The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson - Review

  The Name of the Star 

by Maureen Johnson

Publisher: Penguin
Release Date: September 29, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 370 pages
Source: Received ARC at ALA in exchange for an honest review

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. 

- Summary taken from goodreads

My thoughts:

This was the first Maureen Johnson book that I've read, and let me just say that she has made a fan out of me! Her descriptive and funny writing drew me in and didn't let me go. I loved everything about The Name of the Star, from the fleshed out characters to the twisty plot.

Rory was an amazing protagonist.  Rory's a true Louisiana girl who possesses tons of humor and wit, yet let's you see her vulnerable side as well. I live in Louisiana, and the description of the state in this book were spot on. From the sinking river towns to the eccentric townspeople, Maureen captured the essence of Louisiana culture perfectly.

I enjoyed reading Rory's reactions to London and the crazy shizz that went down with The Ripper. She was appropriately wary of his crazy ass, yet she still swallowed her fear and faced him. The girl is fierce.

Speaking of the Ripper, he is insanely creepy and sadistic, yet I almost understand why he did the things he did. There were tons of twists and turns in the book related to him, and that really helped to keep the tension up.

The other secondary characters in this book were very well drawn out, from Claudia the hockey loving dorm mistress to Rory's neat freak roommate, I loved them all. There were other secondary characters that I loved as well, but I really can't mention them without spoiling things.

In a nutshell, this book has it all: Amazing setting, realistic characters, a creepy bad guy, plot twists out of the wazoo, I could go on and on. The Name of the Star will definitely be in my top 3 books of the year. 

Be sure to check it out, and if  you preorder your copy from Books of Wonder, Maureen Johnson will sign it! 

My Rating:

Wide Awake! - This book is going on my "Favorites" shelf