The Peculiars --by Maureen Doyle McQuerry

Fiction – Young Adult, Steampunk

359 pages

Footnotes/Endnotes: No (yes, but not called out in the text, and worth reading!)

Illustrations: No

Suitable for eReaders: Yes

Disclaimer! In the interests of Honesty, Rainy Day must tell the truth, not only does she know the author, but they are in the same writer's group! Just because Rainy Day says this is a fantastic read – believe her, it is! (She received nothing of value to promote this book. Honest. Trust her.)

The Peculiars was Rainy Day's introduction to Steampunk, a genre she'd heard about, but knew nothing. Steampunk is set in a very specific time, in the 1880s, and everything is powered by steam – including typewriters.

Our heroine, Lena Mattacascar had the misfortune to be, well, peculiar. Her feet were long and soft, and her fingers were too long, with an extra joint. She showed the true signs of Goblinism and was, well, peculiar. When Lena turns eighteen, she takes her inheritance from the father who abandoned her mother and herself many years prior, and goes north to the land of Scree in search of him and the family she never knew. And answers.

Her mother's family and the family doctor are all sure her father has goblin in his blood (where else would Lena have gotten it?) and that he has, uh, personality flaws. Lena must find out if she, too, has these flaws, whatever they are.

Peculiars are different people, some have long feet and fingers, some have wings, some have 'powers' and they are being outlawed because they are different. They are being sent north, to the wild lands of Scree. How different is Lena? Will she find her family, or be sent north as a prisoner? Oh, you will have to read the book to find out, Rainy Day will never tell.

Is being different a bad thing? Is it something to fear? Is it something to celebrate? Rainy Day has many questions about being different.

Rainy Day says: Buy and read this book! It is a great read, a lot of fun, and, well, different!