To the author: kudos!

Dear Maureen Johnson, thank you. I am really glad I found your book in my library, and more -- they appear to have the first three books!


I just finished a great book. Maureen Johnson wrote a YA called The Name of the Star.

Briefly, it's about ghosts, the Sight, and Jack the Ripper. Set in London. More complicated than that, but still that's what highlights the cover would tell you, so those aren't spoilers.

Gripping and well done.

I had to stop a few times because I was worried for the characters, and I had to panic for a moment. "Nooo! Don't let--" that kind of response.

I also got a little weepy with worry. More'n once.

I am so sorry that [redacted] loses [redacted] because that is sad for them both. I liked her!


This is the first of a series, to my great joy, because I want to hang out more with these kids.

For us Yanks, yes, you're in luck. The POV for Star is an American from the South, but she's in London, as many of us would love to be.

It is dark, having the Ripper involved; there is death, there is much about the Ripper deaths from the 1880s. Do NOT read this if that's not your cuppa, truly.


I shall fling this onto Twitter, and I hope Ms. J sees it, because I am glad to be reading a book that made me want to stay up all night.

I didn't because I needed sleep, but damn! it was hard to not get up and read onward. I was only one-third into the book by then, which is pretty impressive. Books tend to click their hooks into you hard by the halfway point, not the 1/3 marker!