Review: The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

I’ve wanted to read The Name of the Star for a while but it never was on the top on my reading list. When I saw at the Library, I immediately grabbed. What drew me to In the Name of the Star was that it had my two favorite things- London and mystery. But I have to say, I am slightly disappointed by it.

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
Released September 29, 2011
Source of my copy:  The Library 

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. (Synopsis from goodreads.com)

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It took me awhile to read The Name of the Star. Not because it was long but because the beginning was so slow. The first half of the book was all about how Rory is now in England and explaining British culture. While I did like learning new things about the British culture, I quickly grew bored of it. I remember thinking, “Yes, I understand. We are in London! Not America! Can we please move on?”

I did like how Maureen explained Jack the Ripper. You can tell that she really took her time researching the case. I especially like that she didn’t just dump all the information onto you in a single paragraph. She paces it out, revealing information only when Rory finds out for herself.

I liked Rory. I thought she was pleasant and witty. But she fell flat at times. At the end, I felt like she didn’t really do anything, that she was just there. The ‘just there’ feeling was something I got out of a lot of characters.

There is a little bit of ‘romance’ (if you even want to call it that). I felt it to be… frivolous. Like the only reason there was a love interest was for the sake of having a love interest. I felt zero chemistry between Rory and the love interest. I think the book could’ve done without it.

While The Name of the Star falls short of expectations, I do think this series has potential. It was slow start but the end has enough hook that it leaves you curious what the second book will entail. I have a feeling this will be a series you borrow, not own.

The Name of The Star gets <*><*><*>

Happy Reading,

Tor