The Peculiars

by Maureen McQuerry

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. Praise for The Peculiars STARRED REVIEW "McQuerry offers a brooding northwest setting touched by steampunk elements to tell a story that is in equal parts inventive fantasy, light romance, and thrilling adventure. With a backdrop as strong as its heroine, this one is a page-turner." --Booklist, starred review “The Peculiars combines a teenage girl’s search for her identity with a setting that merges the genres of fantasy, gothic and steampunk. A light romance, a bit of adventure and the author’s inclusion of historical notes complete this delightful offering.” --BookPage "Readers graduating from the stories of C.S. Lewis and Edward Eager will be right at home—and cat lovers will adore Jimson’s employer’s pet, Mrs. Mumbles." --Publishers Weekly "A creative, entertaining, and wholly original fantasy." --The Horn Book "Richly atmospheric read." --Kirkus Reviews Award YALSA 2013 Best Fiction for Young Adults

• ISBN13: 9781419712067
• Publish Date: 18 March 2014 (first published 1 May 2012)
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Out of Print: 4 March 2021
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Abrams
• Imprint: Amulet Books
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 384
• Language: English

Reviews

[celinenyx]

After reading all of the negative reviews on The Peculiars I wasn't expecting that much. I was happily surprised that although the book is rather slow-paced, the setting was definitely worth it.

Lena's dad was a goblin, a Peculiar. Now the government has decided that all Peculiars have to be sent to work in mines in Scree, a inhospitable and wild land. She has the strange triple-jointed hands and large feet that point to goblinism, and she is scared she has also inherited her father's wickedness. When she turns eighteen and receives a letter of her father, she decides to go to Scree to find him.

I think the blurb of The Peculiars is very misleading. It boasts a thrilling adventure, but to be honest the adventure part of this book is very little. It's mostly about Lena's insecurity about her identity and how to live with the stigma of being different. Big parts of the story are spent in libraries, in coaches and in tearooms. It reminds me of the slow but dark gait of Victorian fiction.

The steampunk aspect of the book is rather light - I think you could better classify The Peculiars as alternate history. There are some nifty inventions, but since Lena herself doesn't really have an interest in them, they are only in the background.

I was very interested in the mythology behind the Peculiars, but this book didn't answer all of my questions. I hope we learn more about them in the next book. Or isn't there going to be one? I can't find information on this being a series or not, but if it's a standalone I'm going to be very disappointed.

Even though the main character Lena is rather whiny, I very much enjoyed the story because of an interesting cast of secondary characters and the overall mood. Ms McQuerry does dark and foreboding very well, and that was mostly what kept me reading. I would like to read more about this world and find out which kind of Peculiars there are and how they came to be.

[kimbacaffeinate]

The Peculiars by Maureen Doyle McQuerry is a steampunk fiction set in an alternate late 1800s world. I love steampunk and was immediately drawn to the spectacular cover. Sprinkled with history, steampunk contraptions and strange folk known as Peculiars this novel kept me entertained.

The protagonist is Lena Mattacascar and she has always known she was different. Her grandmother never lets her forget. Lena is part Goblin and has just turned eighteen. Her father, who abandoned the family years ago, left her a present for this special occasion. In an envelope she discovers a letter, some money and a deed to a mine in Scree. It is said that Scree is where Peculiars live. Lena sets out by train to Knob Knoster (a fishing town not to far from Scree). Here she hopes to hire a guide, learn more about her father, Peculiars and her own differences. Lena is relieved when the train begins to empty and she can finally relax. Just as she makes herself comfortable, in walks Jimson Quiggley. He is traveling to Knob Knoster to work as a librarian for Tobias Beasley. The two chat about things, and Lena finds him to be sweet. Events on the train, lead Lena to meet the handsome Marshall. His name is Thomas Saltre and he takes an immediate interest in Lena. When Lena arrives in Knob Knoster, she begins to look for a guide to Scree. Her path again crosses those of the Marshall and she finds herself unwittingly headed to the home of Tobias Beasley as a spy. The tale that unfolds was fascinating.

I adored Lena and Jimson and found them to be delightful. The romance that develops between them is sweet and genuine. Lena really cannot see anyone having feelings for her or ever finding her attractive. She wonders whether or not she has a soul and wants to know more about her father. She worries that she will become like him. Tobias Beasley was an interesting character, brilliant and nutty. The Marshall, despite his handsome appearance gave me the willies. Other characters such as the cook and missionary sisters gave the tale credibility.

