The Peculiars
3.5/5
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About this ebook
With her noticeably large hands and feet, Lena Mattacascar is undoubtedly different. Secretly, she’s wondered if she might actually be Peculiar, and if her father—who left when she was only five years old—may have been Peculiar too.
On her eighteenth birthday, Lena receives a letter that inspires her to leave the safety of the City and search for her father in the northern wilderness of Scree—a place inhabited by people whose own unusual characteristics make them unacceptable to modern society. Her journey leads to romance, danger, and a darkness she’s never imagined. For in the wilds of Scree, she must confront her deepest fears . . .
“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. McQuerry’s extensive world-building leaves open the possibility of future installments.” —Publishers Weekly
Maureen Doyle McQuerry
Maureen McQuerry is an award-winning novelist, teacher, and sometime poet. Her novels include, The Peculiars (ALA Best Book for Young Adult Readers 2013, and winner of the Westchester Award), the MG Time Out of Time duet: Beyond the Door and The Telling Stone (Booklist top Ten Fantasy/SciFi for Youth) that combines, Celtic myth, shapeshifters and a secret code in a coming of age story, and the YA historical, Between Before and After (Blink/HarperCollins 2/5/2019). She lives with her husband in WA State and spends her time between the Columbia River and the Puget Sound and traveling to where ever life's next real life mystery make take her.
Read more from Maureen Doyle Mc Querry
Between Before and After Educator's Guide Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBetween Before and After Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
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Reviews for The Peculiars
61 ratings30 reviews
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Read from March 15 to 18, 2012While reading this book, all I could think about were the books it reminded me of. Most of them I really enjoyed, so that's a good thing.Since childhood, Lena's been told she's a goblin...a Peculiar, just like her always-in-trouble father. Her father leaves when she's young, but on her 18th birthday, her mother gives her a letter from her father that sends Lena on a quest to find her father and herself.First, this book reminds me of Chime, except that I like Lena and never understood Briony. Both girls have a "something" that makes them different, but don't know what it is. I also get a sense of the Gemma Doyle series (A Great and Terrible Beauty) -- a young woman out to find herself in a kind-of Victorian era (I'm not entirely sure of where The Peculiars takes place, but I do know it's the late 1800s). There's also a hint of Alexia Tarabotti here (Soulless). There are some steampunkish elements and, like Alexia, Lena is a girl that's a little different from everyone else. Finally, I can't quite place why, but something about Lena, the setting, or something, reminds me of Switched.Definitely a fun read and totally refreshing to read something a little different from what I've been reading (which is mainly YA dystopias). And I love the cover -- it's the reason I actually decided to start reading.I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review via NetGalley.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5On Lena's 18th birthday, she is given a letter from her long lost father. It contains a small inheritance which Lena decides to use as purchase of an adventure to find who, or what, she is. For Lena believes she is a Peculiar. The Peculiars are, for lack of a better word, mutants banished from acceptable society. Lena spent her entire youth hiding who she is and is ready to find a place she belongs, perhaps in Scree - the land of Peculiars. Along the way she will meet an enthusiastic librarian, a mad scientist, a charming lawman, a winged woman and a cat who's crying sounds like human mumbling. But will she find herself?First, let me speak to the cover (as I am such a sucker for a great cover).... It is beautiful and pulled me in immediately. Big applause there.Now to the plot. McQuerry's world in The Peculiars is interesting and intriguing. It has a Victorian/ Steampunk feel, which I am a fan of. It was mysterious and exciting and I loved it.However, the characters inside the world didn't draw me in as much as I had wanted to. Lena herself started out great as an awkward, somewhat sheltered girl but she never felt fully developed to me. Other characters seemed a bit pointless even. Honestly my favorite character was the cat.It's a solid good book, just not over the top memorable.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I wasn't sure what to think of this book, since there's a girl with wings on the cover and I've gotten really tired of books about angels. It turns out that I shouldn't have worried because The Peculiars is a great little steampunk novel. Lena's always been an outcast because of the size of her hands and feet, but when she gets old enough, she goes off to see if she can find out what happened to her father (he left when she was little) and who she really is. In the process, she makes friends and finally learns how to start accepting herself. I loved the steampunk touches throughout the novel, as well as the story itself. I really hope that McQuerry gives us more of Lena's adventures, as well as more glimpses of the world she inhabits.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Maureen McQuerry has created a unique and stand-out world. While at first it had the feel of fantasy it quickly became more historical fiction with fantasy elements. As the world is not exactly clear where it is, mentions of Europe and other 'real' places led me to believe it is someplace in America. There was also mentions of real historical figures but they were only mentions and didn't play any role in the story other than having made a gun or came up with an invention, etc. The book clearly has a steampunk look to it and while it has steampunk elements it is most certainly 'light' on the steampunk. There is an inventor but there was not much description of his inventions, they just 'were'. They did some traveling in aerocopter (flying machine) and some other things, but nothing real major. I was happy with what was there, but if you're expecting a crazy steampunk ride you may be disappointed. On the other hand, if you've held off on reading this because you don't enjoy steampunk then please don't let that hold you back. The steampunk is a very minor aspect in the story.I really enjoyed the world created and the aspect of the Peculiars. It was so different but yet so easy to relate to because there has always been those persecuted. This reminded me a little of the Native Americans because they were basically rounded up and put to work or just put in their own areas (the reservations now). While they were definitely different from the Peculiars, there was just enough there to make me think of that. And how wrong it is to persecute others because they are different and/or have different beliefs. This book would have been an outstanding read for me if it wasn't for the main character. I had a few issues with her and her decisions. She makes some pretty stupid choices and I could have maybe understood it better if the reasoning had been backed up just a little more. I needed to be more convinced about why she would do what she did. I was able to look past this aspect because so much of the rest of the story was fantastic. I also really liked the other characters. Jimson was a character that I couldn't help but like. He was a boy that craved knowledge and adventure. And I would have maybe liked him a bit more fleshed out, but I still liked him quite a lot. Mr. Beasley was a fascinating character as well and was one I could imagine so well. Kind of the crazy genius/doctor/inventor sort with weird drawn on eyebrows but was so kind and understanding of everything. Now my most favorite character of all was the cat, Mrs. Mumbles. I don't want to say too much, but this is a cat with character! Any cat lover will fall head over hills for her!This was a fun historical fantasy with a touch of steampunk and a dash of adventure thrown in. I definitely suggest you give this one a try!
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Meh.
That's how I felt throughout the majority of The Peculiars. Just meh.
From the beginning I didn't have any attachments to Lena, our protag. She was cold, condescending and, honestly, pretty boring. And it just got worse as she teamed up with the OBVIOUS BAD GUY to betray the ADORABLE pseudo-librarian, and all around cutie, Jimson.
I did like the mystery of the storyline: is Mr. Beasley a good guy or another bad guy? What, exactly, is going on inside that ginormous house? And I liked the Scree mystery storyline (although, I was kind of let down on the reveal on that one).
One problematic storyline for me was the mystery of Lena herself. She clearly is some sort of Peculiar, possibly a goblin, but no one can actually confirm that for her. She encounters a few people who don't think she looks like a goblin, which gives her hope. But, when push comes to shove, goblin she is. Which was completely deflating.
Another minor thing that bugged me. At the end, Jimson is sent back to care for the library. Did they really think the library would still be standing? After the house had been stormed? I mean, I know there was an alarm and all that, but come on. It's not like the bad guys would be like "Well, we HATE this guy, but, clearly, we should be polite and not destroy any of the abominable research that we hate." I didn't BUY it.
