After her near-fatal run-in with the Jack the Ripper copycat, Rory Devereaux has been living in Bristol under the close watch of her parents. So when her therapist suddenly suggests she return to Wexford, Rory jumps at the chance to get back to her friends. But Rory’s brush with the Ripper touched her more than she thought possible: she’s become a human terminus, with the power to eliminate ghosts on contact. She soon finds out that the Shades—the city’s secret ghost-fighting police—are responsible for her return. The Ripper may be gone, but now there is a string of new inexplicable deaths threatening London. Rory has evidence that the deaths are no coincidence. Something much more sinister is going on, and now she must convince the squad to listen to her before it’s too late.
In this follow-up to the Edgar Award-nominated THE NAME OF THE STAR, Maureen Johnson adds another layer of spectacularly gruesome details to the streets of London that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.The Madness Underneath (The Shades of London Book 2) http://www.yabookscentral.com/media/reviews/photos/thumbnail/200x285s/7e/13/a6/14766_15721638-1361807758.jpg Featured
Editor reviews
Average editor rating from: 2 user(s)
THE MADNESS UNDERNEATH is a worthy sequel to last year's fabulous THE NAME OF THE STAR. It's just as suspenseful, funny, and full of lovely, vivid details that bring the story to life.
The pacing is perfect. Both the internal and external conflict escalate at a steady rate. I felt fully invested in Rory's inner journey as she tries to recover from the trauma of being stabbed by a ghost, and I felt fully engaged with the increasing suspense outside of Rory as ghost activity (and some truly creepy humans) begin to demand Rory's attention. The pacing gives a tension to the story that made it impossible put the book down.
The setting is flawless. London comes to life in vivid detail, from Rory's boarding school to the streets that wind through town to the rain that falls with relentless dependability. The British characters feel authentically British, and Rory notices cultural quirks (such as loving the color red because it stands out in the rain) that make the entire setting feel absolutely real to the reader.
My favorite part of the story is Rory herself. She's a stubborn, brave, flawed, funny character who always feels like an authentic teenager suddenly thrust into a crazy situation. I found myself laughing often even while I was quickly turning pages because I desperately needed to know what happened next. Readers will relate to Rory as she struggles with depression and with uncertainty over her future even as they enjoy her quick one-liners and her irrepressible (often self-deprecating) sass.
What Left Me Wanting More:
The only thing I wanted from this book that I didn't get was a better sense of Rory's romantic interests. I had this issue with the first book. I never felt a connection to the boy she was dating, and I still didn't. Rory is very self-aware but seems to lack the kind of awareness of her romantic interests that would allow the reader to have a crush on her swoony boyfriend as well.
Final Verdict:
Dark, funny, and thrillingly atmospheric, THE MADNESS UNDERNEATH is a stellar sequel sure to keep readers turning pages long past their bedtime.
| Overall rating | 4.3 | |
| Plot | 4.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 4.0 |
Fabulous
What I Loved:
THE MADNESS UNDERNEATH is a worthy sequel to last year's fabulous THE NAME OF THE STAR. It's just as suspenseful, funny, and full of lovely, vivid details that bring the story to life.
The pacing is perfect. Both the internal and external conflict escalate at a steady rate. I felt fully invested in Rory's inner journey as she tries to recover from the trauma of being stabbed by a ghost, and I felt fully engaged with the increasing suspense outside of Rory as ghost activity (and some truly creepy humans) begin to demand Rory's attention. The pacing gives a tension to the story that made it impossible put the book down.
The setting is flawless. London comes to life in vivid detail, from Rory's boarding school to the streets that wind through town to the rain that falls with relentless dependability. The British characters feel authentically British, and Rory notices cultural quirks (such as loving the color red because it stands out in the rain) that make the entire setting feel absolutely real to the reader.
My favorite part of the story is Rory herself. She's a stubborn, brave, flawed, funny character who always feels like an authentic teenager suddenly thrust into a crazy situation. I found myself laughing often even while I was quickly turning pages because I desperately needed to know what happened next. Readers will relate to Rory as she struggles with depression and with uncertainty over her future even as they enjoy her quick one-liners and her irrepressible (often self-deprecating) sass.
