Book Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Author: Ransom Riggs
Genre: Fiction, Young Adult, Fantasy, Mystery
Rating: 3/5
Verdict: A novel that starts out interesting and bizarre, but a tad too long and disappointing when it ends!

Synopsis:
A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of curious photographs.
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 abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the 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.

This is my second YA novel in a row. I found the start to be quite intriguing and creepy/bizarre exactly how it was supposed to be. I really loved the plot - that there are special species in the human race, the "peculiars" who have strange abilities including time travel. The pictures throughout the book were super cool and the visual effects added to the charming storyline. It was great until the point when Jacob goes to Wales to dig up his grandfather's past. After that, the story was all over the place during the second half. There were really no twists and turns nor any suspenses except for the one with Dr.Golan. I took a really long time to get through the second half of the book and I found myself struggling to stay interested. I was happy to just finish the book.

It wasn't as spine chilling nor was there anything related to horror. It was just bizarre at best but fails to live up to its expectations. But this was my first peek into the world of fantasy, I think I will give a few more books in this genre a shot before deciding if its my cup of tea! 

Book Review: Gone Girl

Author: Gillian Flynn
Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller
Rating: 4/5
Verdict: A brilliant narration that does not fizz out

I hadn't really forayed into thrillers before 'Gone Girl'. I have heard of too many plots starting well but fizzing out at the end and is utterly disappointing. I am glad my introduction to this genre was through this book. I couldn't have picked a better one to read. After hearing so much about the film and the reviews, I decided to pick this up, mostly because I wanted to read it before I watched the movie.

Synopsis:
On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?  

The plot starts kind of slow, with the initial part of the book building up the characters and it almost sounds like a romantic novel. Then comes the start of the twist and it starts to get interesting after this. I really liked the way of narration - alternating between Nick and Amy, Amy - through the pages of her diary.  I somehow liked Amy's narration more than Nick's, it had a lot of humor and sarcasm intertwined. By the time you get to the part where Nick is the prime suspect, things start to unfold rather quickly and this is where the book becomes un-put-down-able. I liked the way Gillian handles subtle hints/leads in some chapters sprinkled throughout the entire plot which becomes very important evidence/clues later on - Amy's fear of blood and needles for an example. By the time you reach the tail end of the book, you can't help but wonder who is the lesser of the two evils. I cannot imagine living with someone who is so vile like Amy, but Nick is an equally selfish prick too.
What is good and what is bad/evil? - This question is still haunting me a good 12 hours after I finished reading the book. The answer is "There is really no line, its grey".

The final few chapters of the book are chilling and the closing lines will haunt you for a very long time.