Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs

Ransom Riggs is an excellent writer. Such that I was surprised to find this book classified as YA. But hey, I read & loved the Harry Potter series (in my 40s at the time). 

This science fiction book includes bits of history. Specifically, WW2 and the Holocaust. Not much; just enough to set a context of humankind's ability to be soullessly cruel in order to advance an agenda of power.

We meet Jakob, the narrator, whose Grandpa Portman tells tales of having grown up with kids who could levitate, one invisible, one who can lift tons-heavy boulders, etc.  When small, Jakob believes the stories, but comes to believe these are tall tales. Then, something happens and Jakob's grandpa gives him a cryptic message: "Find the bird. In the loop. On the other side of the old man's grave. September third, 1940." -- In that cryptic message lies the jist of this entire book. 

Riggs uses black & white photos to illustrate various characters and storylines, which adds to the enjoyment of this book. A tip for anyone reading the audiobook: Secure a copy of the hardcover from the library to view the pix!  Riggs tells us that the photos are vintage, found by various people who dug thru pix piles at flea markets and antique stores -- only a few with modifications, he says.  V.e.r.y  I.n.t.e.r.e.s.t.ing! 

This book has a ton of action in the last half. So much that I kept wondering how things would be wrapped up. Well, they weren't. Instead, it's the kind of ending where you must fill in the gaps. I haven't decided whether I'll read the whole series (6 books). For me, I'm okay with filling in the blanks.  

My favorite quote: "I used to dream about escaping my ordinary life, but my life was never ordinary. I had simply failed to notice how extraordinary it was."

This book is 348 pages, with about 30 of those pages containing photos. And full pages devoted to starting the next chapters (11 chapters = 11 mostly blank pages with just "Chapter Two, Three, etc"). Thus, the length, for me, is just right. I'm extraordinarily tired of books with needless filler -- so common these days due to publishers wanting books with higher word count in order to garner a higher price point. Published in 2011, just before Amazon perverted the book world (underselling publishers & allowing Just Q. Anyone to publish goobledegook) -- I recommend this book for sci-fi aficionados -- perhaps especially Potter fans. 

Riggs's series consists of 6 books about Miss Peregrine and the Peculiars: (1) this one. (2) Hollow City. (3) Library of Souls. (4) A Map of Days. (5) The Conference of the Birds. (6) The Desolations of Devil's Acre.