The Peculiars by Maureen Doyle McQuerry Review

"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."

Wow. The Peculiars is set in the 1800s with odd machines and strange beings. It's quite annoying to read The Peculiars (reason why this review is considered short).

To start this review off, The Peculiars seem interesting when describe by the synopsis. Interesting and fun, right? Well, it turns out this is misleading and overconfident. (The synopsis, not the book. I'll get to the book soon enough.) It's such a pity; the synopsis' awesomeness should be tone down a bit.

The writing of The Peculiars felt dry and dull and troll. I couldn't but help my mind wander around going from wings to butterflies, and butterflies to I Am Legend the movie. In other words, The Peculiars isn't exactly the addicting and fun type.

The characters are bad; Lena Mattacascar may have the biggest character development but the author didn't make it stand out so much. Jimson Quiggley is an innocent and sweet about-to-be librarian, who has the hots for Lena. Thomas Saltre is hunting Lena Mattacascar. It may look like she has a love triangle, but don't be fool. One of the three characters (Lena Mattacascar, Thomas Saltre, and Jimson Quiggley) have unrequited love.

The world of the Peculiars: Apparently this is no work of a mad scientist. This is a work of Mother Nature--the wings, the goblinism, and other stuff. (Eh...I have no hard feelings towards it.) It's a shame Mr. Beasley isn't the villain in the story; The Peculiars could have been quite interesting. Anyway, the government blames all the crime on the Peculiars, making the public and The Peculiars think that Peculiars are bad, foul, and evil beings.

Rating: One out of Five