Author: Maureen Johnson
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 978-0-00-739863-8
Pages: 372
Series: Shades of London #1
Type: Young Adult Paranormal
Source: Purchased
Goodreads
Rory Deveaux has moved to England from Louisiana to start a new life at a
boarding school. The day Rory arrives in London's famed East End a shockingly
familiar murder heralds the start of Rippermania. With the police stumped as the
copycat killings continue, people become increasingly obsessed with Jack the
Ripper. But when Rory sees their prime suspect lurking on school grounds she is
dragged into a secret world she could never have imagined...because her friend
Jazza was with her and she didn't see anyone.
This is the first book in
the new Shades of London series and one that I've been really looking forward to
reading. I live in London and I love reading about Jack the Ripper so this was a
really fun book for me to read. The London of the book is pretty accurate with
several places and events being particularly well described. The author has
managed to capture the city on page and it makes for a fascinating
read.
While the pace of the book maintains a fairly steady pace
throughout, the plot itself is tightly written with a minimum of info-dumping.
There are a bunch of twists and turns and while some were expected (like that
Rory's time in London wouldn't be normal), others caught me totally off guard.
The mystery element is particularly well written and really sucks the reader in
to the point that by the end of the book I was so invested in the characters and
storyline that I literally couldn't put it down.
Rory is an interesting
main character. It was funny watching an all-American girl get exposed to how
differently we do things in the UK and her surprise at some things (like our
drinking laws) helps to make her character seem realistic. I also liked her
friend/roommate Jazza who kept things normal and love interest Jerome, although
once Rory's life becomes increasingly intertwined with the Ripper case the more
mundane people in her life seem to fade into the background.
All in all
this was a great read and I can't wait for The Madness Underneath.
Plot: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Ending:
10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 8/10
Overall: 46/50
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I loved the mystery of this book. It was my first Jack the Ripper experience and it completely sucked me in. I'm also glad to see that the author was true to London. I've never been so I wouldn't have known =)
ReplyDeleteKristan @ Lost Amongst the Shelves
Thanks for commenting Kristan! I agree the mystery element of this book is incredible. If you do ever get the chance to visit London, everything but the school exists :)
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