The fact that this book was based on a TV series made me hesitate a bit, especially because when I watched the first episode of Ms Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries (the sequel to Miss Fisher, which I love), I realized they solve the same mystery. That disappointed me a little. In the end, I decided to continue with the book first, and maybe later I’ll give the show a chance.
What I find curious is that when it’s the opposite, when a TV show or movie is based on a book, you usually end up turning to the book to understand the characters better, to connect more deeply with them, because books always give you more room for that. But here it didn’t feel like that connection was there. Maybe I’ll have to watch the series to see if the characters work better on screen than on the page.
As for the book itself, I don’t think I connected with any of the characters. They try to show Peregrine as independent, strong, and clever, but for me it didn’t fully resonate, it sometimes felt a bit forced. And the way she suddenly decides to become a detective like her aunt felt too abrupt. Just because her aunt was a detective, she wants to try it too? But we don’t get any real backstory or explanation that helps us understand who she is or what her actual skills are. Nothing that makes you think, yes, she has what it takes to be a detective because of who she is, not just because of who her aunt was.
On top of that, the convenient bits of knowledge she suddenly has to solve the mystery felt… too convenient. Since we barely know her, it’s hard to believe she’s naturally good at this. And comparing her to the police detectives felt odd, they were written almost as useless, unable to deduce anything, just to make her look more competent. For me, it didn’t quite work.
