The Peculiar (novel)

In the faery slums of Bath, Bartholomew and his younger sister Hettie live in fear of discovery by the outside world. Bartholomew and Hettie are changelings, half-faery, half-human, and neither faeries nor humans want anything to do with them. But when changelings start showing up in London murdered and covered with red tattoos, and a mysterious lady in a plum colored dress begins stalking the streets of Bath, Bartholomew breaks all the rules and sets out to discover the truth.

• Bartholomew Kettle: a young changeling, the protagonist
• Henrietta Kettle: Bartholomew's younger sister
• The Lady in Plum: a woman with a mysterious past
• Arthur Jelliby: a spoiled young government official
• Mr. Lickerish: a sinister faery who has been voted into the government
• Jack Box: a mysterious, malevolent faery who takes the form of a swarm of rats

Critical reception for the book has been positive, and the book met with acclaim. The New York Times called it "richly-realized and accomplished" in its review, and it was an Editor's Choice.[1] Los Angeles Times said, "Bachmann’s steampunk fairy tale . . . recalls Dostoevsky, Dickens, and more recent classics, such as J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events . . . [An] unusually gifted young writer.”[2] Fantasy authors Christopher Paolini and Rick Riordan praised the book, with Paolini saying, “Bachmann’s prose is beautiful, and his story is swift, strong, and entertaining."[3] In a starred review, Publishers Weekly called it “An absolute treat for readers of any age" and chose it as one of their best books of 2012.[4][5] It was nominated for the Cybils Award, and was an ABA New Voices Pick.[6][7]