The movie for Miss Peregrine’s has come out in the Philippines and the days leading up to it, I had decided to borrow the last book to the trilogy to somehow get back into the world of Peculiars.
A big problem I had in Hollow City bridged on to Library of Souls – Jacob’s voice. Needless to say, I didn’t like it. He sounds like a professor with a doctorate or a man who had lived in late Victorian times when he’s supposed to be a teenage boy, fumbling over life like life was fumbling over him. This made him distant as a character and I couldn’t relate to him emotionally at all. Sometimes I even forgot that it was in his narration not in third person. This was probably the very reason I had forgotten nearly everything about Hollow City.
About ¼ through the book, I was considering making it a DNF. Very very close to actually doing it. The events were happening so slowly as if in real-time and some scenes felt so irrelevant to the whole arc. A number of the vintage pictures were also added to the story just to be considered added. They didn’t bring the story forward at all. I wasn’t a fan of it, especially with the addition of Jacob’s narration. After much deliberation, Lauren Hannah’s review said that eventually things will start to pick up and for that, I continued reading and flipping and reading and flipping.
To say it was worth it would only encompass 20%. There may have been more action and climax but it was as if slow pacing was taping exciting moments together. It was riding a rollercoaster that jerks and speeds up every few seconds.
"An opportunist disguised as a friend can be every bit as dangerous as an outright enemy."
One of the few things that I actually enjoyed more than I expected was Emma and Jacob’s love story. While the declaration of love is still an itch I couldn’t get rid of, it was definitely way more appropriately paced than what I’ve recently read and watched. Their little gestures and honest conversations were so sweet to read, especially in their life-or-death situation.
This made me love Emma more than I did in the previous books (as much as I can remember anyway). She was very mature, somehow acting her age despite her youthful appearance and how you expect her to act. (I guess Riggs really nailed an older, more experienced voice.) You see her love for her Peculiar family and her pride in being Peculiar in every small way she fought for them, no matter how heavy the challenges they were facing.
As resolutions were being presented, I was actually in better terms with the sad, torn ending of Jacob having to choose between Peculiardom and his normal life. The last few chapters of trying to move away from that heartbreaking choice felt so rushed and convenient as if Ransom Riggs was just putting too much sense to justify what was happening and what was about to happen. The absolute ending was way too happy for my taste, solving in a snap every issue brought up during “the choice”. But then fine, maybe Jacob deserves some happiness after all that tragedy.
Overall, my feelings about Library of Souls are very mixed with aspects I liked and storytelling that just didn’t float my boat. I can however attest that I am leaving the Peculiardom for good (unless maybe someone got me a copy of Tales of the Peculiar because damn). My place is probably in another world. *cough* still waiting on my letter, Hogwarts *cough*
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