Peculiars

A young girl sets off on a journey of self-discovery in this ';richly atmospheric' tale blending steampunk, adventure, and gothic romance (Kirkus Reviews). 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 fatherwho left when she was only five years oldmay 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 Screea 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 homeand 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