I think there's an audience for this book, I really do. I just think it wasn't me. - Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Let me start this review by saying that I was super excited to read this book. I love Steam Punk, and I could not wait to see what kind of world McQuerry had created. I adored the world, and the characters were well-developed. However, the writing really threw me. I did not like how it switched from 1st person POV to 3rd person limited POV randomly throughout the book. It really took me out of the story and made it hard to focus. The fact that this happened when the character was remaining the same made the whole thing even more pointless. Honestly, it seems like some weird plot device just to make a book stand out. I didn't like it at all. Also, the pacing was slow as molasses. I had to put this book back several times and come back to it in order to finish it. If you enjoy a lot of world building and excruciatingly long descriptions, then this book is for you. Lena was an interesting character. She didn't feel like she felt in anywhere, and because of that, she was easy to relate to and sympathize with. She made some terribly stupid decisions and wasn't the strongest of characters in some respects (she always wanted Jimson to "save" her, for example), but the flaws simply made her realistic. I loved Jimson. He had a great energy about him, and he was just a really terrific character. I know this was Lena's story, but I wish that if McQuerry had insisted on switching POVs that she'd switched between Lena and Jimson. That would have been extremely entertaining. I also loved Mr. Beasley. He was the sweetest man!The plot itself was interesting, but not very suspenseful. There were some mysterious parts, but overall, there just wasn't any action or suspense to speak of. The concept kept me reading, and because of the lengthy descriptions, I could most certainly picture the world that McQuerry has created. This was an incredibly slow read for me, though. Also, with all of the descriptions, I felt like we should have known more what a Peculiar was. We learned about a couple of types of Peculiars, but didn't learn many details about them at all. Overall, I'd recommend this book to those of you who like a lot of world-building and descriptions. Also, if POV switching doesn't bother you, then this book may be for you. It's a different concept, and it definitely stands out from most Steam Punk and YA novels today. If you're looking for something different, then give this book a try.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Peculiars is one of my favorite young adult novels, probably because it's a breath of fresh air in the genre. Lena is a flawed character physically and otherwise, but unforgettable and intense. She has an internal craving for adventure that her Nana would have disapproved of--would tell her it's bad blood from her father. But she can't help but be pulled into the adventure and romance of Scree--land of Outlaws and rumored Peculiers.Set in the 1800s, Lena travels on her own to discover what she is, who her father was, and why he had left her. On the way she meets a lovely cast--Jimson Quiggley, whom she meets on the train, traveling to the border town to be a librarian to Mr. Beasley of the mysterious Zephyer House, which at first seems rather sinister. This belief is only lead on by marshal Thomas Saltre, determined to find out exactly what's going on in Zephyer House, and not afraid to use Lena to achieve his ends.I think Mr. Beasley is my favorite character. He's mysterious and hard to understand, you don't know if he's friend or foe but he's so friendly it's hard to believe he'd be anything but good.The writing style is decent, especially for a young adult novel. The best part about the whole novel however, is being swept up in Lena's adventure across the world that McQueery has imagined.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Lena 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.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This was an odd book. Very different. I've recently discovered the steampunk genre. Some books are great and some are terrible. This is one of the better books. I loved the characters. Lena was a fascinating enigma. We are immediately shown how different she is. Called a 'goblin' by her grandmother, and called a 'peculiar' by others. She is an immediately likeable young woman. She sets her mind to something and follows through. The main male protagonist is Jimson Quiggley. A young man Lena meets on a train and later works with. He is a true gentleman. A great character to complement Lena. Mr. Beasley is the steampunk king of the book. Creating all sorts of inventions. He is also a physician. We are initially unsure if he is good or bad. I laughed out loud at the two missionary women. I enjoyed reading this book. I liked the writing style of the author. She did a great job of keeping the story suspenseful and interesting. I felt the writing flowed very well. I hope the author writes more books like this one. I loved the goblin/peculiar element to the characters.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Lena has always been a little different. Born with strangely elongated hands and feet, she's been cursed to live a life in gloves to hide her deformity and avoid the unwanted brand of "peculiar." After she turned 18, Lena decides to hunt down her birth father, who disappeared into Peculiar territory when she was young to see if she may have inherited some peculiar traits from him. Through a series of events, Lena finds herself lost in the peculiar wilds with an attractive librarian named Jimson.The Peculiars was, well...peculiar. It was trying to some sort of steampunk/fantasy adventure with a romance elements. In some ways it worked for me, but in others it didn't. The biggest issue for me was that I found much of the novel to just be downright boring. It moved incredibly slowly before it picked up after the first few hundred pages. Sadly, the book just never reached critical mass for me, it kind of hovered just below in a sort of story limbo that kept promising something amazing but just didn't really get there.Aside from the pacing, probably the weakest area of the book for me was the setting. It wasn't strong enough. It wasn't steampunk enough...it just wasn't there enough. This felt like it had the potential to be such a compelling world, but it just did not deliver for me in the end. I felt somewhat let down at the end of this book, almost like I had been cheated out of a potentially compelling story that just didn't work out.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5All her life, Lena has been ashamed of her unusually long hands and feet, which her family doctor claimed were evidence of a Peculiar (part-goblin) heritage. Since Lena's father disappeared from her life when she was a young child, she doesn't know if there's any truth to the doctor's supposition or not. When she receives a letter and an inheritance that he left for her on her eighteenth birthday, she sets out for the north, in hopes of discovering the truth about her father. Along the way, she meets Jimson, who has just taken a job organizing the library of the mysterious Mr. Beasley, who may have some dealings with Peculiars himself. Is Mr. Beasley to be trusted, or is he performing unspeakable atrocities in his hidden laboratory? Perhaps Lena would be better off trusting charming lawman Thomas Saltre, who seems to have her best interests at heart -- and may know something about Lena's father, as well. . . .This story reminded me a little bit of Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede, and a little bit of Chime by Franny Billingsley, so fans of either of those books might like this one. Lena has a few Too Stupid To Live moments, but it's not her defining characteristic. Her growing friendship with Jimson is easily the best part of the story. The ending of this book, while somewhat conclusive, left an opening for a possible sequel -- if so, I look forward to seeing what happens with these characters.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Well, the Steampunk genre seems to be the next trend in YA fiction. I find the concept of a lot of these books fascinating but I'm not sure if they're really going to be my kind of thing. I was very intrigued by The Peculiars. I loved the awesome cover and the premise sounded different and interesting. I definitely haven't read many books like this so have nothing to compare it with. But really, I didn't find this one all that impressive. It wasn't bad but was missing that extra spark for me.
It started off so well. It's not exactly a very quick read but I still flew threw the first half of it. I was so into this world and the characters. I loved all the little inventions and I couldn't wait to find out more about The Peculiars and Lena's real past. I liked Lena a lot. I could empathise with her easily and could understand why she made the decisions she did. It's only natural to want to find out your own history and where you come from. At the beginning, when she loses her bag, I was freaking out right along with her! The second half didn't quite keep up the greatness, though.
It was just too slow for me. I kept waiting and waiting for awesome things to happen but they didn't really. Things did happen but very slowly. There was so much description about every event that my interest was lost in what was actually happening. Just too much detail about how Lena was putting on her gloves and stuff like that. It just disrupted the flow! The end was too anti-climatic for my liking as I felt it had been building up to something more.
