The Conference of the Birds – Ransom Riggs (2020)

The Conference of the Birds by Ransom Riggs, published in 2020, is the fifth installment in the bestselling Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children series. The novel follows Jacob Portman and his band of peculiar friends as they navigate prophecy, peril, and war, balancing their fragile alliances while racing to save the peculiar world from chaos.

Plot Summary

Beneath the flickering neon of a Chinatown seafood market, Jacob Portman crouched in a ripple of unnatural dark, the air thick with the scent of brine and tension. By his side, Noor Pradesh – fierce, defiant, trembling only slightly – shaped the shadows with a deftness born of desperation. The men hunting them were close, their heavy boots slapping against damp concrete, their voices sharp with anger. Time was dwindling.

Jacob had not yet told Noor of the prophecy, of the seven peculiars foretold to reshape their world, nor of the price already paid in blood. H, the last hollow-slayer, had died to free Noor, his cryptic clues the only map left to the mysterious V. They needed to flee, to survive, and above all, to stay one step ahead of Leo Burnham – the ruthless leader of the Five Boroughs clan, whose pride burned hotter than his thirst for control.

Their narrow escape led them through a labyrinth of city streets, across subways, and into the arms of old friends. Bronwyn, solid as stone, and Hugh, soft-spoken but brave, emerged from the chaos like a lifeline, sweeping Jacob and Noor from danger and into the waiting arms of their peculiar family. Together, they raced through the Panloopticon – a corridor of loops connecting worlds and times – toward the crumbling sanctuary of Devil’s Acre.

Noor’s arrival unsettled old balances. She was wild light, unpredictable, burning with questions and defiance. Yet even as Emma, Jacob’s flame-hearted former love, watched her with wary eyes, the others welcomed Noor with warmth. In the crooked house along Fever Ditch, among the soot-streaked rooftops and sulfur skies of Victorian London, bonds formed quickly in the face of encroaching peril.

But peace was fleeting. The prophecy loomed like a shadow over every step. Noor was one of the Seven, but the others remained hidden, scattered across loops and continents. To save the peculiar world from collapse, they needed to find V, the last hope of the hollow-hunters. Miss Peregrine, ever the composed ymbryne, counseled caution. Jacob, haunted by loss and duty, could not wait.

Their journey twisted through danger and wonder alike. In the wreckage of a psychiatric hospital, they navigated a maze of peculiar outcasts – the Untouchables – who extracted steep tolls for passage. Over piano-wire traps and through morgue drawers doubling as loop doors, the group slipped between worlds, the past and present folding into one another like the pages of a battered map. Noor’s powers strained under the weight of expectation, flickering between control and chaos, light and dark.

In the heart of Devil’s Acre, amid the ruin and revival, the peculiar children faced threats not only from without but within. The clans, restless and fracturing, eyed each other with suspicion, old grievances rekindled by the winds of war. Even among friends, trust frayed at the edges. Jacob struggled to hold his place, torn between the ordinary world he had left behind and the peculiar destiny pressing in from all sides. Noor, meanwhile, fought to carve a place of her own, resisting both the role thrust upon her and the loneliness it carried.

Guided by scraps of prophecy and the fragile thread of hope, they sought out V, a figure cloaked in legend. Their path led through perilous loops, past memory-wiped sentinels and mercenary creatures, until at last they stood at the threshold of revelation. V was no myth, no unreachable specter. She was flesh and blood, scarred by battles past, wary of the world she once vowed to defend.

Yet even as V prepared them for the storm ahead, darkness surged closer. Leo Burnham’s reach extended beyond New York, his thirst for Noor matched only by his cruelty. His armies pressed in, tearing through the barriers between clans, their fury aimed not only at Noor but at the delicate peace Miss Peregrine and the ymbrynes had struggled to preserve.

As alliances crumbled and betrayals surfaced, Jacob and Noor stood at the heart of the tempest. Jacob, once hesitant and unsure, emerged as a leader shaped by hardship and loss. Noor, once a fugitive, found her place not as a solitary spark but as part of a constellation of peculiar souls. Together, they faced down Leo’s wrath, not as scattered children but as a family forged in fire.

