Tales of the Peculiar by Ransom Riggs Review

If you’ve found your way to this review, congratulations! Now as you are here, the chances are you’re already enchanted by the world of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children – a six-book series written and crafted by the imaginative Ransom Riggs. But before you dive into Tales of the Peculiar, consider this your gentle warning: this book is intended for peculiar eyes only. Fortunately, I managed to get my hands on a copy and am thrilled to share its secrets with fellow fans and curious newcomers alike.

Tales of the Peculiar is a companion book to the Miss Peregrine series, presented as a collection of ten folkloric stories from the peculiar world. Authored by Ransom Riggs, or perhaps more accurately, curated by Millard Nullings, the invisible scholar we met in the original books, this anthology serves as a kind of sacred text for peculiars. Long before Miss Peregrine and the Loops offered sanctuary, these tales preserved the history, wisdom and survival strategies of peculiar folk. Hidden within these pages are clues to secret loops, the identities of key peculiars and other arcane knowledge essential for navigating a world that doesn’t always welcome the strange.

The stories themselves are as varied and haunting as the peculiar children we’ve come to love.

• The Splendid Cannibals; a grotesque yet oddly moral tale of greed and sacrifice.
• The Fork-Tongued Princess; her beauty and difference make her an outcast.
• The First Ymbryne; reveals the origins of the time loops that protect peculiars.
• The Woman Who Befriended Ghosts; tells a tender and touching story of otherworldly friendship.
• Cocobolo; a philosophical tale that questions whether any man is truly an island.
• The Pigeons of Saint Paul’s; offers a glimpse into the guardians of London’s famous cathedral.
• The Girl Who Could Tame Nightmares; introduces a heroine who can pluck terrors straight from your ears.
• The Locust; tells the tale of a dog-sized insect yearning for love.
• The Boy Who Could Hold Back the Sea; explores elemental power and restraint.
• The Tale of Cuthbert; recounts the sorrowful life of a gentle giant.

Overall, I loved this collection of short peculiar tales. With stories of limbs being chopped off – not only to feed cannibals but to feed an astonishing amount of greed and a beautiful fork-tongued princess shunned by her own father and husbands-to-be because she was different among the dark and delicious accounts. Each of these ten tales is annotated by Millard Nullings. His scholarly footnotes add a sense of depth, wit and a peculiar authenticity to the collection. His commentary transforms the book from a mere anthology into a living document of peculiar culture. This combination make the stories feel timeless and freshly discovered.

In addition to these engaging stories there are the stunning black-and-white illustrations by the world-renowned artist Andrew Davidson. These illustrations are full-page artworks and are more than decorative to break up the text passages – they are integral to the atmosphere of the book as they lend a gothic elegance and visual richness that elevates the reading experience. Fans of the series will be accustomed to the found vintage photographs littered throughout the pages, Tales of the Peculiar unfortunately doesn’t include any, but the wonderful illustrations more than compensate for it, offering a new kind of visual storytelling that complements the eerie tone of the tales.

Tales of the Peculiar is a masterful addition to the Miss Peregrine universe. It is dark, whimsical and brimming with moral complexity. Whether you are a seasoned peculiar or a newcomer to the peculiar world, this book is a strong as standalone read and an excellent companion piece to the novels. It’s a must-have for fans of the series, and a compelling entry point for those curious about the peculiar realm. Ransom Riggs is a storyteller of rare imagination and this book doesn’t disappoint. It weaves brilliantly executed eerie tales that are as unsettling as they are beautiful. It’s a portal into a world where the strange is considered sacred and every story, however strange, holds a secret worth discovering.

Rating: 5/5

RRP: £12.99 (Hardback) / £9.99 (Paperback) / £4.99 (Kindle)

For more information, visit ransomriggs.com. Available to buy from Amazon here.

PUBLISHER: Dutton Books for Young Readers
PUBLICATION DATE: 14 September 2016
ISBN: 978-0399538537
PRINT LENGTH: 192 Pages

DISCLOSURE: All thoughts and opinions are my own. This review uses an affiliate link which I may receive a small commission from if you decide to purchase through the Amazon link (it helps with the running costs of the website).