All in all, The Peculiars was okay. I genuinely loved many parts of it and Jimson was by far my favourite character in the book. But as a whole, I didn't love it and felt it could have been so much better. I'd still recommend it to anyone interested in checking out the genre. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5My Opinion: Number one, I have to say how much I LOVE the cover of this book! It's gorgeous and made me even more eager to read this book than I already was. I am already a huge steampunk fan, and was very interested to learn more about the Peculiars themselves, the "people whose unusual characterstics made them unacceptable to modern society," with modern society here meaning the late 1800s. I couldn't wait to hear their stories.Lena has always had very long fingers with an extra knuckle on them and thin hands, as well as long, thin feet, which she tried to hide from the time she was very little by wearing gloves and learning to tuck her feet under her dress when she was sitting so no one would notice her. Her mother always said they were a birth defect and she was made to feel embarrassed and different by her own grandmother. She grew up hearing stories about the Peculiars, who some said didn't exist at all, and the government itself says have no soul so they are not even considered to be human. They all have some sort of unusual physical characteristic, and though Lena never talks to anyone about it, she is afraid that her hands and feet are signs of goblinism, which scares her to death because she believes her own father, who left her and her mother when she was 5, was a goblin, and goblins are not known for being nice, polite beings that contribute to society. Instead they are known for being thieves and wanderers, and Lena doesn't want this to be her future. Surprisingly, on her 18th birthday her mother gives her a letter from her father in which he leaves her an inheritance and the deed to the family mine in the town of Scree, which unfortunately is known to be the home of Peculiars and very scary creatures; basically not a friendly place to visit at all. I loved that Lena sucked up her courage and decided to go find her father in Scree and get some answers to the questions that have plagued her all of her life.Along the way, on the train ride to Knob Knoster, where Lena plans to hire a guide to get her into Scree using the money from her inheritance, she meets a young man who is also traveling to Knob Knoster, to be the librarian for a very eccentric inventor, which excites him to no end. The young man is named Jimson Quiggley, and the eccentric inventor is a Mr. Tobias Beasley. Unfortunately, the train is set upon by thieves, who steal Lena's inheritance, but Lena is lucky enough to find work with the same Mr. Beasley that Jimson is working for. She loves her work and her employer, but when asked to spy on him by someone she thinks is her friend, she agrees, which I can't say I liked, but she is nothing if not flawed, which makes her a much more interesting character than someone who always makes the right decisions and lives with no regrets! Although I loved the world building, the inventions, and in particular, the descriptions of the Peculiars that Lena meets along her way and on her journeys, which definitely don't end with working for Mr. Beasley, I have to say that the pacing itself was off for me. I was excited to read the book, but the beginning and middle really dragged on sometimes, which I've read was a problem for others as well according to their reviews, but I was glad that I hung in there because the last third of the book or so was full of action and suspense and danger and all the good things that you hope to find in a story!In summary, although the pacing was off and the book dragged on in places, when the pacing finally picks up, it is a very exciting ride that I would recommend to lovers of YA books with steampunk, adventure and action elements. The world of the Peculiars is like no other world that I have ever read about, and given the number of books I have read in my time, that's saying a lot! I give this book 4 stars, with one star taken off due to the slow pace at times. But the character growth and the action at the end earned it the 4 stars :DI received a copy of this book free of charge through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Machines, Adventure, Goblins and More!
If you love the steam punk culture you'll love the Peculiars. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Funny, quirky and subtle, this is an enjoyable read at any age!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This is a wonderful coming of age story, about a young girl who has no idea how to define herself and so embarks on the journey of a lifetime to find out. I thoroughly enjoyed The Peculiars - whenever I had to go away from it I was counting down until I could immerse myself in the rich world that McQueery has created. And what a wonderful world it is: based on our own and featuring the wild inventions that have shaped it, with a quirky new twist that kept me entertained.McQueery certainly knows how to spin a yarn. The build up the story is slow, as Lena tries to find a place in Mr. Beasley’s household and live on her own for the first time. There are so many mysteries in Lena’s life, and we, as readers, are kept in the dark with her. As more information becomes available and the action picks up, the story becomes more and more engaging, until you can’t bear to put it down!The characters are, without a doubt, the richest aspect of the story. Lena is a sweet girl, plagued by the differences that set her apart from others, but trying desperately to find her own niche in the world. I thought her a bit dense, irrationally feeling jealous when Jimson receives letters from (she thinks) his fiance and sneaking about Mr. Beasley’s house like a five-year-old. Jimson is by far my favourite character: vivacious and full of laughter, brimming with excitement about life in general. I have to admit I liked Thomas Saltre as well, until he asked Lena to spy - and then I deeply mistrusted him!I like The Peculiars and think those who enjoy steam punk and a good story will like it a lot. It’s different from most of the YA that I read and I enjoyed it a lot more for that.You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Originally posted at The Wandering Fangirl.The Peculiars is a novel that seems like tons of fun and could be host to a thrilling adventure and a journey of self-discovery, but it simply falls flat.The story starts off strong as we’re introduced to Lena Mattacascar, who has extra knuckles in her hands and feet, something she believes to be a sign of goblinism, which might make her a Peculiar and thus unacceptable to society and herself. Most of the novel centers on Lena’s growing struggle with herself, what being part goblin might mean, and how she can accept herself for what she is — if she can even reach acceptance in the first place. The only real excitement happens in the first big set piece of the novel, as Lena meets Jimson Quiggley on a train, and their train is stopped by someone breaking a hostage free. Excitement! Action! Intrigue!Then we spend a huge chunk of the middle of the novel with Lena and Jimson getting to know each other, getting to know Mr. Beasley and his library, and Lena moving into Too Stupid To Live territory.I truly wanted to like Lena after we first meet her, but I liked her less and less with every stupid decision, rash action or conclusion jump. It’s obvious to us as readers that she’s seeing everything wrong, but she’s so willfully stubborn about everything, so caught up in her own self-loathing and her view on Peculiars that she can’t grow as a person. What little growth we do see happens in the last 50 or so pages of the novel, and that’s too little too late.Jimson Quiggley and Mr. Beasley, along with Marshall Sartre and a whole host of secondary characters didn’t feel drawn in enough. With the novel focusing on Lena’s internal struggles it makes sense that the other characters wouldn’t be as prominent, but there can be more to a character than “he’s very rational and likes books” and “he has drawn on eyebrows for some reason.”As for the steampunk element, there wasn’t much of it. There is an aerocopter, yes, and some other attributes that would put this novel in the steampunk genre, but it doesn’t have the feel of steampunk; it simply feels like historical fiction with some slight alterations.Overall, The Peculiars showed some promise in the ideas and basic story. While a part of Lena’s story is interesting, it doesn’t hold up to the poor execution of the novel as a whole.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I'm generally a big fan of steampunk novels, and so I was excited to read The Peculiars. Although, it didn't turn out to be quite what I expected. This was a book that held my attention for the most part, but was really missing something also. Slow at parts, I almost didn't make it through. Still, at the end of the day I'm glad that I did.
Lena's an okay main character. She's flawed in a lot of ways, which makes her equal parts lovable and infuriating. Raised to be constantly worried about her odd hands and feet, Lena has a lot of misconceptions about the world around her. She believes that she may be part goblin, and that her father was too. I have to praise this young character for her perseverance! Lena doesn't give up.
The premise of the plot was interesting, but the pacing was what really hindered the ready for me. There are portions that move so slowly while Lena tries to figure out who to trust, that it makes it hard to follow her. Lena is, if nothing else, a bit naive at times. However towards the end of the book so much happens all at once! Amazing inventions, fantastic discoveries, all in a matter of days. I wish it would have been more spaced out.
