be able to do that soon. I can definitely see Book #3 being really good... 😏😏
~ 3.5 stars
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I enjoyed this!! 🙂👍Probably around 3.5 � in the end. RTC!
March 17, 2016
I won Hollow City as part of ŷ First Reads giveaway. Can we say BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVARR? The waiting thing is destroying me though and I may just sit at the mailbox until I get it.
REVIEW: Jacob and the Peculiar Children we've grown to know and love are back. Their adventure opens immediately after the close of the first novel, and as they set out to save Miss Peregrine, new danger and excitement awaits them. Jacob struggles with his newfound abilities, and the pressure of leaving his family behind, and his romance with Emma.
Hollow City did not disappoint. In fact, I liked it MORE than the first book in the series. We get to know a lot more about the Peculiardom as well as the individual characters (-SPOILER -however fans of Claire and my personal favorite Fiona may be disappointed as they are missing from the majority of the novel).
Ransom Riggs is a master of detail and atmosphere - every sentence is perfectly crafted to bring the book to life, with a perfect blend of action, humor, horror, and even romance so that every reader truly has something to gain from opening this book. I DEVOURED the book faster than a starving hollow would devour a child (ha!), even when I was forced to put it down (damn you, college!) my heart longed to be back in the story.
Dear Mr. Riggs: Please make the Tales of the Peculiar into a book, like Rowling did with The Tales of Beedle the Bard!
I absolutely cannot wait for the third installment, and hopefully Ransom Riggs will get a movie deal out of these books because the would play out brilliantly on-screen.
Why are you still reading this? Go - buy book now, do the reading thing!
REVIEW: Jacob and the Peculiar Children we've grown to know and love are back. Their adventure opens immediately after the close of the first novel, and as they set out to save Miss Peregrine, new danger and excitement awaits them. Jacob struggles with his newfound abilities, and the pressure of leaving his family behind, and his romance with Emma.
Hollow City did not disappoint. In fact, I liked it MORE than the first book in the series. We get to know a lot more about the Peculiardom as well as the individual characters (-SPOILER -however fans of Claire and my personal favorite Fiona may be disappointed as they are missing from the majority of the novel).
Ransom Riggs is a master of detail and atmosphere - every sentence is perfectly crafted to bring the book to life, with a perfect blend of action, humor, horror, and even romance so that every reader truly has something to gain from opening this book. I DEVOURED the book faster than a starving hollow would devour a child (ha!), even when I was forced to put it down (damn you, college!) my heart longed to be back in the story.
Dear Mr. Riggs: Please make the Tales of the Peculiar into a book, like Rowling did with The Tales of Beedle the Bard!
I absolutely cannot wait for the third installment, and hopefully Ransom Riggs will get a movie deal out of these books because the would play out brilliantly on-screen.
Why are you still reading this? Go - buy book now, do the reading thing!
January 19, 2015
Oh that ending though.
Overall an amazing addition to a wonderful series. Can't wait for the next one!!
Overall an amazing addition to a wonderful series. Can't wait for the next one!!
January 18, 2015
What a disappointment..
I had so many expectations about this one but it only let me down.. I had loved the first book in the series, & I wanted so much to love this one too but unfortunately the only good thing about this book was the photos, which like in the first book, they blew me away by how real and authentic they look.
This one lacked the magic the first book had, it was kind of idiotic and the author tried to take an even darker turn to the events but failed dramatically in doing so. The first book was dark and funny at times but still managed to retain a bit of its drama, something that this book didn't even get close enough to. This was morbid for sure, and while most of you may call this realism, I'll call it "failure at making a sequel".
I'd rather it if this had never come out and the story would have just ended in the first book. At least, the first one left me with a sense of awe at its ending.
The characters didn't have the least bit of development, which was a HUGE MISTAKE. These characters, who are so amazingly written, they deserved something better other than the same thing over and over again. The romance between Jacob and Emma failed to captivate me like I thought it would and while I thought they were cute in the first book, I don't like them together at all in this one.
The plot was very poor, I mean the entire book was running around trying to get to someone and it all ended within 10 pages.
It doesn't even deserve its 2 stars but let's just go with it because the photos are still part of the book, and I loved them dearly.
I had so many expectations about this one but it only let me down.. I had loved the first book in the series, & I wanted so much to love this one too but unfortunately the only good thing about this book was the photos, which like in the first book, they blew me away by how real and authentic they look.
This one lacked the magic the first book had, it was kind of idiotic and the author tried to take an even darker turn to the events but failed dramatically in doing so. The first book was dark and funny at times but still managed to retain a bit of its drama, something that this book didn't even get close enough to. This was morbid for sure, and while most of you may call this realism, I'll call it "failure at making a sequel".
I'd rather it if this had never come out and the story would have just ended in the first book. At least, the first one left me with a sense of awe at its ending.
The characters didn't have the least bit of development, which was a HUGE MISTAKE. These characters, who are so amazingly written, they deserved something better other than the same thing over and over again. The romance between Jacob and Emma failed to captivate me like I thought it would and while I thought they were cute in the first book, I don't like them together at all in this one.
The plot was very poor, I mean the entire book was running around trying to get to someone and it all ended within 10 pages.
It doesn't even deserve its 2 stars but let's just go with it because the photos are still part of the book, and I loved them dearly.
October 20, 2015
Çeviri bitti!
inanılmazdı! Birinci kitap bitince nasıl "Çabuk bana ikinci kitabı verin!" diye bağırdıysam ikinci kitabın sonunda da aynı şeyi hissettim. "Yok artık, o kadar da olamaz," diyerek okuduğum çok fazla yer oldu. Bir kere daha çeviriyi bırakıp kitabı okumamak için kendimi zor tuttum. Şahsen, ikinci kitabı birincisinden daha çok beğendiğimi de itiraf etmeliyim. Eğer Bayan Peregrine'in Tuhaf Çocuklarını sevdiyseniz Hollow City'yi daha çok seveceksiniz.
Kitabı kestiği yerden ötürü Ransom Riggs'i pataklamak isteyenler için de bir grup kuracağım:) Library of Souls'u boş boş beklemeyelim, değil mi?
Tatlı okumalar!
inanılmazdı! Birinci kitap bitince nasıl "Çabuk bana ikinci kitabı verin!" diye bağırdıysam ikinci kitabın sonunda da aynı şeyi hissettim. "Yok artık, o kadar da olamaz," diyerek okuduğum çok fazla yer oldu. Bir kere daha çeviriyi bırakıp kitabı okumamak için kendimi zor tuttum. Şahsen, ikinci kitabı birincisinden daha çok beğendiğimi de itiraf etmeliyim. Eğer Bayan Peregrine'in Tuhaf Çocuklarını sevdiyseniz Hollow City'yi daha çok seveceksiniz.
Kitabı kestiği yerden ötürü Ransom Riggs'i pataklamak isteyenler için de bir grup kuracağım:) Library of Souls'u boş boş beklemeyelim, değil mi?
Tatlı okumalar!
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