Restricted Section Book Club discussion

This is our first discussion thread for The Name of the Star! What are your first impressions? Favorite characters? Theories for what's to come?

I'm about 10 chapters in. I am really into the budding friendship between Rory and Jazza.

(view spoiler)[ When the video of the second murder was being shown, I knew what was going to happen! I'm horrible about guessing what is going to happen, but I do know I'm only going to read this book in public places or at daytime! (hide spoiler)]

I really love Rory. She seems like the kind of person I'd be friends with. When she was researching what to wear to a pub and then had to "angry search" about feminism, it made me laugh out loud because I do that exact thing.

I like Jerome because he seems really awesome, but...
(view spoiler)[ ... I didn't think it was smart for him to convince the girls to go out the night of the murder. I got chills when the guy showed up right behind her on their way back. My skin crawled. Audible noises were made. (hide spoiler)]

I can absolutely relate to Rory's culture shock. I'm an American who studied abroad in London for university and completely understand everything she's going through with culture shock and homesickness.

I am loving this book so far. I just have to laugh at Rory's awkwardness as she tries to fit in to a culture that is different. My theory is that Rory was supposed to be the fourth victim and the man she was talking with maybe the killer. Her comment about the text from Jerome that of course he'll see her tomorrow makes me suspicious. And we can't forget about the puzzling evidence of what Veronica saw on her CCTV footage

I knew I would like this book from the first page when she said it was a terrible place to build a town but everyone keeps living there anyway. Parts of our town are the exact same way! The first 12 chapters haven't disappointed.

I'm curious about the CCTV footage and why Veronica didn't tell the police immediately, or if she did why it wasn't on the news by the time of the third murder. There is no way I would have left the building like Rory and Jazza did!

Oh my gosh. This is going to be one those books that gives me nightmares tonight.

The beginning about Rory living on a swamp, I can totally relate to. Tasha and I's super fancy high school was built on a swamp. I think it's pretty common in the south.

Part of me thinks the ripper is the random dude Rory saw when she was climbing back into the building but part of me also thinks it could possibly be Jerome as well!

I love Jazza so much! Favorite character at the moment.

So I didn't know this was a ghost story until Kristina's TBR video, but by then I was pages away from the CCTV footage. I think the police are seeing the same thing Veronica was seeing, but told the media that the footage messed up? I mean how do you explain that to the public? (I don't know if this kind of thing is available to the media.) Maybe the police aren't willing to believe what they are seeing and still think there's a person to be found?

I didn't think Rory was going to be the fourth victim after being told how the fourth murder went down, but I still felt a little antsy. Like maybe nothing would've happened if they took the long way around! Now I'm just curious how the new double event is connected to the old double event.

Enjoying this so far. Rory and Jazza are very likeable characters and the school is really well described. Jerome annoys me a bit though - he might at least have offered to walk Jazza and Rory home rather than basically saying "cheerio - try not to get murdered" (although he did ask them to text him when they got back safely)

I hated this book for the first 8 chapters. I'm English and I just felt that all the cultural references were so forced (and a lot of them are wrong). I felt like Rory was so pathetic because the differences between England and the US are not that big. That being said, Chapter 9 was the first one I was excited to read and I'm getting into it. The story line is getting interesting and I was actually scared when they snuck out!

I'm enjoying this book so far but like Lauren I also think the whole 'American girl in England', "England is so weird" thing is a bit annoying. That being said I really like Rory and her relationship with Jazza. I'm interested to see if this gets as dark as I'd like it to as a ghost story

Lauren wrote: "I hated this book for the first 8 chapters. I'm English and I just felt that all the cultural references were so forced (and a lot of them are wrong). I felt like Rory was so pathetic because the d..."

I'm an American who's never been to England...what cultural references were wrong? I'd love to get your insight :)

I'm really enjoying the book so far! I agree with previous commenters...I think the police saw the same tape Veronica saw but didn't want to tell the public that the murderer is a ghost and/or invisible.

Speaking of ghosts, I think Rory has a gift and can see spirits. ***SPOILER*** whats up with Jazza not being able to see the man that was potentially the murderer? And I'm also wondering about that pale, "blue blood" guy in the library that was shocked when Rory spoke to him.

Maybe her near death experience with the whole chocking on food thing caused her to do this?

Oh that's an interesting thought, makes sense to me!

Carly wrote: "I'm an American who's never been to England...what cultural references were wrong? I'd love to get your insight :) "

Here are a few: 'pulled a jack the ripper' isn't a phrase. Most people take 3 A levels, at most 4(there's no such thing as an S level). People don't just walk out in the cold with summer clothes on- you can buy winter jackets almost all year round. Last year reached about 84F in England in the summer, so we definitely have the same definition of 'summer'. Her eating fat foods doesn't make her 'American'- at my boarding school they served a full fry up every day!

We do have beans at any meal in the day though, and private schools do have a lot of hockey! The shower struggle is real, we also had long benches at meals. My school also had Saturday lessons, and my friends and I always spent a lot of time going to pubs at 16-18!

These are just a few of the things I've noticed, I've read past chapter 12 now though, so I won't put any more! :)
Honestly, the US and the UK are very very similar- except that people in the US seem to be friendlier (in my opinion anyway!)

Carly wrote: "I'm really enjoying the book so far! I agree with previous commenters...I think the police saw the same tape Veronica saw but didn't want to tell the public that the murderer is a ghost and/or invi..."

Yeah I haven't forgotten about the guy in the library. And if her cousin talks to angels then maybe Rory can see ghosts??

Aside from that I was so freaked out by that guy when the girls snuck back into their house. And I'm paranoid that now he or someone else is going to figure out the entrance and go in and attack someone in the building. Ha ha! Now I'm going to jump back in and read some more because I really want to know what's going to happen!