I truly believe that if the world building had just been a little more vivid, and the characters a little more fleshed out, I would have enjoyed The Peculiars much more. I did enjoy the story by the end, but it was an uphill battle to get there in the first place. If there was a sequel, I'd come back. For now, this one sits on the self of books that were enjoyable, but not my favorite. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/53.5/5 starsIn The Peculiars, McQuerry has created a fascinating steampunk, alternate history of the American western frontier. In this new time line, some people are born with genetic abnormalities like wings or elongated hands and feet. Rumors abound about a strange land to the north – a land filled with vast natural resources, beasts, criminals and such peculiar people. These stories are often dismissed by law-abiding, non-peculiar citizens as fantastical tales and the superstitions of gullible and unenlightened people. But Lena Mattacascar knows better. Lena herself displays physical signs of what her family doctor and grandmother both call “goblinism” in her thin hands and feet with their extra knuckles and stretched out appearance. Suspecting that the father who contributed to her peculiarities and who abandoned she and her mother long ago was in fact a treacherous, morally bankrupt goblin, Lena fears what she might become. As wicked as her father? Craving adventure and riches? When she receives a letter that her father, Saul, left to her for her 18th birthday, Lena decides to set out on her own for Scree to search for her long-lost parent. However, as she journeys northward, she gets more than she ever bargained for – adventure, danger and romance in the wilds of Scree. Lena. Though interested in her story and the eventual outcome, I just couldn’t bring myself to like her. Actually, that’s not exactly true. In the beginning, I thought her very intriguing and was beginning to build that oh-so-important character-reader connection, but then it just kind of fizzled. When the reader is introduced to Lena, she is cautious and distrustful which befits her background and how she views the world. She is someone who is extremely conscious of her abnormalities, and has never felt comfortable in her own skin, especially given that her skin has been cursed with that dreaded genetic trait of “goblinism.” Curious stares and whispers have followed her throughout her life, and besides her mother and grandmother, she’s never closely associated with anyone else because of the barrier her perceived difference creates. She seems strong, extremely curious about the world around her, independent, and appears to have a good head on her shoulders. Good so far. Lena is starting to grow on me. Then… it starts heading downhill. Lena strikes up an association with a certain character, giving them her trust in a gesture that seems out of step with how her character has been established thus far. It just doesn’t sit well. Her association with this character causes her to make some horrible decisions that have devastating results. The situation that Lena finds herself in could potentially have lent itself to some amazing opportunities for character development, but sadly there are virtually no consequences for Lena’s character. In fact, her rash actions rather serve to further her personal aims. It should matter – what her decisions lead to – but the weightiness of the situation is glossed over and almost forgotten. I guess in the end, I just felt like Lena’s character was really building toward something big – a revelation, an epiphany, maturation – and in my opinion, that didn’t happen. Despite her trials and tribulations, she comes across as shallow, naïve, and perhaps a bit self-centered. Don’t get me wrong, I love flawed characters. I don’t like when those characters show little growth. Jimson. I found him to be an extremely enjoyable character. His passion for life, for knowledge, his curiosity as to how things work, how he can lose himself in a scientific concept made him interesting. Add in his optimism, friendliness, loyalty and his willingness to see a person for who they are rather than what they are, and he becomes incredibly endearing. He’s braver and more cool-headed in the face of danger than one might initially suspect; just an all-around decent kind of guy who I liked getting to know over the course of the novel. The world of The Peculiars I found to be a curious one that I’m dying to discover more about. McQuerry drops hints, names and factoids that link our world and Lena’s world very closely. And yet, it’s very different. Little mentions of things here and there that couldn’t or didn’t exist within our history. It’s a strange world that doesn’t lack for description but that also remains frustratingly vague. It is as descriptive and as in-depth as it needs to be, and yet I found myself wanting and needing more explanation behind Scree and why and how these people exist… and also, possibly wanting a map. Add to this the political climate with its slight dystopian vibes and the various social issues the Peculiars raise by simply being, and this odd American frontier with its very peculiar people had my undivided attention. McQuerry also weaves through the novel several thought-provoking themes. Specifically, that of the question of tolerance, humanity, self-worth, and even civil rights. There are a lot of issues regarding the Peculiars and the treatment of them as second class citizens and sometimes even less that. Because of the setting of the American frontier it made me wonder more than once if McQuerry is making a statement on the United States’ past mistreatment of indigenous peoples and minorities, or if she’s just making a broader statement about how humans treat the things they don’t understand. Either way it’s interesting. Also, an ongoing question in the books revolves around the soul, the nature of the soul, the existence of the soul and who possesses one. Both themes spark some interesting, though perhaps at times forced, philosophical discourse and thought. Overall, though I couldn’t connect with the heroine in the way I wished to,The Peculiars was still an intriguing story with an endearing male lead, an appealing alternate history, and a world that piques the curiosity.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Set in a steampunk 1800’s, Lena Mattacascar’s journey takes readers from her quiet home in the City to the wild lands of Scree. Lena, with her abnormal sized hands and feet, is on a mission to find her father, determining whether she is, in fact, a Peculiar.The mystery surrounding Peculiars starts from the very beginning of the story. Ms. McQuerry gives readers insight into Lena’s childhood that generates an understanding for why Lena is so shaken up about her genetics. As the story progresses, more speculation about Peculiars comes to the fore. It’s said by hateful citizens that Peculiars are soulless and inherently evil. McQuerry draws readers in with the promise of finding out exactly what a Peculiar is and whether or not Lena should be labeled as such.The novel starts right off with Lena heading out on her journey. Along the way she meets many quirky characters who liven up the story and keep it from seeming too serious. McQuerry has a gift for creating characters and character names that fit right in with the alternative era. For instance, Lena meets an awkward Jimson Quiggley, inventive Tobias Beasley, and the murmuring Scree-cat, Mrs. Mumbles.Lena becomes a stronger heroine as her journey comes to a close. McQuerry does a wonderful job of taking this City girl and putting her through obstacles, in which, Lena prevails and makes something of her situation. The mix of fantasy and steampunk, with a little dash of romance, makes The Peculiars a spectacular read!*eGalley provided by NetGalley on behalf of Abrams.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I highly enjoyed this one! This is what I am looking for when I read a fantasy/steampunk/alternative history book. As you well know I am a bit obsessed with books that take place in a Victorian/Frontier setting. There is just something romantic about traveling by coach or train.Lena is considered very odd because of her extremely long fingers and toes. She has an extra joint on both making shoes and gloves hard to find without custom order. Her Nana blames her father, who ran off when Tessa was five, for giving her Goblinism. Nana tells Lena that she is evil and will go bad. Her mother does love her but is weaker willed than her own mother. Lena grows up believing that she has no soul and will ultimately show the world that she is bad. Lena does not always make the best choices but it is understandable because she is desperate for acceptance and love. Lena travels to a land called Scree to find her father and find out who she really is; a human or a goblin. She makes a “friend” of the local Marshall, Thomas, in Scree but he is asking her to spy on a Mr. Beasley and find incriminating evidence that he is helping Peculiars. Thomas Saltre has his own agenda and uses Lena to get his way. He is constantly showing her signs of affection but you know how he really feels about Peculiars. She had already met Mr. Beasley’s new librarian, Jimson, on the train ride to Scree and stuck a genuine friendship. Jimson is a genuine sweetie and I really like his character! He is smart and makes the best of all the situations he is thrown into with his association with Lena and Mr. Beasley. Lena is readily accepted into the household and she feels guilt for spying. I won’t tell you anymore because it is such a good book!The book incorporates an alternate history of the American frontier with a bit of Steampunk thrown in. It reminded me of the Frontier Magic Series by Patricia C. Wrede but it has a faster pace and a bit more action. Plus there is a dirigible! Sometimes I just want to shake Lena and tell her that she is being an idiot but at the same time I understand her need to be loved. I just wished she choose the right person from the start. However, she does grow up and becomes a strong character and make amends to the people she has hurt. Overall I would recommend this one to anyone who likes fantasy or Steampunk. Hope there are more books that incorporate the world of Scree. McQuerry has really struck a cord with me and I hope that Lena, Jimson, and Mr. Beasley get another book!