Ripper - Stefan Petrucha

The Gist

  Ripper
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Carver Young is an orphan. His parents left him when he was a baby, and fourteen years later he wants some answers. As an aspiring detective, he's sure he can figure out who his parents are. When his orphanage is being moved, and all the oldest kids must be adopted, Carver is taken in by a cantankerous gentleman named Hawking, a detective with the Pinkerton Agency. Carver is sure he'll be able to find his parents with Hawking's help, but in New York City in 1895, something bigger is out there for Carver. There's a murderer on the loose, and while the police force, detective agency, and all of New York is on the lookout, it could be up to Carver to stop him.

What We Think
Reviewed by Living Destiny
Number of Pages: 427
This is kind of a guy book. I mean, not to stereotype books to one gender or another. But it's certainly not the usual paranormal romance, high school life, fluffy love story that is generally marketed to girls. Even the cover looks nothing like the cheesy sort of thing that's most commonly written today. And I really have to mention the cover, because I love it. It's simple, eye-catching, intriguing. I know the rule is don't judge a book by its cover, but come on. We all do it. And the cover is the reason I picked this book up.
It's an interesting plot line. Serial killers and orphans. Always fun. It's set in 1895, which means it takes on the extra challenge of being historically accurate. It does a good job of that. None of the dialogue is too modern, the setting is definitively New York City in 1895. It's very believable, and actually in the back there's a little section that verifies the existence of some of the elements of the story during that time period. 
Also, it's incredibly well written. Not only is it time period-accurate, it draws you in. It has good pacing and excitement, and a few twists thrown in that I wasn't expecting. It's high action without being gory or absurd. And the characters aren't irritating, and I think so many characters in so many books get really annoying. Carver is a strong, intelligent young man. He gets emotional at times, but not so much as to be weak or whiny. It's understandable. He doesn't figure things out too quickly, like characters sometimes do, if the answer isn't obvious. If it's difficult to understand, he finds it difficult to understand. He's like a regular person, which is why he's so great. His friend Delia is also great. She wants to be a reporter, and gets adopted by two reporters. She's determined and independent, which is no small feat for a young woman in 1895. She's not quick to trust, but she thinks fast on her feet. Finn is a good character too. He's sort of the "bully", who's mean to Carver at the orphanage, and he and Carver get into tiffs pretty often, but they balance each other out. He's not the typical meat head bully, although he is physically strong and quick to get into a fight. He has an emotional range. It's refreshing. I really loved Carver's mentor, Hawking. He was mysterious and obtuse, but he really helped Carver to learn and investigate. He wasn't the most supportive character, but something about his sharp language and attitude made him lovable. Basically all the characters were fantastic. And Teddy Roosevelt is a character in it as well, because he was the police commissioner in New York at that time, so he's in the story, which I think is wicked cool.
I don't normally like historical fiction. And I'm not sure if this actually classifies as historical fiction, but it is set in history, so...I'm not sure. But I know that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There were historical elements, with Roosevelt and references to, if the title didn't make it obvious, Jack the Ripper. All the gadgets Carver uses from the Pinkerton Agency seem so high tech, even though they probably aren't so fancy. The descriptions make you feel like you're really there, because the author has a very effective use of language. It makes me want to read more of his books, although looking it appears he mostly writes Nancy Drew graphic novels. Weird. Anyway, it's a good book. I've read it twice so far, and I'm thinking about reading it again. Very worth it, and one of the best books I've read recently.
Real Teen Rating~ A-: Read it!