What Left Me Wanting More:
The only thing I wanted from this book that I didn't get was a better sense of Rory's romantic interests. I had this issue with the first book. I never felt a connection to the boy she was dating, and I still didn't. Rory is very self-aware but seems to lack the kind of awareness of her romantic interests that would allow the reader to have a crush on her swoony boyfriend as well.
Final Verdict:
Dark, funny, and thrillingly atmospheric, THE MADNESS UNDERNEATH is a stellar sequel sure to keep readers turning pages long past their bedtime.
The book starts off with Rory back in Bristol with her parents and speaking to a therapist. The problem is she can't tell anyone what truly happened that night with the Ripper, so she's really not getting anywhere with the therapist and she desperately misses her friends back at Wexford. After a bit, her therapist actually recommends she head back to Wexford and face her fears head on, so she does. Once there she is once again reunited with Stephen, Callum & Boo. I adore these characters. They are truly Rory's friends and know everything that is going on with her and I believe are really the only ones who can make her feel "normal". Now that Rory is the only terminus, this small group must figure out where to go from here and whether or not to use Rory to help or get rid of ghosts who are left behind. In true Stephen nature, he is still very serious and takes the world upon his shoulders. I loved reading more about him and in this book I will say that he opens up a bit and I had a blast reading that. I also loved the exchanges between him and Rory and wanted more.
While this book doesn't have a Ripper on the lose killing people, there are still mysteries to be solved, and scary parts to be read. So, if you're worried that this book isn't as creepy as the first one, don't be because it is. The prologue itself was enough to give me goosebumps! In true second book fashion, we see Rory dealing with a relationship that she's not sure she wants, or can even have. Rory also makes some poor decisions that left me screaming at the book for her to stop, but did she listen, no. There is lots of conflict, angst and maturation in this book on Rory's part and Ms. Johnson does a fantastic job of writing it.
I was left with my mouth hanging open at the end of this book and I'm craving the third book already. I love Maureen Johnson's style of writing and I am completely in love and frankly quite scared of the world she has created. If you haven't read 'The Name of the Star' do so now and then quickly, run don't walk, to pick up the sequel.
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
Just as spooky as the first!
Awhile back I was lucky enough to pick up the first book in this series, The Name of the Star, at my local library and I fell in love with it. I was so scared and freaked out the entire time. I was extremely excited when I heard there would be a sequel and was delighted when I received a copy via NetGalley to read and review.
The book starts off with Rory back in Bristol with her parents and speaking to a therapist. The problem is she can't tell anyone what truly happened that night with the Ripper, so she's really not getting anywhere with the therapist and she desperately misses her friends back at Wexford. After a bit, her therapist actually recommends she head back to Wexford and face her fears head on, so she does. Once there she is once again reunited with Stephen, Callum & Boo. I adore these characters. They are truly Rory's friends and know everything that is going on with her and I believe are really the only ones who can make her feel "normal". Now that Rory is the only terminus, this small group must figure out where to go from here and whether or not to use Rory to help or get rid of ghosts who are left behind. In true Stephen nature, he is still very serious and takes the world upon his shoulders. I loved reading more about him and in this book I will say that he opens up a bit and I had a blast reading that. I also loved the exchanges between him and Rory and wanted more.
While this book doesn't have a Ripper on the lose killing people, there are still mysteries to be solved, and scary parts to be read. So, if you're worried that this book isn't as creepy as the first one, don't be because it is. The prologue itself was enough to give me goosebumps! In true second book fashion, we see Rory dealing with a relationship that she's not sure she wants, or can even have. Rory also makes some poor decisions that left me screaming at the book for her to stop, but did she listen, no. There is lots of conflict, angst and maturation in this book on Rory's part and Ms. Johnson does a fantastic job of writing it.
I was left with my mouth hanging open at the end of this book and I'm craving the third book already. I love Maureen Johnson's style of writing and I am completely in love and frankly quite scared of the world she has created. If you haven't read 'The Name of the Star' do so now and then quickly, run don't walk, to pick up the sequel.
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