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5ARC provided by NetGalleyThe description of the book really caught my eye. I mean how could you not want to read a book that has a librarian as one of its main characters? And I guess you could also be interested in the fact that there’s this group of people called “Peculiars” who have unusual characteristics...like wings or perhaps really long fingers and toes, like goblins. And so I eagerly dived into the story and wasn't disappointed.On her 18th birthday Lena Mattacascar receives her father’s inheritance, a small amount of money and a deed to mine and she didn’t know was in her family. So Lena decides to go and search for her father, who vanished when she was young, in the wilderness of Scree...where the Pecuilars live. The pecuilars have characteristics like wings or really long fingers and toes, like goblins do...and like Lena does. On the train ride north she meets a young librarian named Jimson Quiggley who is going to work for the inventor Mr. Beasley. Also on the train is the mysterious marshal, Thomas Saltre, who recruits Lena to spy on Mr. Beasley and the strange people that visit his home. Lena is soon torn between two different world and a daring escape into the wilds lead her to confront her past and her fears of who she really is.Maureen has created a fascinating world, one that is easy for anyone to slip into. Who hasn’t felt like they had features that made them stand out from everyone else, such as big ear or big hands, that make them feel like they want to hide away from everyone else? Lena is a character that is easy to relate to, not because she is different, but because she is so like many of us and gives us hope that we can overcome some of the challenges that face us in this world. Even better than that she is someone that many of us could call a friend. Yes, she makes bad choices from time to time, but she learns from them and grows from them. The other characters in the story are also easily relatable to, even the so called villain of the story the young marshal Thomas Saltre, has some redeeming qualities to him.The one issue I really have with the story is that it seems like we’re missing part of the story. For example, about half way through the book we’re introduced to this book that Mr. Beasley takes possession of from the nuns that appears to show how “the Percuilars” come from the same place as the rest of humanity, even the devout and pious missionaries. But this is only hinted at and never really fully explained or explored. It feels like a half formed idea that the author forget to come back to. Perhaps this is just the first book in a series and she’ll explain it more, and I look forward to that if she does, but for the time its a detraction.Overall this is an enjoyable read and one that I’d recommend to any young teen growing up, whether they be male or female, because they can all find something familiar to them in the story. I also hope there are future volumes to this tale and that we find out more about the mysterious book from the nuns
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Peculiars definitely lives up to its name, if anything it is certainly peculiar.Lena has grown up under the scrutinous eye of her grandmother. She is shy, untrusting and a bit jaded with the people in the world who are so quick to judge those who are different. Lena displays characteristics of goblinism — extra knuckles, strange hands and feet, elongated build — and she and her family fear that she could easily become one of these money-hungry, treacherous creatures once she fully matures. It is believed that her father was exactly that sort of creature, and Lena is terrified of falling into the same lifestyle.After reading a letter from her father that he’d left for her to be read the day she turned eighteen, Lena decides to head Northward to find a rumored land called Scree, where, supposedly, people with similar abnormalities live.I thought the world was fascinating. Ms. MsQuerry has effortlessly blended American History, Steampunk and her own fantasy world to make it seem completely real. I’d love to physically step into this world, just for a few hours, to actually experience it myself.Ms. McQuerry has also crafted an engaging story with mostly likable characters. I think my favorite, by far, was the character of Jimson. He’s extremely vivacious and naturally curious. I almost wish he was the main character.As far as Lena is concerned, I never fully connected with her. I understood her, and at times even agreed with her, I just never felt like I trusted her. Now, don’t get me wrong — I love an untrustworthy narrator. It makes the story so much more interesting, but at some point I have to be able to see behind their reasoning for some of their choices and I just couldn’t do that here. Because of my inability to fully connect with Lena, I’m a little on the fence with this one. I liked it, but I wanted to love it, and I just didn’t.The book does raise some interesting questions and makes some very valid points, especially about how we treat those we perceive as different, and what that fear can do to a society.I would definitely recommend checking this one out if you like steampunk. As I said earlier, I thought the world was amazing.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Originally Reviewed at: Mother/Gamer/Writer Rating: 5 out of 5 Controllers Review Source: NetGalley Reviewer: Heather The Peculiars is a steampunk novel set around a young half goblin woman named Lena. She has extra large hands and feet that she has tried – all her life – to disguise. After all, Peculiars have no souls, they aren’t human, tricksters, charming…or so the government claims. Fueled by the need for answers, and the hopes of finding her father, Lena sets out on a journey. She unexpectedly finds herself a new friend on the ride there, a man that does not seem to judge her for what she clearly is. As events unfold she finds herself in the employment of the infamous Mr. Beasley who is not only a man of medicine, but also of modern steam technology. But everyone has their secrets… This is my first real steampunk themed novel, and I wasn’t certain I would enjoy it. While I may not be much into the trending scenes we find in the real world, I feel drawn to movies, shows and imagery of all things steampunk. It wasn’t until reading The Peculiars that I developed a love for the literature too. The novel has well developed characters, a steady plot, and lots of excitement. Maureen Doyle McQuerry has an outstanding talent with descriptions and the ability to really paint a beautiful scene. The intertwining of many historical points is also to be noted as it really gave a sense of the period of time. Overall, The Peculiars is packed with action, an intriguing mystery, fancy machines and awesome weapons. There’s also and adorable cat named Mrs. Mumbles that I’d love to own. I highly recommend this story for young adults and of course those of us adults who refuse to stop believing!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Background: Lena is not a normal teenage girl; she is actually quite extraordinary, with large feet and hands. On her 18th birthday she decides to take an adventure to find her father who left her when she was young. She travels to the mysterious Scree, which is inhabited by Peculiars, people whose unusual characteristics make them unacceptable to modern society. While on the train to Scree, Lena becomes immersed in an adventure, which is more than what she expected on her quest to find her father.Review: A friend recently told me that a book is made or broken by the first 20 pages, and The Peculiars is made by them. In the first few chapters we are introduced to Lena, find out that her father is gone, and that she might be part goblin. Then we experience a train heist and learn a criminal has been abducted… I can only say that I wanted to keep reading and never put it down. The only qualms I had with the beginning of this story were the perceptions of others from Lena’s point of view; she keeps informing the reader that she does not like to be stared at or judged for being different but upon meeting the first person (other than family) on her train ride, she judges him right off from the type of hat he is wearing and continues to do so with others. This also leads into her judgment of others throughout the book which steers the reader into the conflict. I think that this was a great read, within the steam punk genre it does offer some of the interesting science and steam powered inventions of the era. I think the overall this story was an interesting one, Lena was not really a likable character but the others were and the idea of criminals and Peculiar people being sent to the mysterious Scree was impelling. The Peculiars themselves where scarce, we meet Lena who thinks she is part Goblin and we meet another family that have wings…but other than that there really isn’t much development of these Peculiar races. I would have liked to see more of that, a learned about them, not just that the city people hated them. If you like adventures of any type, this book fits the build.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5THE 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.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Actual Rating: ★★½☆☆☆ (2.5 out 5 stars)
Lena, as the female heroine and main character of the story, was –for me– a bit disappointing; she began as a strong character and somehow was replaced halfway through the story. I like my heroines to be strong. Lena’s insecurities were so deeply rooted on her need to be accepted that she let others dictate her actions instead of taking ownership of her situation. She is constantly just waiting to be rescued and relies on others to be able to do anything. Strangely, that is not the character that we meet at the beginning of the book. From the get go Lena seems to be ready to find out her father and just try to make it on her own. However, as soon as she arrives at the first point on her destination she completely develops the damsel in distress syndrome. Even when she ‘takes matters into her own hands’ she is just ignoring the evidence right in front of her and letting other characters’ decisions and actions determine her moves and her path.
I have to say, Lena aside, the world created by the author is beautifully rendered. Zephyr House, where a good chunk of the action takes place, is a magnificent home that I truly wish I could visit and I would have like for the characters to had the chance to explore it better. It is here that we see the major aspects of steampunk come to life. The description of the people and the peculiars are great and it helps the mood of the story. Of all the characters my favorite is Ms. Mumbles a very tough and even more loyal Scree cat.
The tone was, for the most part, very slow. I like stories that have a good combination of action and reflection. Action doesn’t have to be limited or solely relied upon high adrenaline pumping scenarios, but I believe that once the scene is over, the reader most feel like something was accomplished or discovered. Either by learning something or reaching a goal, the reader most feel like the story is progressing. Unfortunately there are many scenes where the characters are just sitting around doing things but accomplishing very little very slowly.
The bottom line is that I enjoyed parts of the story while others felt like they were dragging. The world was amazing, but I couldn’t connect or relate to any of the characters. It plays with the notion of what it is that which differentiates us from mindless, soulless creatures. The story is good, just not my style; it was a bit too slow for my taste.
At the end of the book there is a small appendix by the author dedicated to elucidate the fact from the fiction within the story. For example, one –very minor– character arrives via The Pony Express to deliver some important news; in the appendix the author explains how real The Pony Express was already out of use during the time that the story takes place (late 1800s) but that she took some “liberties” and not only was The Pony Express working, it also reached farther than the real one. This appendix was a nice surprise at the end that I actually enjoyed (I usually just bypass them). - Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Slight spoilers. Read with Caution.
