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Monday, March 11, 2013

Review: The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson

Title: The Madness Underneath

Author: Maureen Johnson

Publisher: Putnam

Publication Date: February 2013

Genre: Young Adult Mystery

Series or Stand Alone: Series, Book Two

Synopsis can be found here.
NetGalley review.

Review

Rory returns to Wexford, to find herself greatly changed. After her last experience with a ghost and the tales of Jack the Ripper, Rory knows that there are things out there that cannot be explained. She is now a human terminus, able to touch ghosts to send them onto the next world. And she doesn't yet realize that her last encounter with ghosts will not be her last.

I don't want to give anything away so I'll make this brief- so. good.

Okay, maybe not that brief.

Rory's character has changed since the last book, becoming a fuller and darker character. She was stabbed after all, and now has two sets of friends. One who knows what she is and one that has no idea. This book focuses a lot on Rory trying to come to terms with who she is and what has happened to her. I liked this new Rory, giving her a little bit of dark and a hint of edge.
She's finally reunited with her ghost busting friends and that's when the story picks up pace.
The story develops fast, and there is a touch of romance, though not too much. It hovers in the background, leaving an underlying suspense that almost killed me.
It may not have as much tension and mystery to it as the first book, but the sequel focuses more on Rory as a character and a couple of bad decisions and the people willing to take advantage of that. I'm not going to say who, but there are some pretty scary characters in this book, and they're not ghosts!
So much fun. And it sets up book three really well.


And the ending- wow. Thanks Ms. Johnson. I have to wait how long to read book three?! For real??

Overall, a solid sequel.

Rating 7 Pretty Cool Would Recommend

5 comments:

  1. great review. Loved the first book and can't wait to read this one.

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  2. Nice review! I just checked this out from the library, I am looking forward to starting it. But.. there is a book 3! BAHH, I hate waiting :)

    Ashley @ The Quiet Concert

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    1. I hate waiting too! I can't wait to read book three! You'll see why once you finish book two!!!

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  3. Unnng, that ending! I swear, I felt actual pain for at least twenty minutes after I finished it. Then I got distracted by cat pictures or something. But it was very emotional. I can't wait for book 3, mostly because I think TMU was a bit weaker plot/character-wise (excluding Rory) than in NotS.

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