Ransom Riggs has acquired a special place in the world of young adult and fantasy writing. Marginally different from Harry Potter and Hobbit, his series, Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children is a series that every fantasy reader loves. This book is a journey of a boy who came to realize that his life is more extraordinary than he ever thought it would be. The series has everything from time travel to magic, only here it’s known as peculiarity.
I entered the movie room crossing my fingers ‘let the movie not spoil the series for me’, but I was pleasantly surprised by how different it was from the book still so magnificent.
The book
The book is everything a fantasy reader wants. Young adult protagonist going strong through the pages, self realization, and time travel. The book is 352 pages of trill and magic. If nothing else, the photographs make the story all the more lively. It’s definitely one of the best books I have read off-late.
The movie
The movie is quite different from the book. Those who look for the story from the book in the movie are going to be disappointed. So better let go and enjoy the movie. The Cairholm island is as beautiful as it was described in the book. That’s a relief for those who were disappointed to find out that it’s a fictional place. The movie brings the place to life. The scenes in the ship are completely breath-taking. The characterization is stunning, but Miss Peregrines (Eva Green) takes the cake away. I loved the scene before the capture, where she still commands like a Queen knowing her authority, almost making the hollow stutter and stammer. It was funny. Also, it clears the image of Miss Peregrines being a powerless bird. She may be getting captured but she is not weak.
Jacob (Asa Butterfield) has been continuously running from the reality but it catches up to him. Different from the book, it felt quite natural. You are not going to be calm and composed when you realize you can see monsters and start slaying them immediately, would you?
Just having read the first book in the series maybe the ending killed the sequel (just maybe). But I will keep you posted while I read on.
Overall
I enjoyed every minute of the movie as much as I enjoyed every page of the book. The book is beautiful and movie -stunning. So go ahead and let your guards down & watch the movie. It is not going to disappoint you.