Review: The Name of the Star

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

Published by Putnam Juvinille

Genre: YA paranormal

$16.99 (US hardback)

372 pages

What it's about:

The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon "Rippermania" takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.


My thoughts:
For me, this book was a mix. I really enjoyed it and gobbled down the first half of the book in one sitting. Though when another book I was dying to read fell into my lap, I had no problem putting down this book and starting the other. It took me a while to pick this one back up and finish it.

What I think ruined this book for me a little is the fact that it was the whole "ghost cops." I was having a hard time believing those three characters and their whole background. The second part of the book just wasn't as good as the first part.

There is exactly one point in the story that really got to me and I understood the creepiness of Jack the Ripper and the whole plot of the story. By this point, the Ripper copycat has killed two people and is on the night where the original Jack killed two people. The whole city of London is in a panic and Rory is watching the news with the rest of her school. Then she says...
             "Up until now, the Ripper hadn't really freaked me out much. But with every passing hour, it started to have more of an effect on me. Two people were going to get murdered tonight, right around where I was sitting. And the whole world was going to sit and watch, just like we were. "

Whoa. Just imagining that whole scenario blew my mind. How millions of people were waiting for two people to die right in your own neighborhood while you sat and watched, thinking and praying "dear God don't let it be me." How terrifying.

So over all, I really enjoyed the first half of the book, while the second part was a little iffy. I did enjoy this book but I doubt I will be picking up the second book in the series. I would have preferred this to be a stand alone.

My rating: 8/10