The Name of the Star [Hardcover]

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The Name of the Star written by Maureen Johnson, and originally published in September 2011 by Putnam Juvenile.
This is the first book in the Shade of London Trilogy, and this is the first full length book by Maureen Johnson that I have read (I read Let it Snow which she co-wrote with John Green and Lauren Myracle). I have been admiring this book in the bookstore for a while now, but I waited until it was in paperback to buy it, and then it promptly sat on my bookshelf for a long time. The reason that I picked it up this month is because I saw the audio book at the library and I really like to listen to the audio book while reading the actual book. So going into this book the only thing that I knew about it was that it was about Jack the Ripper, and that was enough to sell me on it.
I think like a lot of people I thought that the book was going to be historical fiction, and that I would be transported back to the 1800s to the scenes of the Jack the Ripper murders; especially after seeing the original North American Hardcover for the book. However, I was mistaken, and this is actually a modern novel that takes place in 21st century London with someone mimicking the murders of Jack the Ripper.
The story follows Aurora “Rory” Deveaux a Southern girl from Louisiana who decides to spend a year at a boarding school in London. It’s definitely going to be an adjustment for Rory because she has a very taxing schedule which includes early morning Saturday classes and Field hockey practices. The day she arrives at her new school Wexford coincides with the first in a series of brutal murders. This murder recreates the first of Jack the Rippers canonical murders which took place in 1888. Chaos soon erupts and it’s not long until the entire country has developed Rippermania. Once again there are no suspects in the killings nor are there any witnesses. That is until Rory spots a man who quickly becomes the prime suspect, but how come her roommate who was with her wasn’t able to see him?? Soon Rory finds herself a target and she must quickly learn things about herself that she isn’t sure she’s ready for.
Ok so I really enjoyed this book!! I went into it thinking I was getting one kind of book, but it was very different from what I imagined. You kind of get two different books that compliment each other. The first half of the book is more contemporary with Rory adjusting to life in England making friends and going to pubs. We really get to know the characters, and there is a hint of romance thrown in. I like that the story doesn’t rely on a love triangle because the story is strong enough on its own. I really found the parts about the murders interesting and well researched. I didn’t really know too much about Jack the Ripper so I found myself going to the internet to look things up because although it is pretty gruesome it is at the same time fascinating. I can actually imagine how people would react if there was a modern day killer in the Ripper fashion and I think Maureen did a great job of showing what would actually happen.
I kept thinking to myself how is this going to be dragged out into three books. I hate the trend that everything these days is made into a trilogy/series, but after the end you know!! The second part of the book takes a twist, the intensity and danger are turned up, and the story becomes more of a paranormal thriller very different from the beginning. I was surprised that it went into that direction, but before the big reveal I had figured it out. There are new characters and we see Rory’s school life fading into the background. The ending was a little shocking though so I can’t wait to see where the series goes.
I really enjoyed the characters. I must say that the girl who does the voices for the audiobooks was great. She is good at doing both male and female voices and all kinds of accents! I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook along with reading the book because it sort of adds another dimension to reading. There really is something in this story for everyone. Some action, intrigue, paranormal, romance it’s all there because the book covers a wide range of genres. At times I was even a little freaked out, and I was so on-edge and so into the book that if some one would have come up behind me I would have lost it!
I can’t wait to check out the sequel which is called The Madness Underneath and it was just recently released in February. The final book in the series is not scheduled for release until 2014…Maybe I should wait until closer to the third book release to read the second one because I think the ending is intense.
Have you read this book yet?? What did you think? Have you read the second one? Do you think I should read it right away or wait??

First of all, here is a warning: You will be *dying* to go to London after reading this book. Maureen Johnson truly gives us a very vivid image of that amazing city, and I have always wanted to go there so that's why I read so many books that are set in London.

The story is extremely gripping, well-paced, and relatively original among the other thousand-or-so Jack the Ripper novels. Because this serial killer is so famous, it's hard to create a story about him that is unique, original, and won't bore the reader. Well The Name of the Star isn't anything special, exactly, but it is still a great read which I devoured in two days. My main problem is that I didn't like Rory. Wait, it's not that I didn't like her, it's just that she is the kind of character that appears on thousands of teen novels. By this I mean that she isn't anything special at all, and can come across as a bit boring and bland (but not nearly boring and bland as her sort-of love interest, Jerome.) Seriously, Jerome is so incredibly dull and I knew the romance wouldn't be very good because Maureen Johnson (no offense to her) can write a great story but she sucks at the romance aspects. Rory and Jerome are a dull couple, although they seem to have a more FWB (just kissing) relationship than actual feelings. The other characters - Callum, Stephen, Boo, and Jazza - are perfectly okay but they are NOTHING SPECIAL, just like Rory. But you can't not like Rory because she is very nice and brave, and is not depicted as having any faults.

While the characters disappointed me, the story did not.

SPOILER WARNINGS

1. The way that Rory almost died was really weird, anti-climatic, and made the whole situation seem more comedic than suspenseful and cool
2. The ghosts are way more interesting characters than the humans
3. Very bloody and gory scenes that may make you feel a bit nauseous

If you have a fascination with Jack the Ripper and/or London, you will really like this book.

Jack the Ripper, English boarding school, ghosts, teen detective squads. This is enough information to pique my interest, but I was skeptical that it would come together until the name Maureen Johnson was attached. Now I am on board.

Rory Deveaux moves from rural Louisiana to London to start a new life at a British boarding school. There she makes friends with sweet but straight-edge Jazza and a curly-haired boy named Jerome (Ah, those curly-haired boys!) School is difficult but stimulating and Rory is loving her new London life until a series of copy-cat murders, modeled after the gruesome work of Jack the Ripper, turn London upside down. Being invincible teens, Jazza and Rory find themselves sneaking about on the night of one of the murders and Rory sees a man who turns out to be the only suspect in the case. The problem is that Jazza can't see him.

This is the second book I've read this season featuring teen ghost detectives. Is this a new and unexpected trend in YA lit? It is definitely new territory for Johnson, who is well-known (and well-loved) for her funny contemporary girl books (Girl at Sea, Suite Scarlett, 13 Little Blue Envelopes). Rory's narrative, the fantastic supporting cast and the dash of romance is classic Johnson. The supernatural twist is new but very welcome!
While parts of the story are frightening and even violent, it's clear that Johnson has not set out to spook her reader. At the heart of the novel is the story of the teens who are members of The Shades, which is the name of the secret police force who solve crime by communicating with ghosts. She spends a lot of time fleshing out (obviously not literally) the ghosts and their pasts, turning them into real, complicated characters. I look forward to learning more about The Shades- why is Callum so angry? What makes calm, Eton-educated Stephen tick? Please, please, can we have more Boo?

Luckily, this is the first in a series, so there is more to enjoy! I smell the possibility of a love triangle with Rory in the middle of sweet, non-Shade Jerome and complicated, moody Shade Stephen. Fans of Maureen Johnson will happily settle down and read this one in a night. This book is less gothic and more mystery- fans of paranormal romance will enjoy it, but it's really written for the reader who loves contemporary fiction or mystery but is looking for something fresh.

This review is cross-posted at [...]