Young Adult Fiction

Jackaby

by William Ritter

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Publication Date: September 2014

Number of Pages: 299

Geographical Setting: New Fiddleham, New England

Time Period: 1892

Series (If applicable): Jackaby Series

Plot Summary: Abigail Rook, a British native, arrives in New Fiddleham, New England in 1892. With the clothes on her back and no money for shelter, she searches for a job. Happening upon a flyer in need of an investigative assistant, she meets R. F. Jackaby. Jackaby is a peculiar investigator and has a reputation in town - not a good one. As Rook begins her journey in America, she tags along with Jackaby, investigating a series of murders. As she learns more about her employer, she realizes there is more to meet the eye. This isn’t just any murder, but one of the supernatural. She learns about the unseen world, learning about fairies, ghosts, trolls, etc. The murderer is no human, and it’s up to R.F. Jackaby and Abigail Ritter to solve the case.

Subject Headings: Young adult, supernatural, murder

Appeal:

• American Sherlock - Ritter takes on a Sherlock-type character with R.F. Jackaby with American mannerisms.
• Victorian Era - Ritter writes in the Victorian Era of 1892, showing how life was like in America during that time
• Detective for the Supernatural

Rule of 3:

• Supernatural - Ritter brings to life supernatural creatures in a different light: a friendly/not-friendly ghost, possessed toad, troll under the bridge, and many more.
• Witty - the characters come to life with their interesting dialogue and descriptions of the setting
• Fast-paced - filled with action and suspense, you won’t want to put this book down until you figure out the murderer

Elements of Young Adult fiction (taken from various sources)

• Unique Narration - the novel is told from Abigail Rook’s perspective, allowing the reader to discover the mystery as it unfolds in Rook’s view (McCoach).
• “Simplicity in prose” - the writing is not difficult to understand, simple but to the point (McCoach).
• “Happy For Now” ending - Rook grew throughout the novel and is a better and well-rounded out character than when the book began (McCoach).
• Bit of romance - “young adult literature reflects their experiences with conflicts, focuses on themes that interest young people,” which romance is a huge interest among the young adult population (Bucher).
• “Provides vicarious experiences” (Bucher)
• “Focuses on “essentials” that make order out of chaos” (Bucher)
• “Allows readers to escape into the realms of fantasy” (Bucher)

Similar Authors and Works:

• Eye of the Crow by Shane Peacock
• The Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman
• Death Cloud by Andy Lane
• Beastly Bones (Jackaby, book 2) by William Ritter
• Ghostly Echoes (Jackaby, book 3) by William Ritter
• The Dire King (Jackaby, book 4) by William Ritter

My “Two-Cents”

It’s interesting that most adults buying young adult fiction are adults themselves, rather than for their children. Sometimes, I find young adult fiction more exciting and interesting than a general adult fiction book. Looking at a new study, “78% of the time adults are purchasing books for their own reading” (New Study). Looking at some statistics, I didn’t find that number surprising, but it’s great to know that adults are wanting to read books that are in this category.

I wanted to read this novel for a while, so I thought this would be a great opportunity to do so. However, I didn’t like it as much as I thought I would. I felt Ritter used the traditional Sherlock character, copied it, and made an American version. It’s a very creative idea, don’t get me wrong, but I felt there should have been something more unique about his character. Inviting supernatural characteristics definitely made this a different story than the traditional Sherlock stories, so that was enjoyable. I felt the ending was too drawn out. The murderer was discovered and it took about six chapters to describe the aftermath. There was a little bit of romance with Abigail Rook and a police officer, which is a nice touch for the young adult population, but it didn’t need to be in there. It wasn’t fleshed out enough. I haven't read the other books, so I can’t judge the entire book series by this first one. But, I would have to say this one was “meh” for me.

Resources

Bucher, K. and Manning, L. (2014). Qualities of Young Adult Literature. Retrieved from

https://www.education.com/reference/article/qualities-young-adult-literature/.

Goodreads. (2018). Jackaby. Book image and suggestions retrieved from

https://www.goodreads.com

McCoach, Katie. (2015). 5 Key Ingrediants All Young Adults Must Have. Retrieved from

https://www.standoutbooks.com/key-ingredients-young-adult-novels/

(2012). New Study: 55% of YA Books Bought By Adults. Retrieved from

https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/53937-new-study-55-of-ya-books-bought-by-adults.html.