kaylabeck

This was the book chosen for November by my book club, but I did not want to read it. In fact, I wanted to behave like a petulant child because I did not get my way. For once in my life, I am glad that I did not.

Maureen Johnson's The Name of the Star is a fantastic thriller with a fantastic pace and lovely, believable characters. Everything that happened was crucial to the story, and moved along very quickly. I could not put the book down because even the chapter endings were not good stopping places for the story. It was like a literary can of Pringles - once you pop, you can't stop.

I am from Louisiana, and I worried about the main character, Rory Deveaux, being something of a stereotype. (I know what you guys say about us.) I think she is one of my new favorite YA heroines. She is witty, funny, and completely sure of herself. She is able to be taken from her home environment, placed in an alien one, and still be herself. It was still believable because she is such a strong character.

This is a great start to a new series, and I cannot wait to read more about the Shades of London.