The world-building was interesting and I loved the blend of history and fantasy. However, it wasn't as dark or as detailed as I was expecting. This was more of a character driven novel and didn’t have all the gadgets I have come to expect in steampunk tales. While it deals with Peculiars we don’t really get enough information on them and I wanted more back-history. I would have liked to have learned more, and perhaps been given more detail about events. The tale moved at a steady pace and was filled with moments of suspense. McQuerry’s writing was descriptive and I enjoyed her attention to detail. She brought Beasley's home, Spree and the train to life. My favorite part, was the aerocopter. I wasn’t thrilled with the ending, but am hoping a second book comes along.

[inlibrisveritas]

This turned out to be a really fantastic book! At first I wasn’t quite sure how to react to it, it’s rather odd little mix up when you first start out. The though of a steampunk type era and as well as the addition to people called Peculiars made me kind of hesitant, it’s not a genre I read often though that really needs to change.

The writing is utterly Victorian, or so I feel, and it has a crisp and clean feel about it. I thought that the writing style really gave a unique characterization to everything and helped add a depth and voice to to the characters and the world surrounding them. The steampunk aspects are actually more of a pre-steampunk era, as things are not quite there yet but the advancements are clearly being made. It gives you something that a novel set in the full swing of steampunk doesn’t, it makes the very idea of possibilities seem so endless and fresh. Instead of a book where everything is already set up and you simply come to terms with it, you get to learn about it before everything is set in stone just like the main character. It’s not a huge part of the story but it’s certainly a very present aspect and it makes the experience unique. The concept of Peculiars is also a really unique idea to through into the delightful mix. As the summary above says and the cover attests to, the Peculiars are very…well Peculiar. I loved how their odd little traits are examined and how once again Darwin is introduced to “help” explain things. The one thing about the world that I didn’t quite like was the fact that you don’t quite know where you are. At first I thought it was something entirely made up, after all I know of no place ever called Scree, but as you continue reading you realize that it is in fact set in our very own world. It’s not hard to believe, however I wish it would have been explained more throughly as it’s a bit confusing to place where this place is exactly.

The characters are pretty endearing and unique as well. Lena is fairly strong willed and has a good head on her shoulders, even if at times she’s a tad too headstrong but that is such a refreshing change to all of the mold-able female main characters. I truly felt for her in her situation and I really wanted her to find her place. Her character does come of slightly flawed at times though. There isn’t much personal growth or development for her as the story progresses and at times she seems to become increasingly trusting all of the sudden. Jimson is a darling character and was really enjoyable to read about. He has such a passion for life that’s hard to not to like him, at times his enthusiasm for learning things seems to be almost child-like. The other characters in this are also enjoyable even if they don’t end up as fleshed out as one would hope, I would love to know more about Mr. Beasly personality-wise.

Overall it’s a really interesting book and the plot is one that really piques curiosity, added to the fact that it’s a pretty light read it makes for a great relaxing read.

I received this from Abrhams and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Joni Reads]

Lena has always known she is different. Her grandmother has told her daily from the time she was child and her mother has never said anything to contradict her. Even the family doctor says Lena is odd when he sees her long fingers and oddly oversized feet. The doctor says that both are signs of goblinism, of being what is called a Peculiar, a person with odd traits and features, mostly wild people who have been banished the land of Scree in the north. According to Lena's grandmother Lena's father was a goblin. Lena has no way of proving otherwise because her father took of when she was young. Once Lena turns 18 she decides she can no longer stand not knowing. She decides to travel to Scree to track down her father and find out the truth about herself, whatever it may.
Along the way she meets some interesting characters. There's Jimson Quigley, her seatmate on the train to Scree who is heading to Knoster, the last town before the border of Scree to work in a library there. There's also Thomas Saltre, a detective who is kind to Lena despite her odd hands and feet, but who may have other intentions. When she arrives in Knoster she tries to find a guide into Scree and somehow ends up at the Mr. Beasley's library, the same library where Jimson has come to work. Mr Beasley's library is like no other, full of odd items and even an even stranger assortment of people. As Lena finds her way to Scree will she find her father and find out the truth about her heritage? And what role do all the characters she meets along the way play out in her story?
I have never read a story like The Peculiars. It captures my attention and held it throughout the entire story. I felt bad for Lena, being ridiculed her whole life by her grandmother for something she could not change about herself. I, too, would have gone on a journey to find out the truth about myself. The characters at Mr. Beasley's were unique and fun to read about, especially Jimson, who treats Lena like any other person, and makes her feel comfortable about her hands and feet for the first time in her life.
Overall I love the cover and the story is truly unique and you will never find another one like it. A fantastic read.