Release Date: September 29, 2011
Series: Shades of London #1
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Rory Deveaux is just a typical American teen, anticipating a year of boys with accents and bizarre British customs as she settles in at her new London boarding school. But Rory's in for a lot more than she bargained for, as London finds itself in the grip of a brutal serial killer -- a man imitating the grisly murders of Jack the Ripper more than a century ago. A man no one can see. No one, that is, except Rory.
In The Name of the Star, Maureen Johnson's signature snappy style creates an unexpected blend of humor and horror, and readers will be surprised to find themselves laughing aloud in the midst of this gruesome nightmare. Jack the Ripper holds a morbid fascination for modern imaginations, a twisted awe at getting away with murder -- literally. Johnson strategically plays off this strange seductiveness to draw unsuspecting readers into a heart-pounding thriller laced with a deadly taste of déjà vu.
Rory is an utterly disarming heroine. With her easy southern charm, quirks and quips, her narration is delightful to read. Her fresh, light voice provides a striking counterpoint to the otherwise grim tale, and the outrageous stories she tells of her eccentric family back home will leave readers in fits of laughter. Rory is so full of life, readers will feel as though they've known her their whole lives. She's a believable blend of determination and occasional fear, optimism and wry wit. She's not perfect; sometimes she says or does dumb things, as humans are wont to do -- and her guileless, unassuming attitude makes her all the more winning. It's impossible not to cheer for Rory as she struggles with this unfathomable new world and determinedly faces off against an unstoppable, remorseless killer.
Despite her heartwarming and hilarious heroine, Johnson slices a sharp blade of terror through the novel. There is a terrible irony in the fact that the citizens of London known exactly when and where each murder will happen, but are powerless to stop it. By drawing on the sensationalism of Jack the Ripper, Johnson takes the latent fear and turns it into a bone-chilling nightmare. The horror and hopelessness increase with each grisly crime scene, and a sense of despair settles over the novel as London sits helplessly by. Readers will be on the edge of their seats with their hearts in their throats as this hair-raising thriller marches inexorably toward its terrifying conclusion.
Johnson brings each and every one of her secondary characters to life, from Rory's hilarious house mother and boisterous field hockey coach (an activity of which Rory is not a fan), to her smart and sweet crush/make-out pa
8 Comments on Review: The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson, last added: 10/1/2011
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I was considering reading this one. I definitely think I will! I don't think I picked this one up at BEA though - don't remember seeing it!
I have been DYING to read this book. However, since I'm prone to nightmares, I've opted to get it from the library first, rather than buy it and find I can't handle it.
This is sad for me, as I know Maureen has written an incredible story but I don't know if I will be able to read it.
@Steph -- You should definitely read it! It's SO much fun! They only had like 75 at BEA, I think, and you had to get a number to get one.
@Nancy -- I am a HUGE chicken, but though this one did freak me out at times, it wasn't to the point that I had to stop reading. The humor of the style sort of balances out the scary stuff, I think. I definitely recommend giving it a try!
Looking forward to reading this one - even more so after reading such a positive review - thanks.
It's great, isn't it? I really like how detailed your review is too.
I've been really iffy about this book because I'm not a big fan of serial killers. But if there's a paranormal element I might not be as scared by it. Give me ghosts and I'm okay! Real killers nonononononoono! :D But your review sounds really good, so I might have to add it to my wishlist!
Liza @ Book Crook Liza
I like the sound of the balance of light and dark - humor and horror - that goes on in this one. I'm not a big fan of blood and gore, though...is there a lot of graphic violence in this one? Or is much of it psychological or implied?
@Danya -- Oh no, definitely not gory! I think a photograph of one of Jack the Ripper's victims is described, which was kind of gross, but other than that it's really more psychological.