Review & Giveaway: The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Publication Date: September 29th, 2011

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.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

Okay, so I have always liked Maureen Johnson.  She writes an eclectic mix of things, but I always find her witty and funny.  This book was a departure from what I'm used to reading from her, but that isn't a bad thing.  I actually loved this book.  A lot.  So much so, that I had to review it right away and include a giveaway because it was so good and I needed to share, and it is the perfect time of year to read it because the events take place right around now.  So, why did I love it?

Well, first off, it was a wonderful blend of genres.  You have a combination of Paranormal, Mystery, Historical Fiction, Muticultural, and Romance.  There's really something for everyone in this book.  It was well researched and fabulously written.  I'm no writer, but I can imagine that it is difficult to seamlessly blend genres like Maureen did, and I'm very impressed.  Next, the world building was very nice.  I've never been to London, but I feel like I could now navigate East End, and the very least.  Her descriptions were great and very authentic.  It is abundantly clear that she lives there part-time.  

I liked the characters, and although I found one or two annoying, I didn't really dislike anyone (except the killer).  Boo was my favorite.  She made me laugh, and I loved her manner.  Jerome is one of my new imaginary boyfriends.  As for Rory, there were a few times I wanted to smack her, but overall I really liked her.  I loved her Southerness; her love of fatty foods, iced tea, and long drawn-out stories.  I liked that there was some mystery around some of the characters.  It bothers me when authors develop everyone at the beginning because it's not real.  You don't get to know people in an instant; it's a gradual thing, and that's how these characters were written.

As for the story... LOVED IT!  It was well paced, and had oodles of twists and turns.  I will not spoil it all for you by giving anything up, but I will say that it was a total page-turner.  I could not put it down and had to bribe myself with a chapter in order to get anything else done (load dishwasher=1 chapter, fold a load of laundry=1 chapter, etc.).  It was not at all what I expected, but SO much better.  When I heard about this book, I was intrigued, but it wasn't at the tippy-top of my list, but I'm telling you, now that I've read it, it should definitely be at the tippy-top of yours.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★  

Grade Level Recommendation:  This book can be gory at times; it is about a serial killer who is recreating the Jack the Ripper murders of the late 19th century, so it can be graphic.  Other than that there really isn't much that would be objectionable for the average middle schooler.  There's a little teen drinking, but it takes place in London, and it's legal, and there's some innocent romance.  I would say this is fine for 6th grade and up provided the violent nature of the murders isn't an issue.  (Ages 11+)

...and now, for the giveaway I promised (because I loved this book so much and had to share!)!