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sam_hartwig's review against another edition
4.0
Well now I NEED the next book! How can it end like that!?
It started off slow but it wasn't long before I got back into the groove of this series and characters. As with the first book, I listened to this on audiobook and I forgot how irritating the main character's accent was...but I got over it because the book was really good.
All our favourites are back and the ghosts of London are still at large. But why are they attacking people now? Well, I will have to keep reading the series to find out.
It started off slow but it wasn't long before I got back into the groove of this series and characters. As with the first book, I listened to this on audiobook and I forgot how irritating the main character's accent was...but I got over it because the book was really good.
All our favourites are back and the ghosts of London are still at large. But why are they attacking people now? Well, I will have to keep reading the series to find out.
cutenanya's review against another edition
2.0
The second book in the Shades of London lives up to its title, there is simply madness underneath the plot! I am so traumatized after reading this book that I can't write a long review and I certainly refuse to write one that may contain spoilers!
The strengths:
1) The depiction of how the heroine tries to cope with the traumatic event she experienced in The Name of the Star (the first book in the series).
2) The new storyline that emerged toward the end of the book.
3) Further developments between Rory and Stephen.
The madness underneath the plot:
1) For two-third of the book, Johnson just lost focus and not much really happened! Then she packed all the mysteries and action toward the last third of the book. Naturally, she couldn't explain away everything in just the last part and so, she decided to give up explaining. As a result, there is absolutely no closure whatsoever to this book and that's extremely frustrating for readers who practically PREORDERED the book! I have to wait a WHOLE YEAR to get my next dose and that's driving me NUTS!
2) The development in the relationship between the old characters (mostly from Westford) and the heroine. I can tell even from the premise of the book that those side characters would gradually fade into the background but I am absolutely abhorred by the way that's done! This is just not acceptable!
3) I also fail to relate to Rory as well as I could in the first book, somehow in the first book, Rory appeared to be a humorous heroine who had her faults but I could still relate to, not in the second book though. Her actions just seemed so selfish and idiotic at times I would like to smack her head! She really did not deserve the friends who would risk her lives for her.
Despite my extreme dissatisfaction with the second book, I hope it's just victim of the "middle book syndrome" and that the third book will be a lot more exciting and fun to read and would revive my love for this series.
The strengths:
1) The depiction of how the heroine tries to cope with the traumatic event she experienced in The Name of the Star (the first book in the series).
2) The new storyline that emerged toward the end of the book.
3) Further developments between Rory and Stephen.
The madness underneath the plot:
1) For two-third of the book, Johnson just lost focus and not much really happened! Then she packed all the mysteries and action toward the last third of the book. Naturally, she couldn't explain away everything in just the last part and so, she decided to give up explaining. As a result, there is absolutely no closure whatsoever to this book and that's extremely frustrating for readers who practically PREORDERED the book! I have to wait a WHOLE YEAR to get my next dose and that's driving me NUTS!
2) The development in the relationship between the old characters (mostly from Westford) and the heroine. I can tell even from the premise of the book that those side characters would gradually fade into the background but I am absolutely abhorred by the way that's done! This is just not acceptable!
3) I also fail to relate to Rory as well as I could in the first book, somehow in the first book, Rory appeared to be a humorous heroine who had her faults but I could still relate to, not in the second book though. Her actions just seemed so selfish and idiotic at times I would like to smack her head! She really did not deserve the friends who would risk her lives for her.
Despite my extreme dissatisfaction with the second book, I hope it's just victim of the "middle book syndrome" and that the third book will be a lot more exciting and fun to read and would revive my love for this series.
harleyrae's review against another edition
3.0
Well honestly I wasn't very impressed with this book. I really enjoyed the first book and was super excited for this book. But was kind of sad with the outcome of this one.
Ok so Rory is recovering for the ripper attack but soon many things begin to happen. Rory returns to Wexford in hope of getting back into her old routine but sadly rings don't workout like she hopes.
Ok so like I said I was unimpressed. I love Rory but this book almost made me not like her. She keeps complaining about what's happening, but well honestly she could have avoided half the problems if she just well pushed herself to do what she freaky need to do to acomplish what she wants.
Short review, I know but I'm out of things to say. All in all the book wasn't bad, but not as good as the first book.
Ok so Rory is recovering for the ripper attack but soon many things begin to happen. Rory returns to Wexford in hope of getting back into her old routine but sadly rings don't workout like she hopes.
Ok so like I said I was unimpressed. I love Rory but this book almost made me not like her. She keeps complaining about what's happening, but well honestly she could have avoided half the problems if she just well pushed herself to do what she freaky need to do to acomplish what she wants.
Short review, I know but I'm out of things to say. All in all the book wasn't bad, but not as good as the first book.
chelseatm's review against another edition
3.0
While the first Shades of London book was a strong and exciting read, The Madness Underneath lacked.
It is clearly a transitional book setting up the series for something major and exciting. The first book had a strong plot and tantalizing plot twists. The second book had no tangible plot with small rises but full of mostly plateaus.
This book has set up a lot of interesting plot lines but because it didn't finish or add anything interesting in this novel, it was disappointing.
It's not that I would recommend skipping it, but I would suggest waiting until the third book is out. Then you'll probably get the most out of the series.
It is clearly a transitional book setting up the series for something major and exciting. The first book had a strong plot and tantalizing plot twists. The second book had no tangible plot with small rises but full of mostly plateaus.
This book has set up a lot of interesting plot lines but because it didn't finish or add anything interesting in this novel, it was disappointing.
It's not that I would recommend skipping it, but I would suggest waiting until the third book is out. Then you'll probably get the most out of the series.
fayesfate's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
abaugher's review against another edition
5.0
continuation of The Name of the Star story. Great mix of humor, scary stuff, and a bit of history. Just requested the third in the series from my library.
momentum262's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
mehsi's review against another edition
5.0
Finally had a chance to read this book in one go. It was kind of difficult to get in to, and it felt at times that it missed the action of the first book. Luckily it soon recovers and we are throw in a whole new story and a whole new turn.
Rory, well she was nice, but I felt like she lacked a bit. Sure I can imagine having a murderous ghost after you is scary, getting killed too, but well... she just went to school and did nothing? Ok, she grabbed and tried to get through her books a few times but that is that.
We got a whole bunch of new characters, new villains, and more.
But gaaaaahhhhhh at the ending.
But it was a good book, really looking forward to book 3 in this series. I really hope we get more development for the characters and that everything goes ok with everyone.
Rory, well she was nice, but I felt like she lacked a bit. Sure I can imagine having a murderous ghost after you is scary, getting killed too, but well... she just went to school and did nothing? Ok, she grabbed and tried to get through her books a few times but that is that.
We got a whole bunch of new characters, new villains, and more.
But gaaaaahhhhhh at the ending.
Spoiler
Finally Stephen and Rory kiss, lots of times and then he just dies? And now we have to wait for the next book???????? No way!!!But it was a good book, really looking forward to book 3 in this series. I really hope we get more development for the characters and that everything goes ok with everyone.
krista_reads_it_all's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
melissa_who_reads's review against another edition
4.0
Loved the book; not quite as much as the first book (the Name of the Star) but still loved it. Was about halfway through when I went: "what? wait a minute, where's the plot int his book?" and within the next chapter suddenly "OH, there's the plot! Got it!"
Put it down for three weeks, because I got to a point when I was screaming at the heroine "no, no, don't do that, it's a trap!" and of course I was right. I couldn't bear it, and couldn't finish until I had time to read the rest in one sitting.
Johnson is a good writer. Once again, the plot concerns Rory, having survived her encounter with the Ripper, and now in a world where she is coping with having survived -- and her parents want to keep her close, but she is going a bit nuts with everything she can't tell them (oh, yes, by the way, I can see ghosts, and oh, yeah, there's this secret agency in London attached to the police that deals with ghosts in London). Therapy is not going well. Finally, her therapist suggests she be allowed to return to London and to school -- so back to Wexford, where she has missed so much of the quarter there is no way she'll pass her exams.
No ghostly Ripper this time: this time the threat comes from some very real and deceptive humans. The ending is a cliff-hanger -- which is why it's sometimes good to wait until quite a few of the series are written before getting into it as a reader. I'd love to find the publication date for the next in the series ...
Put it down for three weeks, because I got to a point when I was screaming at the heroine "no, no, don't do that, it's a trap!" and of course I was right. I couldn't bear it, and couldn't finish until I had time to read the rest in one sitting.
Johnson is a good writer. Once again, the plot concerns Rory, having survived her encounter with the Ripper, and now in a world where she is coping with having survived -- and her parents want to keep her close, but she is going a bit nuts with everything she can't tell them (oh, yes, by the way, I can see ghosts, and oh, yeah, there's this secret agency in London attached to the police that deals with ghosts in London). Therapy is not going well. Finally, her therapist suggests she be allowed to return to London and to school -- so back to Wexford, where she has missed so much of the quarter there is no way she'll pass her exams.
No ghostly Ripper this time: this time the threat comes from some very real and deceptive humans. The ending is a cliff-hanger -- which is why it's sometimes good to wait until quite a few of the series are written before getting into it as a reader. I'd love to find the publication date for the next in the series ...