One of the worst books I’ve ever read in my life. The authors writing is atrocious. The plot and character development are basically nonexistent, and added to that the main character is a dolt who makes literally every mistake that it was possible for her to make throughout the story arc. The ending....I’ll just say that it was very sad and after waiting for what felt like forever while the ending was drawn out the arc just ends with a sappy romantic finish. This book is suitable for children and perhaps teenage girl with romantic tendencies. But I found the main characters lack of foresight while claiming to be extremely observant completely unacceptable, in much the same way that any idiot walking around claiming to be Sherlock Holmes would be unacceptable and easily proved to be a falsehood. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Title : The Peculiars
Series : -
Author : Maureen Doyle McQuerry
Pages : 354
Release Date : May 1st 2012
Publisher : Amulet Books
Format : ARC
Source :
** An ARC was provided by Amulet Books in exchange of an honest review!**
My Opinion :
The Peculiars (and I always forget to write and pronounce the i, because I think it sounds better! You know, The Peculars!) is Maureen Doyle McQuerry's debut YA novel (huzzahh!)
The story is set in the alternative late 1800s (it's steampunk!), where some people are different; they have wings, or are goblins. They are called Peculiars, and most normal citizens are afraid of them, because they think the Peculiard are soulless, but, no, they are not! And Lena, a young girl who has just hit the age of eighteen, wants to go to Scree, a place where it is rumored to be keeping Peculiars, because she thinks her dad, who left her and her mom at 5 years old, is there. And so, she sets out to find him, but many twists come along the way!
Lena is a really self-conscious, not-confident-at-all, shy and great character. She,S got big hands and big feet, which causes her to be shy and self-conscious, always hiding them as much as she can without being obvious.I feel like the story needed a character just like her, except when she did some things without thinking about them beforehand, which annoyed me a little. I believe she makes the novel more special! And, Jimson... (oh god, I have too much book boyfriends *sigh* and *swoon*) I simply love his ways of making Lena blush. I love the hint of shy love there is between him and Lena (Oh, how I wish I was her!). And the cat... what a loyal cat. And he's weird (*quote taken from ARC on pages 102*) :
'It was unlike any cat purr that Lena had ever heard. It was the sound of muttered words. '' Like a person mumbling something you can't quite catch'' She said as she looked down at the arched back of the cat. '' Exactly. That's why she's called Mumbles'' '
Isn't that funny? Mumbles! (*giggles*) Name your cat like that! Let's do a 'Mumbles Revolution' ! #TeamMumbles YES (*clears throat*) I really love that cat! She's just so loyal and nice and a cutie pie!
I liked the kind of mystery in this book. Because you wonder what happened to her father, where he is, etc.
Also, there were lots of drama, which, as you may already know, I love drama!
A wonderful debut; McQuerry has a way of telling a story like no other.
RATING
4 roses!1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Peculiars is an interesting twist on the steampunk genre. Set in the early 1800's, where girls were to be proper and mind their manners, shows an 18 year-old girl named Lena who travels by herself in search of her father. After listening to her Grammy for years about the scoundrel, Lena searches for answers to the nagging questions of: am I a Peculiar like my father? Do I have goblin blood in me? Why did my father leave me? Will I become unruly like him? In her adventures, Lena meets Mr. Beasley who it is rumored to help Peculiars evade scrutiny. Lena, along with her traveling companion Jimson, set out to organize Mr. Beasley's library. Lena unwittingly aids a corrupt official to capture Mr. Beasley and his associates. After their daring escape, Lena truly learns who she can trust and the true meaning of friendship. This is the first story in the steampunk genre that I have read. This story had all things fairy tale and historical intertwined. I did take quite a long time for the story to move along, but once it did I really enjoyed learning about Mr. Beasley and his inventions. Lena's character was easily liked and seeing her grow throughout the story was heartwarming. What a refreshing tale!
1 person found this helpful
Book preview
The Peculiars - Maureen Doyle McQuerry
PUBLISHER’S NOTE: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been applied for and may be obtained from the Library of Congress.
ISBN: 978-1-4197-0178-8
Text copyright © 2012 Maureen Doyle McQuerry
Book design by Chad W. Beckerman
Published in 2012 by Amulet Books, an imprint of ABRAMS. All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher. Amulet Books and Amulet Paperbacks are registered trademarks of Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
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Contents
Chapter 1: A Physical Examination Raises the Question of Genetics
Chapter 2: Lena Meets a Man of Science
Chapter 3: An Encounter with a Criminal and a Gun
Chapter 4: A Lawman’s Questions
Chapter 5: Revelations
Chapter 6: Knob Knoster by the Sea
Chapter 7: Miss Brett’s for Women
Chapter 8: The Marshal Again
Chapter 9: Mr. Beasley’s Library
Chapter 10: An Offer
Chapter 11: A Medical Conundrum
Chapter 12: An Illuminated Text
Chapter 13: A Criminal Endeavor
Chapter 14: The Nature of Peculiars
Chapter 15: A Tragedy in the Orchard
Chapter 16: Explorations
Chapter 17: A Distressing Discovery
Chapter 18: Lena Spies a Winged Girl and Makes a Pact
Chapter 19: Pansy Demple
Chapter 20: More Revelations
Chapter 21: Lena Plans an Escape
Chapter 22: Through the Library Window
Chapter 23: The Aerocopter
Chapter 24: The Borders of Scree
Chapter 25: The Borderlands
Chapter 26: The Girandoni
Chapter 27: Travels to Ducktown
Chapter 28: Bounty Hunters
Chapter 29: Lena Joins the Criminal Class
Chapter 30: In Which Jimson and Merilee Display Acting Abilities
Chapter 31: Stranded in the Snow
Chapter 32: The Question of Genetics Is Raised Once More
Chapter 33: The Family Business
Chapter 34: Porphyrium
Chapter 35: Learning to Whistle
Historical Note
Acknowledgments
About the Author
LENA AT EIGHT YEARS OF AGE
There’s no mistaking what your father was, not when you’ve got feet and hands like those.
Nana Crane grabs my hand in her own plump one. She runs her finger with the emerald ring down the length of my palm. I try to pull away. She pinches my hand tighter. Goblin phalanges. The hands and feet don’t lie, child. It’s in your genes.
But Poppa doesn’t have hands and feet like these!
Nana Crane’s ring glints in the light. No, he doesn’t. His are small. Everything about him is small, especially his heart. I always knew there was something peculiar about him despite his talk of being from the East.
She drops my hand and stares into the middle distance. Her chin quivers. Not every goblin has them, but it’s a sure sign. Just like those feet. You’re bound to be just like him.
It scares me when she talks that way about Poppa. Inside the ugly specially made shoes, I try to curl my stiff toes to make my feet as small as possible, feet that are so long no regular shoes will fit them. I am tired of the doctor prodding and poking at my tender feet, then speaking as if I weren’t in the room.
The girl has the signs of goblinism. There’s no denying it, even though not many people can recognize the syndrome anymore.
Dr. Crink looks at my mother over the edge of his glasses. She displays three readily identifiable characteristics to the trained eye: elongated hands and feet, soft fleshy soles, and precocious intelligence. If you’re worried about what other people will think, don’t. Hardly anyone but a few old doctors has seen anything like this in their lifetime. Most doctors would say these hands and feet are a defect of birth.
A small gulping noise. Mother is having trouble speaking.
When you find them clustered like that
—the good doctor shrugs his beefy shoulders—it points in one direction. Of course, only time will tell about the other, less obvious, characteristics.
I sit on my hands. They splay under me like giant spiders. Mother has always said that they are piano-player hands. That I have an advantage any pianist would envy. I can easily span more than an octave, but practice makes my fingers ache. I know I will never be more than a middling pianist.
And those characteristics?
Now that her voice returns, it is hardly more than a whisper.
