The Name of the Star
Maureen Johnson, read by Nicola Barber. Brilliance Audio, unabridged, eight CDs, 10 hrs., $24.99 ISBN 978-1-4418-6636-3
In Johnson’s supernatural thriller, Rory Deveaux, a teenager from smalltown Louisiana, arrives at a London boarding school just in time for a resurgence of Jack the Ripper–style serial killings. Soon, Rory finds herself the target of a mysterious murderer as she attempts to navigate the complex social circles of boarding school and uncover London’s ghostly secrets. Nicola Barber strains to create a believable American accent for Rory’s first-person narration and delivers her dialogue as if the young protagonist were constantly on the verge of a swoon. Additionally, Barber often fails to capture Rory’s teenage flippancy, opting instead for breathy enthusiasm. However, the novel boasts a colorful supporting cast of British characters, and in rendering their voices Barber shines, breathing life into everyone from the coach of the school’s field hockey team to the “queen bee” of a clique at boarding school. Ages 12–up. A Putnam hardcover. (Sept.)
Details
Reviewed on: 01/30/2012
Genre: Audio
Compact Disc - 978-1-4692-6347-2
Compact Disc - 978-1-4805-2030-1
Hardcover - 368 pages - 978-0-399-25660-8
MP3 CD - 978-1-4418-6638-7
MP3 CD - 978-1-4692-6348-9
MP3 CD - 978-1-4915-0052-1
MP3 CD - 978-1-4805-2031-8
Open Ebook - 978-1-101-53569-1
Paperback - 400 pages - 978-0-14-242205-2
Paperback - 372 pages - 978-0-00-739863-8
Paperback - 400 pages - 978-0-00-743226-4
Pre-Recorded Audio Player - 978-1-4558-2349-9
Prebound-Glued - 372 pages - 978-1-61383-659-0
