Parents' Guide to

The Name of the Star: Shades of London, Book 1

By Carrie R. Wheadon, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Macabre modern Ripper meets hip Brit boarding school.

The Name of the Star: Shades of London, Book 1 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (5 ):

Here's a page-turner ideal for fans of Cassandra Clare (good call quoting her praise on the paperback's cover) and her witty and bloody Mortal Instruments series. This modern-day Ripper story has plenty of mystery, suspense, gory details, and a good dose of historical perspective. Unexpected is the boarding school setting, the hip and funny teen characters, and the strong paranormal vibe. All squeezed together, THE NAME OF THE STAR is creepy, exciting fun.

Missing is a bit more depth to the paranormal angle -- those secret police devices could use some work. It's the only weak spot in an otherwise fantastic genre mashup.

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate