Fleeing the Island Sanctuary

The peculiar children, led by Jacob Portman, flee their time-looped island home after it is raided by monstrous hollowgast and their human allies, the wights. With their protector, Miss Peregrine, trapped in bird form and unable to guide them, the children row across treacherous waters toward the uncertain safety of mainland Wales. The journey is grueling, marked by exhaustion, fear, and the looming threat of pursuit. As they leave behind the only home they've ever known, Jacob grapples with the weight of his new role as protector and the legacy of his grandfather, Abraham Portman.

Storms, Loss, and Survival

A violent storm scatters the group, nearly drowning Bronwyn and Olive, but their peculiar abilities and teamwork save them. The children lose most of their supplies and are left with only the bare essentials. They land on the Welsh coast, battered and demoralized, with Miss Peregrine still trapped as a bird and growing weaker. The group's unity is tested as they face hunger, exposure, and the realization that their journey has only just begun.

The Broken Ymbryne

Miss Peregrine, their ymbryne and surrogate mother, is unable to return to human form due to a mysterious poison administered by the wights. The children are forced to confront the possibility of losing her forever. Emma, Jacob's closest confidante and love interest, rallies the group, insisting they must find another ymbryne to heal Miss Peregrine before her humanity is lost. The children's hope is fragile, but their determination to save their headmistress binds them together.

Into the Wild Unknown

The children trek through forests and across lakes, guided by Olive's aerial perspective and Jacob's growing ability to sense hollowgast. They encounter remnants of the war—bombed villages, frightened refugees, and the ever-present threat of discovery. The group's peculiarities, once a source of comfort, now make them targets. Jacob's sense of responsibility deepens as he realizes the children's survival may depend on his unique power to detect and fight hollows.

Allies and Animal Refuge

The children stumble upon a hidden loop inhabited by talking animals and peculiar creatures, led by the erudite dog Addison and the emu-raffe Deirdre. Here, they learn of the near-extinction of peculiar animals and the broader crisis facing peculiardom. The animals reveal that most ymbrynes have been captured and that the wights' plan is more sinister than the children realized. The menagerie becomes a place of rest, reflection, and hard choices, as the children must leave behind two of their own to recover.

The Menagerie's Secret

Millard discovers that the children's storybook, Tales of the Peculiar, contains coded information about loops and peculiar history. A story about a stone giant leads them to a secret loop entrance, where they must outwit a hollowgast and rely on their peculiar talents to survive. The children's understanding of their world deepens, and Jacob's ability to sense and anticipate hollows grows stronger, marking his transformation from outsider to leader.

Pursued by Wights and War

The children's journey is relentlessly dogged by wights and hollowgast, who use the chaos of World War II as cover for their hunt. The group is forced to hide, fight, and flee through bombed cities and forests, narrowly escaping capture multiple times. Jacob's power becomes their best defense, but the constant danger strains their trust and unity. The children's innocence is eroded as they witness the cruelty of both human and peculiar enemies.

The Gypsy Pact

The children are captured by a band of Gypsies, who initially see them as threats but become allies after recognizing their peculiar nature. The Gypsies help the children evade wights and provide them with food, shelter, and transport. The encounter forces the children to confront the ethics of survival, as they must choose between violence and compassion, secrecy and trust. Jacob's leadership is tested as he navigates these moral gray areas.

Captured and Rescued

Despite their precautions, the children are betrayed and handed over to wights, only to be saved by Hugh's peculiar command of bees and the Gypsies' courage. The rescue is costly, leaving the children shaken and more aware than ever of the wights' reach and ruthlessness. The episode cements the children's resolve to save Miss Peregrine and resist the wights, even as the risks mount and their options dwindle.

The Road to London

With Miss Peregrine's time running out, the children make their way to London, the heart of peculiardom and the wights' stronghold. They navigate a city under siege, using clues from the Tales and the guidance of peculiar pigeons to seek out the last free ymbryne, Miss Wren. The journey is fraught with danger—air raids, hollow attacks, and the ever-present threat of exposure. Jacob's relationship with Emma deepens, but so does his internal conflict about his place in this world.

Bombs, Loops, and Pigeons

In bombed-out London, the children follow a trail of peculiar pigeons to St. Paul's Cathedral, where they discover a hidden loop and meet new peculiars, including the telekinetic Melina and the echolocating twins. Together, they evade hollows and wights, using their combined abilities and the wisdom hidden in their storybook. The group's unity and resourcefulness are tested as they face the horrors of war and the loss of innocence.

The Frozen Archives

The children reach the peculiar archives, now encased in supernatural ice by the powerful peculiar Althea. Inside, they find Miss Wren, the last free ymbryne, who agrees to help Miss Peregrine. The archives become a temporary sanctuary, but the children learn the full extent of the wights' plan: to extract peculiar souls and feed them to hollowgast, creating super-hollows capable of entering loops. The children must decide whether to fight for all peculiardom or focus on saving their own.

Miss Wren's Last Stand

Miss Wren begins the delicate process of restoring Miss Peregrine, while the children debate their future. Some wish to fight the wights, others to hide, and Jacob is torn between returning home and staying with Emma. The group's unity is strained by fear, exhaustion, and the weight of destiny. As Miss Peregrine's transformation nears, the children hope for a miracle that will restore their leader and give them a path forward.

The Deception Unveiled

Miss Peregrine's restoration is revealed as a trap: the bird is not Miss Peregrine but her brother Caul, a wight in disguise. The children have been manipulated from the start, their every move anticipated and used to lead the wights to Miss Wren and the last sanctuary of peculiardom. The archives are overrun, Althea is killed, and the children are captured. The betrayal is devastating, leaving the group broken and at the mercy of their enemies.

Betrayal and Capture

The children are marched at gunpoint through modern London, their peculiarities suppressed and their fate uncertain. Caul reveals the wights' ultimate plan: to harvest the souls of peculiars and ymbrynes, achieving godlike power and dooming peculiardom. The children's dreams of rescue and resistance seem impossible as they are separated, beaten, and prepared for soul extraction. Jacob's sense of failure and loss is overwhelming.

The Choice to Stay or Go

In the aftermath of betrayal, Jacob is forced to choose between returning to his old life or staying to fight for peculiardom. Emma, fearing for his safety, urges him to go home, but Jacob's love for her and his sense of responsibility pull him in both directions. The group's unity is fractured, and Jacob's internal struggle mirrors the larger battle between hope and despair, action and retreat.

The Hollow's Submission

Separated from the others and on the verge of death, Jacob discovers a new aspect of his peculiarity: the ability to communicate with and command hollowgast. In a moment of crisis, he subdues a hollow and escapes with Emma and Addison the dog. This revelation transforms Jacob from hunted to potential savior, hinting at a new hope for the peculiar world and a new role for Jacob as a leader and bridge between worlds.

Love, Loss, and Destiny

As the children are taken away and Jacob is left behind, he must reckon with the pain of separation, the loss of innocence, and the burden of destiny. His love for Emma and his loyalty to his friends drive him to embrace his peculiar nature and the fight ahead. The story ends on a note of uncertainty and resolve, as Jacob steps into his new power, determined to save his friends and the future of peculiardom—no matter the cost.

Characters

Jacob Portman

Jacob is a modern American teenager thrust into the world of peculiars by the death of his grandfather, Abraham. Initially uncertain and self-doubting, Jacob's journey is one of rapid growth as he discovers his unique ability to sense, see, and ultimately command hollowgast—the monsters that threaten his friends. His relationships, especially with Emma, are marked by deep loyalty, love, and the pain of impossible choices. Jacob's psychological arc is defined by the tension between his desire for a normal life and his sense of destiny, culminating in his acceptance of his role as protector and potential savior of peculiardom.

Emma Bloom

Emma is fiercely loyal, passionate, and brave, with the ability to create fire in her hands. Once in love with Jacob's grandfather, she now becomes Jacob's closest confidante and love interest. Emma's strength masks deep vulnerability, especially as she faces the possible loss of Miss Peregrine and the collapse of her world. Her leadership is both inspiring and burdened, and her relationship with Jacob is a source of both hope and heartbreak. Emma's internal struggle is between her longing for connection and her fear of loss.

Miss Peregrine (Alma Lefay Peregrine)

Miss Peregrine is the children's ymbryne—protector, time manipulator, and surrogate mother. Her transformation into a bird and subsequent inability to return to human form is both a literal and symbolic loss for the group. Her vulnerability exposes the children to danger and forces them to grow. Miss Peregrine's fate is central to the story's stakes, and her absence is felt as a void that the children struggle to fill.

Bronwyn Bruntley

Bronwyn is physically strong and emotionally nurturing, often acting as the group's caretaker. Her strength is both literal and metaphorical, as she carries the burdens of others and provides stability in chaos. Bronwyn's maternal instincts are tested by loss and danger, and her loyalty to Miss Peregrine and the children is unwavering.

Millard Nullings

Millard is obsessed with peculiar history and the study of loops. His invisibility makes him both an observer and an outsider, but his intellect and resourcefulness are invaluable to the group. Millard's psychological complexity lies in his longing for recognition and his struggle to balance detachment with belonging. His discoveries about the Tales and the Map of Days are crucial to the children's survival.

Hugh Apiston

Hugh's ability to command bees living in his stomach is initially seen as odd, but proves vital in moments of crisis. His quiet courage and loyalty are revealed as he risks everything to save his friends. Hugh's journey is one of self-acceptance and the realization that even the most peculiar gifts have value.

Enoch O'Connor

Enoch can animate the dead, a power that reflects his morbid outlook and sarcastic wit. He often challenges authority and questions the group's decisions, serving as a counterpoint to Emma's optimism. Enoch's cynicism masks a deep fear of loss and a desire for control in a chaotic world.

Olive Abroholos Elephanta

Olive's ability to float makes her both vulnerable and unique. She represents the group's innocence and hope, often providing moments of levity and wonder. Olive's childlike perspective is a reminder of what is at stake—the preservation of innocence in a world at war.

Horace Somnusson

Horace's prophetic dreams are both a gift and a curse, burdening him with knowledge of possible futures. His anxiety and vanity are coping mechanisms for the terror he feels. Horace's visions guide the group, but also isolate him, as he struggles to interpret and act on what he sees.

Miss Wren

Miss Wren is eccentric, wise, and fiercely independent. As the last uncaptured ymbryne, she becomes the children's only hope for saving Miss Peregrine. Her sanctuary is a fragile refuge, and her efforts to heal Miss Peregrine are both heroic and tragic. Miss Wren's psychological depth lies in her sense of responsibility, her grief for her lost sisters, and her willingness to sacrifice for the greater good.

Plot Devices

Time Loops and Temporal Displacement

The narrative is structured around the concept of time loops—pockets of time created and maintained by ymbrynes, where peculiars can live in safety, hidden from the outside world and the passage of time. The collapse and invasion of these loops by hollowgast and wights symbolize the end of innocence and the intrusion of chaos into sanctuary. The children's journey through various loops, each with its own rules and dangers, mirrors their psychological journey from safety to exposure, from childhood to forced maturity.

Peculiar Abilities as Metaphor

Each child's peculiar ability is both a source of power and a marker of difference, shaping their roles within the group and their sense of self. Jacob's evolving power to sense and command hollows is a metaphor for coming of age and accepting responsibility. The peculiarities also serve as plot devices, enabling escapes, solving mysteries, and deepening the story's exploration of otherness and belonging.

Foreshadowing and Prophecy

Horace's prophetic dreams and the coded stories in Tales of the Peculiar provide foreshadowing and guidance, blending myth and reality. These elements create a sense of destiny and inevitability, while also highlighting the tension between fate and free will. The children's reliance on stories and dreams underscores the power of narrative to shape and reveal truth.

Betrayal and Deception

The wights' ability to disguise themselves and infiltrate the children's world is a constant source of tension and paranoia. The ultimate betrayal—Caul's impersonation of Miss Peregrine—shatters the group's trust and sense of safety. Deception operates on both personal and systemic levels, reflecting the dangers of misplaced faith and the necessity of vigilance.

Moral Ambiguity and Choice

The children are repeatedly forced to make morally ambiguous choices—whether to use violence, whom to trust, and how much to sacrifice for others. These dilemmas are heightened by the pressures of war and the collapse of their old certainties. Jacob's final choice—to stay and fight or return home—embodies the story's central question about the cost and meaning of courage.

Analysis

Hollow City is a dark, imaginative coming-of-age tale that explores the loss of innocence, the burden of leadership, and the search for identity in a world unraveling at the seams. Through the lens of fantasy and historical trauma, Ransom Riggs examines what it means to be different, to belong, and to choose one's destiny in the face of overwhelming odds. The book's use of time loops and peculiar abilities serves as both metaphor and mechanism for the psychological challenges of adolescence—navigating change, loss, and the longing for home. The narrative's relentless pace and escalating stakes force the characters to confront the limits of trust, the pain of betrayal, and the necessity of sacrifice. Ultimately, Hollow City is a meditation on the power of love, the resilience of hope, and the courage required to face a world that is both wondrous and terrifying. It asks readers to consider not just what makes us peculiar, but what makes us human.

Last updated: May 7, 2025