Dr. Crink continues as if he didn’t hear her. You’re sure that no one in your family has displayed these traits?
No one.
Your husband’s family, then?
I’ve never met them, but my husband has normal hands and feet.
The doctor writes something on a clipboard. I’d like to meet with him.
My husband is no longer with us.
He looks up, removing his glasses. He is deceased?
Mother’s face blooms pink. No, he left us several years ago.
She now has the doctor’s full attention. Left, eh? Describe him to me, please.
I remember Poppa’s quick laugh, the funny faces he made, the way he used to sing to me when I cried. And I remember the other things: flashes of anger that could sear me to the bone.
My husband is a short man with a quick wit and good business sense. He can be very charming.
Charming, is it?
The doctor raises caterpillar eyebrows. And does he drink?
Mother’s lips pleat into her face. I know that look. She won’t say another word.
Loyal.
He shook his head. Silly woman. We’re talking about a genetic disorder. In mixed marriages—cases like these—we wait and see which traits are dominant.
Surely, environment can—
There is no question of nature versus nurture. Science shows very clearly that development is all in the genes. Mr. Mendel proved it with peas.
He tears a piece of paper from his pad. Here are the other things you should watch for.
• • •
And they had watched. Lena’s feet grew longer and the soles softer. Her hands spidered out like daddy longlegs. Her grandmother monitored her for wild thoughts, a keen interest in money, and for a temper she did her best to hide. And Lena had watched herself.
Lying in her bed at night, her heart pounding, she wondered if her thoughts were too wild, if goblin genes would overtake her while she slept. She imagined running away on a belching steam train or fording streams on the back of a fat elephant while its leathery trunk swung like a pendulum. In her dreams, Lena rose and fell with the swell of waves, captaining a ship, sea spray salting her hair. When she had these dreams, she knew that goblinishness was taking hold, growing from a seed buried deep inside her. No other girl could have such wild imaginings and, try as she might, she couldn’t tame them. And the truth was she didn’t try very hard.
Every morning she checked the mirror with dread, expecting a face she didn’t know. She wanted to be anybody other than her father’s child.
A SHORT AND UNSATISFACTORY LETTER FROM HER FATHER DELIVERED BY HER MOTHER ON THE OCCASION OF HER EIGHTEENTH BIRTHDAY
Sit down, Lena. I have one last gift for you.
Puzzled, I look at my mother. She had already given me the new Wilkie Collins novel I’d been wanting and a short green velvet jacket. Now I notice her hands trembling, and the telltale flush of her face.
Best get it over with, Rose,
Nana Crane urges from her chair by the fire. It’s past my bedtime, and I want to see what the fool had up his sleeve this time.
Your father left you a small inheritance and an envelope to be opened on your eighteenth birthday.
My mother places two envelopes side by side on the tea table next to the bone-handled letter opener. Poppa’s script, sharp and vertical, runs across the front of both envelopes. With my own hands trembling I slit open the larger of the two envelopes.
Inside, there is a paper wrapped around a slim stack of crisp, new bills. Not a fortune, but enough. Enough to finance my plans.
Well, what will you do with it?
Nana Crane’s eyes glitter like a bird’s.
Go to Scree.
When I finally say the words aloud, I realize I have opened a box that cannot be closed again. I think of Pandora.
Oh, my dear!
Mother wails.
And then louder and sharper, Nana Crane’s voice: Of all the foolish nonsense! You will not set foot in that wild place.
I’ve been thinking about it for a long time. I have to go.
I’m watching Mother’s face, knowing my words will hurt and hating myself for them.
Just like her father. It’s her goblin blood calling her home.
Nana Crane barks a dry laugh. What’s in the other envelope?
I’m not going to open it yet.
The envelope is clenched in my hand. I expect it’s a letter.
Better to read it in private, without Nana Crane’s eyes on me, without Mother’s tears. I rewrap the bills in their paper and slip them back into the envelope.
No good will come of this.
And leaning on her cane, Nana Crane makes her way to bed.
A log pops in the fire. I stay seated in the dim parlor with Mother, both envelopes buried now in the pocket of my skirt.
Scree’s the place where they send criminals. They say the forests are filled with hideous things. Why would you want to go to such an uncivilized place?
Her voice quavers.
I count the furrows on her forehead. It’s the first time I’ve disobeyed her openly.
Because I have to know if Nana Crane is right, if I am part goblin. If there really are such things as Peculiars.
Now it’s my voice that stumbles. I can’t keep living this way, wondering what I am, what I’ll become. Besides, it’s the kind of place Poppa might have gone. Maybe I’ll find him there.
I’ve reassured you over and over again: You’re a perfectly normal girl, despite your poor hands and feet.
She puts her arms around me to offer comfort the way she did when I was little. For a minute I lean into her warmth. Her voice drops to a whisper. No matter what Nana Crane says, your father is not a Peculiar. He’s from the East, which explains some of his unusual ways . . . although it doesn’t excuse abandonment.
For the first time I hear the strain of bitterness in my mother’s voice, the words stretched tight as a wire. Don’t look for him, Lena. He’s not worth the risk.
It’s almost dawn before I’m alone in my room. I rip open the envelope.
Lena,
It appears that I have no talent for ordinary life. I’m hoping you do and that you take after your mother. Things will go easier with you. There are many rumors you will hear told of me. Some of them may be true. I’ve left you something to help you get by. You’ll know what to do with it. Don’t let anyone tell you different.
Your father,
Saul Mattacascar
I can’t help but notice that he had signed his full name, as if writing to a stranger.
I tuck the envelope of money under my chemise in my dresser. Then I read the short letter once more, trying to decipher a hidden meaning. What was he? Did he know I’d break my mother’s heart? Each carefully formed letter was as sharp as the quills of a porcupine, bristling across the page. If I touched them, they would prick, draw blood.
PASSENGER TRAIN FROM THE CITY TO KNOB KNOSTER
She was more than the sum of the crimes of her father. Or so Lena had told herself every time Nana Crane got that gleam in her eye, rattled her knitting needles, and reminded her of Father’s indiscretions, of which there seemed to be no end. She was still telling it to herself now, at eighteen, in the Pullman car of a passenger train where, beyond the blue brocade curtains, the arms of trees waved her on through billows of steam. A pot of tea steeped on the table, a familiar comfort for an unfamiliar journey.
Lena was the last passenger in her car. The rest—mostly businessmen in their starched collars and bowler hats, and harried parents taking sticky-faced children to autumn festivals in the country—had disembarked at the various small towns strung along the rail line. She recited their names: Middleborough, Tropolis, Banbury Station. Only three stops left before the end of the line, three stops that would take several hours. Finally, Lena could stretch out her legs, which she had kept tucked under the seat until the last passenger left, and loosen the laces of her handmade boots. How she hated them! Good alligator hide, the cobbler had assured her, never wore out.
The scenery had become progressively wilder as the train made its way north from one town to the next. Each pair of towns had been farther apart than the last two, with small forests and hummocky fields in between. For the first hour she had stared out the window, never turning to the novel on her lap. She had always lived in the City. Open fields and forests were as foreign as brocade curtains and the cut crystal lamp swaying above her head. She pulled off her gloves and flexed her fingers. When she was younger, her mother had cut the fingertips from regular gloves so that they would fit her hands.
As the train slowed, the walnut-paneled door slid open and the conductor strolled in. Approaching Northerdam, miss,
he said around the ends of his blond waxed mustache. And I’ve brought some biscuits for your tea.
He shot a second glance at her gloveless hands. Almost everyone did. But to his credit, he made no comment, merely nodded and passed on to the next car.
LENA REMOVED A MAP FROM THE LINING OF HER DRAWSTRING purse and smoothed it across the marble-topped table. She had traced her route with a thick black pen months earlier. Three more towns to the borders of Scree, where the train line ended—and most roads did too. Knob Knoster, the first stop on her own journey, was the last town, a mere outpost that jutted into the sea on a knob-shaped projection of land. She had circled the name and then drew a line north. Not thirty miles beyond the town was the border of Scree behind its hedge of forest and shale. No one knew much about what went on beyond the borderland, other than the government’s official statements: an undeveloped land, rich in natural resources, home to small numbers of indigenous Peculiar people. Lena had read every report she could find in the library.
