Series: Shades of London
Author: Maureen Johnson
Page Count: 372
Published: October 2nd, 2012
Publisher: Speak
4.5 Stars ★★★★
Rory is an American teenager who moves to London to attend a boarding school. On the day that she arrives, a brutal murder occurs, and it is oddly similar to a murder committed by the infamous Jack the Ripper from decades before. She soon learns, as she deals with meeting new people, crushing on a guy, and talking with a strange and mysterious man, that the horror has only begun, and that she has some amazing abilities of her own.
As is the case with many of my books, I snagged this one from the bookstore while it was on sale. Drawn in by the cover and the idea of Jack the Ripper, I couldn't resist. While this book was not exactly what I expected, it was certainly enjoyable, with an ending that left me wanting to read more about Rory and what comes next for her.
I really like the way that the author wrote the characters, especially Rory and her roommates, including one who comes along a bit later in the novel. They created friendships and relationships that to me well mimicked what I see in the real world, which brought the friends together in times of crisis or fear. However, I can't say the same for the romantic aspect. I didn't really understand why Rory found herself attracted to Jerome. While he didn't seem like a bad guy in any way, he didn't exactly seem too appealing either, he didn't feel as real as Rory and her friends did.
A piece of the book that I really enjoyed included all of the various happenings with the mysterious and strange man that Rory comes across. She is actually the only one who can see him for a portion of the book, which lead to a great guessing game on my end. I won't spoil the explanation behind it all, but I was definitely satisfied with how the author explained what was going on.
The ending was a cliffhanger and has me adding the second book in the series to my wishlist. I hope that some of my questions left over from this book will be answered in the next, and that I'll be able to read about the cast of characters again, and maybe learn more about them, in book two.
I recommend this to people who like their murder mysteries with a side of paranormal intrigue, If you're interested in Jack the Ripper and ghosts, this is a great pick for you.
