“The Museum of Extraordinary Things” by Alice Hoffman – The Peculiar Charm of the Weird

Though there is a certain push towards individuality in many parts of the world today, the truth is that the weird are still more often than not considered abnormal in a negative way and ostracized from society through various methods.

It has been like that for as long as humanity existed, though it seems that our intellectual development in recent centuries has allowed us to embrace the weird and the peculiar, to find the charm and appeal of uniqueness they present.

In The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman, the story is driven by this concept of “weird”, telling the story of Coralie Sardie, the daughter of the impresario of a “freak show” where she plays the part of the mermaid, and Eddie Cohen, a Russian immigrant running away from his Lower East Side community. Together, they become embroiled in a young and passionate romance, as well as colorful adventures revolving around the mysterious disappearance of a young woman.

The first thing you are going to notice about this novel is the power of the descriptions themselves. Every detail in the environment is given life and vivacity, and the sum of them simply depict a setting that seems surrealistic, magical and larger-than-life, sucking you in from the very start into a place you will never feel like leaving.

I was especially amazed by how well the characters were given color and depth; they are incredibly varied and though it does feel like some of them are based on stereotypes, an overwhelming majority of them have something interesting to bring to the table, and with a bit of work they could become genuinely curious secondary characters.

As far as the story itself goes, it is a coming of age given a somewhat more polished, dreamy and idealistic qualities. The two protagonists seem like they were made for each other and brought to one another by the whims of fate rather than pure chance… it was a matter of two weird outcasts finding each other, and happiness in the process.

There are plenty of interesting themes explored here which will probably call to young adults more than anyone else for they mostly revolve around the subject of desperate youthful love and self-exploration. The plot has a lot to offer whether you are looking for simple entertainment or some kind of deeper meaning and understanding.

All in all, The Museum of Extraordinary Things is a one-of-a-kind story that is beautiful and inspiring in every way; if you are looking to read something uplifting where joy is found in the simpler things, then I definitely recommend you check the book out.

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Alice Hoffman Personal site Alice Hoffman is a novelist from America whose writings are mostly centered on young adult and children’s fiction. Her stores are known for containing elements of magic and unusual relationships between characters, with her best-known work being the 1996 novel, Practical Magic, also adapted into a film in 1998.