The Peculiars

By Maureen Doyle McQuerry

  • ISBN-13: 9781419701788
  • Publisher: Amulet Books
  • Publication date: 5/1/2012
  • Pages: 368
  • Age range: 12 years
  • Review Source: NetGalley

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Overview:

This dark and thrilling adventure, with an unforgettable heroine, will captivate fans of steampunk, fantasy, and romance.

On her 18th birthday, Lena Mattacascar decides to search for her father, who disappeared into the northern wilderness of Scree when Lena was young. Scree is inhabited by Peculiars, people whose unusual characteristics make them unacceptable to modern society. Lena wonders if her father is the source of her own extraordinary characteristics and if she, too, is Peculiar. On the train she meets a young librarian, Jimson Quiggley, who is traveling to a town on the edge of Scree to work in the home and library of the inventor Mr. Beasley. The train is stopped by men being chased by the handsome young marshal Thomas Saltre. When Saltre learns who Lena’s father is, he convinces her to spy on Mr. Beasley and the strange folk who disappear into his home, Zephyr House. A daring escape in an aerocopter leads Lena into the wilds of Scree to confront her deepest fears.

 

 

 
 

 

 

My Quickie Review of The Peculiars:

 

The Peculiars is a steampunk novel set around a young half goblin woman named Lena. She has extra large hands and feet that she has tried – all her life – to disguise. After all, Peculiars have no souls, they aren’t human, tricksters, charming…or so the government claims.
 

Fueled by the need for answers, and the hopes of finding her father, Lena sets out on a journey. She unexpectedly finds herself a new friend on the ride there, a man that does not seem to judge her for what she clearly is. As events unfold she finds herself in the employment of the infamous Mr. Beasley who is not only a man of medicine, but also of modern steam technology.

But everyone has their secrets…
 
This is my first real steampunk themed novel, and I wasn’t certain I would enjoy it. While I may not be much into the trending scenes we find in the real world, I feel drawn to movies, shows and imagery of all things steampunk. It wasn’t until reading The Peculiars that I developed a love for the literature too.  The novel has well developed characters, a steady plot, and lots of excitement. Maureen Doyle McQuerry has an outstanding talent with descriptions and the ability to really paint a beautiful scene. The intertwining of many historical points is also to be noted as it really gave a sense of the period of time.
 

Overall, The Peculiars is packed with action, an intriguing mystery, fancy machines and awesome weapons.  There’s also and adorable cat named Mrs. Mumbles that I’d love to own. I highly recommend this story for young adults and of course those of us adults who refuse to stop believing!

 

 

 

My Rating

5 out of 5 Controllers

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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© 2012, Rae Z. Ryans. All rights reserved.

Rae Z. Ryans

Hey y’all, I’m Rae. I am an avid reader, and I love to write.
Sadly I am like the socially awkward mouth breather, and I tend to have a sarcastic streak. Both send people off running. Oh, and I have some of the worst grammar when it comes to punctuation which sends editors flying at me with meat cleavers.
When I am not writing or reading, I am usually shoveling food into my mouth, while browsing the internet, and telling my pink elephant to put down my mastercard. Seriously, it likes to buy shoes…



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