'Jackaby' by William Ritter is a young adult historical fantasy set in 1890 that follows the adventures of Abigail Rook, a girl who seeks excitement and ends up as the assistant to the eccentric paranormal investigator Jackaby. The story is filled with folklore, mythology, religion, and the supernatural, reminiscent of a Sherlock Holmes-style detective novel. Despite being a fun and light read, the plot is straightforward, making it more suitable for young readers looking for an entertaining mystery with quirky characters and supernatural elements.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include depictions of violence, murder, and supernatural themes, which may be unsettling to some readers.
From The Publisher:
"Sherlock Holmes crossed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer." -Chicago Tribune
Newly arrived in New Fiddleham, New England, 1892, and in need of a job, Abigail Rook meets R. F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained with a keen eye for the extraordinary-including the ability to see supernatural beings. Abigail has a gift for noticing ordinary but important details, which makes her perfect for the position of Jackaby's assistant. On her first day, Abigail finds herself in the midst of a thrilling case: A serial killer is on the loose. The police are convinced it's an ordinary villain, but Jackaby is certain the foul deeds are the work of the kind of creature whose very existence the local authorities-with the exception of a handsome young detective named Charlie Cane-seem adamant to deny.
"The rich world of this debut demands sequels." -Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"We honestly couldn't put it down." -Nerdist.com
"Toss together an alternate 19th-century New England city, a strong tradition of Sherlockian pastiche, and one seriously ugly hat, and this lighthearted and assured debut emerges, all action and quirk." -Publishers Weekly
A Top Ten Fall '14 Kids' Indie Next Pick
A 2014 Kirkus Reviews Best Book for Young Adults
A 2015 YALSA Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults Title
A 2015 Pacific Northwest Book Award Winner
A 2015-2016 Georgia Peach Award Nominee
A Junior Library Guild Selection
Ratings (19)
Incredible (3) | |
Loved It (7) | |
Liked It (3) | |
It Was OK (6) |
Reader Stats (41):
Read It (22) | |
Currently Reading (1) | |
Want To Read (14) | |
Not Interested (4) |
2 comment(s)
Jackaby has some nice things going for it.
I appreciate the bits about banshees and the story about the tuning forks at the end (sadly, I couldn’t verify if the story has any basis in reality). There are some parts that philosophize about monsters which I enjoyed as well.
My main issue is that I couldn’t tell if Abigail was a pick-me girl or not. For example, her “I’m not like other girls” inner dialogues seemed more like self-aware discussions of her upbringing to the effect of “I’m not like other girls because of my privileged background and my father’s unique profession.” Furthermore, Abigail doesn’t spurn feminine coded clothing such as dresses, yet, at some point, she mocks the nosy ladies in her neighborhood for their hat decorating hobby, another feminine coded activity. I like Abigail for the most part, but wonder if she’s harboring some internal misogyny.
Additionally, the story’s pace seems inconsistent for some reason.
Despite everything, I’m still intrigued by the series, so I’ll probably read the next book in the series at some point.
This is like a historical mix of Sherlock and Doctor Who. The age category feels fairly middle grade. I laughed, I smiled, I'll read the next one.
What can you read after
Jackaby?
About the Author:
William Ritter is an Oregon author and educator. He is the proud father of the two bravest boys in the Wild Wood, and husband to the indomitable Queen of the Deep Dark.The Oddmireis Ritter's first series for middle-grade readers. He is also the author of the New York Times bestselling, award-winning Jackaby series for young adult readers. Visit him online at rwillritter.wordpress.com and find him on Twitter: @Willothewords.
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