The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

‘The boundaries of these books being read only by teenagers just isn’t there anymore’ says David Levithan (A young-adult Author and Editor of Schoolastic Press).

Between 2008 and 2010 the sales for young-adult books rose by 12%, where the sale for adult fiction only rose by 3.5%. In recent years authors like James Patterson and John Grisham have released their own young-adult fiction because of the popularity. Novels like the Harry Potter series and more recently Twilight and The Hunger Games have turned popular teenage fiction into box office hits. This leads to my review of Maureen Johnson’s young-adult novel: ‘The Name of the Star’.

PLOT

The Name of the Star has been sitting on my shelf after I bought it for a pound on world book day. Having failed to read the blurb (at a pound it was a bargain), the only thing I identified was the cover give away of ‘Jack the Ripper returns…’

Modern day London is plagued by its past, when a copycat killer begins a string a murders that mimic Jack the Ripper’s- from over a century ago. When American student Rory, arrives in London to start boarding school, she may be London’s only witness. When the school is on lockdown following the murders that the Ripper began, Rory finds that she is the only one that can see him...

Rating 4*- An unexpected chilling horror. The realistic sense of fear is developed through the first half of the book, as the copycat killer mimics the Ripper’s style right down to every detail… including not being caught by anyone or any CCTV camera around London.  I was really taken aback by this novel as it is relatively scary for a young-adult novel. However, the historical context makes it perfect for any audience as it delves into London’s past. 

Johnson really captures the audience with the unexpected. The Name of the Star is very clever and brings Jack the Ripper back to life. Using a modern context, it is easy to relate to the public’s terror-as it also conveys the dangers of modern society. Her series, The Shades of London, are sure to be a big hit as she unravels the mystery of the unknown… 

The Shades of London: The Madness Underneath is the sequel to this chilling atmospheric novel. Due to be released at the end of 2012, I will be hoping it is as impressive as it predecessor.