The battle rippled across loops and time, leaving scars on both land and heart. Old enemies fell, new heroes rose, and the peculiar world teetered on the edge of rebirth. The price was steep, the path forward uncertain, yet in the ashes of conflict lay the seeds of change. The prophecy was no longer a distant threat or promise – it was alive, unfolding, carried on the shoulders of those brave enough to defy fate.

As the dust settled and the peculiar children gathered once more beneath the fractured sky, there was no triumphal roar, no easy peace. There was only the quiet understanding that survival was a victory of its own, and that the road ahead would demand more courage, more sacrifice, and more love than ever before.

Jacob stood with Noor at his side, surrounded by the friends who had become his family. Emma, her sharp edges softened by forgiveness. Bronwyn, a tower of strength. Hugh, buzzing with quiet determination. Millard, invisible yet ever-present. Enoch, grumbling but loyal. Horace, dreaming of better days. And Miss Peregrine, the ever-watchful guardian, her eyes reflecting both pride and worry.

Together, they faced the horizon, a world trembling on the cusp of transformation. And though the future loomed vast and uncertain, one truth burned clear – in a world where the strange and the wondrous walked hand in hand with danger, it was love, loyalty, and the will to stand together that would shape what came next.

Main Characters

• Jacob Portman: Courageous and loyal, Jacob is the narrator and heart of the group, grappling with the burdens of prophecy and leadership. His arc deepens as he balances his growing powers and personal doubts.

• Noor Pradesh: A fierce and witty new peculiar, Noor can absorb and manipulate light. She wrestles with her identity as one of the prophesied Seven and becomes both a romantic interest for Jacob and a symbol of hope.

• Emma Bloom: Brave and quick-tempered, Emma can manipulate fire and has a complicated romantic past with Jacob. Her loyalty sometimes clashes with her intense protectiveness.

• Miss Peregrine: The wise and composed ymbryne who leads the children, Miss Peregrine balances motherly care with political responsibility as she juggles peace negotiations and looming war.

• Enoch O’Connor: Dark-humored and sardonic, Enoch can reanimate the dead. His sharp wit often masks his deeper fears and affections for the group.

• Millard Nullings: The invisible scholar, Millard provides intellect and research prowess, often uncovering crucial information, while his invisibility offers both advantage and loneliness.

• Bronwyn Bruntley: Gentle but strong, Bronwyn serves as the group’s protector. Her brute strength contrasts with her tender heart, making her a steadying force.

• Horace Somnusson: With the gift of prophetic dreams, Horace is fussy yet essential, offering visions that shape the group’s decisions.

• Hugh Apiston: Connected to bees, Hugh balances quiet bravery with his deep love for Fiona, struggling with heartbreak and a thirst for redemption.

Theme

• Prophecy and Destiny: The looming “Prophecy of the Seven” weaves tension throughout the novel, forcing the characters to grapple with predestination versus choice, and exploring whether individuals shape fate or are shaped by it.

• Belonging and Identity: Noor’s integration into the group highlights questions of acceptance and self-definition, while Jacob wrestles with being torn between the normal world and the peculiar one.

• Sacrifice and Loyalty: The characters consistently face choices that test their willingness to sacrifice for each other, showing that loyalty, not power, holds them together in the face of danger.

• War and Peace: With the fragile peace among peculiar clans threatened, the book explores the cost of conflict and the effort required to maintain unity, reflecting larger questions about diplomacy and the price of war.

Writing Style and Tone

Ransom Riggs’s writing is atmospheric and richly textured, blending dark fantasy with gothic charm. His vivid prose brings the peculiar world alive with striking imagery, quirky details, and a seamless mix of action and introspection. Riggs’s ability to weave in vintage photographs deepens the sense of history and oddity, making the world feel both surreal and grounded.

The tone oscillates between foreboding and wonder, maintaining a balance of urgency and humor. Riggs peppers the narrative with sharp dialogue, bittersweet moments, and tender relationships, creating an emotional depth that resonates beyond the fantasy setting. The sense of camaraderie among the characters softens the darker elements, offering readers both thrills and heart.