Title: The Peculiars
Author: Maureen Doyle McQuerry
Publisher: Amulet Books (May 1, 2012)
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Genre:YA Steampunk Romance
Decription: 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.
Review: The Peculiars by Maureen Doyle McQuerry is a peculiar
read.
Lena
Mattacascar travels to the outskirts of the wild land of Scree in search of her
father and the secret who or what she really is. When she comes across a young
librarian, she befriends him and soon takes up residence in the home of
inventor Mr. Beasley. Strange things happen in his home, and the town’s marshal
persuades Lena to investigate. She’s soon in over her head and must discover
who to trust or it might mean her own life and others on the line.
The Peculiars started out very slow, and the pace didn’t
pick up much until the last third of the novel. The characters intrigued me and
were mysterious. Information about them trickled at a steady pace and kept me
guessing. The setting and creatures intrigued me. The elements of steampunk
were light and sprinkled throughout as well as the romance was more hinted out
than actually realized. In the end, the mysterious nature of the plot and
characters kept me reading, but I just wanted more from the plot and characters
with less description of the scenery.
Maureen Doyle
McQuerry’s The Peculiars intrigues
the reader with its enigmatic characters and is a good read for those who want
an introduction to steampunk story elements.
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| Three Bookworms = I liked it. |
