September 3, 1940. Ten peculiar children flee an army of deadly monsters. And only one person can help them—but she’s trapped in the body of a bird. The extraordinary journey that began in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children continues as Jacob Portman and his newfound friends journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. There, they hope to find a cure for their beloved headmistress, Miss Peregrine. But in this war-torn city, hideous surprises lurk around every corner. And before Jacob can deliver the peculiar children to safety, he must make an important decision about his love for Emma Bloom. Like its predecessor, this second novel in the Peculiar Children series blends thrilling fantasy with vintage photography to create a one-of-a-kind reading experience.
“A stunning achievement . . Hollow City is even richer than Riggs’s imaginative debut, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children”—Boston Globe
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
64 of 71 people found the following review helpful.
At 55 and an avid reader, one of the best and most fun books I have read in the last year.
By Amazon Customer
Adults don't be put off by the fact that the heros in this book are children... Or are they? I read some of Harry Potter books, which is definitely directed more to the young (found it to young for me ) this book, with its college-level vocabulary , its characters and its settings in various points in history speaks to the adult reader, although can be enjoyed by the young. Wonderfully written and excellent character development. Adults can easily identify and see the personalities of adult friends in Rigg's young heros and yet something would have been lost had these characters been portrayed as adults and not children (David vs Goliath ). It moves quickly along and extremely difficult to put down. Although can be read without reading the first book, strongly suggest you do read the first; although I liked this book a bit better than the first.
34 of 41 people found the following review helpful.Definitely worth the wait!
By Catrina T.
After a long wait, it’s finally here. Hollow City, the second book in the Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children series. And it is so worth it and then some.I received my copy on the afternoon of the 11th and finished the whole thing by midnight of the 13th. There never was a dull moment from the first page to the cliffhanger in the end. Yes, like with a LOT of book nowadays, this is a part of a trilogy or series. It kept me on the edge of my seat and never let go.We pick up where the Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children left off. The peculiar kids and Jacob (who was revealed to be also peculiar) were left to their own devices after their home was destroyed. They did manage to save Miss Peregine, in bird form, from the wights but she could not turn back into a human. They make their way to London, the peculiar capital of the world, to seek help for their injured mistress.The author definitely improved the children’s voices in this new book. I enjoyed Olive, Millard, and Bronwyn. Jacob also changed. No longer was he the jaded rich kid from book one. He grew up; he took on new responsibilities as well as an understanding about his peculiarity. I like this new Jacob. It reminds me of how Harry Potter evolved from a clueless Muggle-raised boy to a very capable wizard. His relationship with Emma didn’t irk me as much as it did before; I actually thought it was cute and it gave the story the push forward that it needed in the end.The main characters are children but this is definitely not a story for children. It’s dark and scary at times. There are parallels to the horrors of World War II. And just like with The Hunger Games, children are at the center of the tragedy. There were happy moments but they are few and far between. They are just… moments. The feeling of danger and fear and uncertainty rule throughout the book and that made it so very engaging. “What happens to them next? What’s around the corner? How will they go on?” The final chapters completely blindsided me. Imagine me fighting to keep my eyes open at 12mn and then suddenly shooting straight up as I turned to the last pages. Like I said my review of the first book, “The author CANNOT leave it at that!”As usual, the photographs are stunning. The story was perfectly crafted around them and each photo fit a character and/or a scenario perfectly. Hats off to Mr. Riggs for doing such a great job of building a whole world for us based on found pictures. I can see how one can be inspired by such beautiful pieces.Do yourself a favor and please buy a physical copy of this book (and of the first one). Even if you are an ebooker, it is so worth it to add these bound pieces of art to your shelf. I read the first one on my B&N nook but I eventually managed to get hard copies. And I got so excited when they came in the mail and even though I already read it, I still browse the pages, admiring the stunning photographs.
42 of 52 people found the following review helpful.THIS SEQUEL IS EQUALLY MAGICAL ...
By Robert Steven Thomas
After the two years in creation of this sequel, I can now clearly state that "Hollow City" is clearly worthy of the original, smash, NY Times, 52-week bestseller "Miss Peregrin's Home For Peculiar Children." Picking up where the first book left off, this new volume is a coming-of-age story as the protagonist Jacob, and friends, leave the nest (Island) and are forced to strike out on their own. Once again, the author has used old photography as a powerful lens to visualize his highly imaginative and original tale. This is one sequel that, while it can stand on its own, I strongly urge people to read the original (Miss Peregrin's) first. Having read it first, you'll have a much better concept of what to expect and definitely will not be disappointed with this sequel. (Can't wait for the movie !!!)