"Scree’s been declared terra nullius."
Lena jumped. She had been so absorbed in her map that she hadn’t heard the conductor enter the car again.
A ‘land belonging to no one.’ Just got it over the telegraph last night.
He paused to look over her shoulder at the map.
Excuse me if I’m interfering.
His mustache twitched. But the government has sent in the military to colonize the land and keep order. Most of it is now officially a penal colony. No one’s there but misfits, political enemies, and aliens.
He considered a minute. And a few profiteers. Of course, there’s the indigenous folks, but I don’t know what they’re considered. Superstitious people say Peculiars live there.
Lena worked hard to keep her face blank at the mention of Peculiars.
There are not even any reliable roads. Can’t see why a young woman would be interested in a place like that.
He refilled the water in her teapot.
Lena quickly refolded the map. Her hands were trembling. I am traveling to Knob Knoster to see my mother’s cousin.
The conductor wiped the spout of the silver serving pot with a white towel. Beg pardon, miss. It’s just that your map shows Scree and—
And I am a student of geography. The land interests me.
Lena turned her face to the window.
Yes, miss. Let me know if you need anything else, miss.
Lena heard him leave, but she did not turn her head. A lone woman traveling to Scree for any purpose was sure to draw attention and arouse suspicion. No woman in her right mind would consider such a notion. Nana Crane had made sure Lena understood that. Tales of murders and enchantments, unrest and unsavory politics filtered their way beyond the borders and into the City. Everyone knew someone who knew someone who had heard a story about Scree and its inhabitants. And Lena, thanks to her grandmother, had heard them all.
The train slowed to rest in a valley after lumbering up Jackson Grade and then racing down to Northerdam. It belched great sighs of steam in satisfaction. Lena drained the last of the tea from her cup. Nana Crane would have insisted on reading the leaves, and Lena purposefully gave them a poke with an index finger to rearrange her fate. She flexed her fingers; they were sore. They often were. The doctor had said it was the extra knuckle. The walnut door slid open again, and, without looking up, Lena sighed, then politely asked for more biscuits.
I’m afraid I haven’t brought any with me.
It was not the voice of the blond conductor. It was a younger voice, but a man’s voice all the same. She looked up slowly as she slipped her hands into the folds of her skirt.
Jimson Quiggley, without any biscuits.
He removed his hat. His curly black hair immediately sprang out, glad to escape the confines of such a hat. May I—that is, unless you don’t want company?
She didn’t want company. She had been relieved when everyone left. Why was this man—well, he was really not much older than she was—getting on the train so near the end of the line? She could hardly ask him. She smiled thinly.
Of course. Lena Mattacascar.
She nodded. She was not about to offer her hand to this stranger in a cheap suit. Despite being strictly middle class, Lena’s mother and Nana Crane had been very particular about the cut and quality of cloth in Lena’s few traveling garments.
That’s good. I walked through the cars until I found someone to sit with. It’s better than traveling alone. Did you know there are only a few stodgy sorts left in the front?
He spoke quickly, all in one breath. Lena found it annoying.
Not many people travel this far north.
She wanted to put her map back in her purse, but to do that she would have to remove her ungloved hands from the fabric of her skirt.
He plopped down in the seat across from her; stretched his long legs, and carefully placed his dreadful little hat on the seat beside him. It was amazing how much a hat could tell you about someone, Lena thought. Either his taste was bad or it was the best he could afford.
The train lurched to wakefulness, shuddered once, and let out a loud snort before resuming its lumbering gate.
We’re headed out to the coast now.
Jimson had his nose pressed to the window. That’s my sister Polly. She rode with me to the station.
A pretty black-haired girl with a toddler at her side waved a handkerchief at the train. And my nephew, Gelft.
With two fingers he stretched his mouth wide and waggled his tongue back and forth at the little boy on the platform. He couldn’t wait to see the train. We took one of those new steam wagons to the station! Holds eight people and doesn’t need a horse at all because it has a sixteen-horsepower, two-cylinder motor. All run by steam!
Lena tried not to laugh. It seemed Jimson was as excited as Gelft. I’ve never been in one,
she said. But I’ve heard they’re very noisy.
Noisy? That’s the sound of progress!
Jimson kept his face pressed to the window as he waved to his nephew.
While Jimson was distracted, Lena quickly stuffed the map back in her purse and pulled on the constricting black gloves. You should always wear black, dear. They will make your hands look so much smaller,
the glover had said when Lena had eyed a lavender pair with beading. She drew her feet back under the seat, making sure the hem of her skirt shielded them from view. Jimson, she noted, was traveling with a book, Mr. Darwin’s latest.
Where are you going?
Jimson removed an orange from his bag and began to peel it with a pocketknife. Peels fell in curls on the table, and the smell of orange filled the car. Lena’s mouth watered.
North.
Well, of course you’re going north. That’s the only direction this train is headed, isn’t it? Let me guess, then. Cloister.
It was the next stop en route. You’ve got a sister who is a nun and you’re going to visit her. Unless you’re planning to become a nun yourself?
Lena colored. It was not polite to talk about religion. No, I—
Good thing, because you would have to cut off all that hair. How long is it anyway?
He gazed admiringly at her thick black braid that disappeared behind one shoulder. Unbound, it came to her waist and in some way made up for her miserable hands and feet, but she wasn’t about to tell him that.
I’m traveling to Knob Knoster.
What—Knoster? On the borderlands? Me too.
When he smiled, it was with his whole face, not just his mouth.
Lena couldn’t help herself; she could feel a real smile stretching around her faux one. He paused with a slice of orange suspended midway to his mouth. What if he offered it to her? She’d have to reveal her hands. Lena swallowed and clenched her right hand into a fist.
What are you going to do in Knoster?
Lena had rehearsed an answer to this question; it was to be expected. Still, she wound one ankle tightly around the other in the shadows under her seat where no one else could see. My mother’s cousin lives there.
It just happened that her mother really did have a cousin living in the closest town to the borders of Scree. But Lena had no intention of visiting her. She had the cousin’s address written on a scrap of paper buried deep in her drawstring bag, along with the address of her real destination, a boardinghouse—Miss Brett’s. It would be temporary lodging while she made her plans and gathered supplies. The fewer people who knew about her intentions of traveling into Scree, the better. So she had never bothered to contact Miss Amelia Crane to let her know she was coming. But she kept the address just in case her plans didn’t work out.
Jimson wasn’t really interested in her answer anyway, Lena decided. He just wanted to tell her about why he was traveling to Knoster, and she was happy to let him talk.
I’m going for a job. I’m going to be a librarian.
Lena looked up, past his lively blue eyes and dark brows to the top of his curly black hair. Then she looked down over the shiny knees of his gray suit to his gleaming black shoes. His feet, she noted, were much smaller than her own. Nothing in what she observed made her think of the word librarian.
Everything about him was too wild—as if his body could barely contain all the life in it. My mother is a librarian
was all she could think to say. A children’s librarian.
She slipped her hands under her thighs and nodded for emphasis.
Is she?
Jimson was leaning forward in his seat, his elbows resting on the shiny knees of his suit. His long face was earnest and close enough that Lena noticed a faint dappling of freckles across his nose and cheeks. What exactly does she do?
Excuse me?
It was a very peculiar question, coming from this non-librarian-looking librarian.
As a children’s librarian, I mean. I know she must catalogue books and research things for people with questions and check out books—
Here his voice faltered. I’m kind of new at this, see. I’ve never really been a librarian before. I’ve been working in my father’s store selling farm implements and hating it.
Lena tried to cover her surprise. Most librarians had training. Just two years prior, the first library school had opened in the City. "Well, she does check out books and research things, but she does much more than that. She recommends books, she orders books, and every Saturday afternoon