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A review by foxon
Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco
2.0
This book is young adult, and I tried to rate it keeping that in mind. But even then I can only say the things I liked about it are few and far between. In a textbook case of great idea, poor execution, Stalking Jack the Ripper is about a girl (Watson allegory) who is secretly learning dissection from her uncle and another student (Holmes) solving the famous murder case. The problem here is Wadsworth does not in any way act like a girl in the 1880's would and I don't mean because she is into science. She goes around at night by herself with no thoughts as to what would happen if she got caught, she hangs out/travels with Cresswell with no chaperone and she talks like someone from the 21st century (she literally does a sarcastic slow clap at one point). Granted, the whole book uses very little Victorian language and even mentions someone using a telephone even though those were not at all common in households then. It feels like the author did only the basic research into the jack the Ripper case and none into the actual era they are writing about.
Now, again, this is a YA novel, so I know a large amount of it was going to be about romance. But for the love of god, all Cresswell does is flirt and tell Wadsworth how much he likes her, yet she's still like
And what is with Wadsworth being half Indian and we never even really talk about all the problems she would have had being a mixed race child in 1888 England. Just No.
And to top off this bad review, it was obvious who the killer was pretty early on, although the end had somewhat of a twist in it. Unfortunately it was not enough to really make it interesting.
PS There is no way, no way AT ALL that Wadsworth came through this novel with her reputation in society intact. She is 17, not a 25 year old spinster (ugh), the gossips would be all over her for not only her dissections but also her being alone with a boy (gasp) for hours on end. And then her father but for some reason the readers are subjected to Wadsworth endlessly going on about propriety. You lost it already, girl!
Now, again, this is a YA novel, so I know a large amount of it was going to be about romance. But for the love of god, all Cresswell does is flirt and tell Wadsworth how much he likes her, yet she's still like
And what is with Wadsworth being half Indian and we never even really talk about all the problems she would have had being a mixed race child in 1888 England. Just No.
And to top off this bad review, it was obvious who the killer was pretty early on, although the end had somewhat of a twist in it. Unfortunately it was not enough to really make it interesting.
PS There is no way, no way AT ALL that Wadsworth came through this novel with her reputation in society intact. She is 17, not a 25 year old spinster (ugh), the gossips would be all over her for not only her dissections but also her being alone with a boy (gasp) for hours on end. And then her father