If Looks Could Kill by Julie Berry | Book Review

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An instant New York Times bestseller!

From Printz Honor–winning and New York Times bestselling author Julie Berry, a true-crime-nail-biter-turned-mythic-odyssey pitting Jack the Ripper against Medusa. A defiant love song to sisterhood, a survivors’ battle cry, and a romantic literary tour de force laced with humor.

It’s autumn 1888, and Jack the Ripper is on the run. As London police close in, he flees England for New York City seeking new victims. But a primal force of female vengeance has had enough. With serpents for hair and a fearsome gaze, an awakened Medusa is hunting for one thing: Jack.

And other dangers lurk in Manhattan’s Bowery. Salvation Army volunteers Tabitha and Pearl discover that a girl they once helped has been forced to work in a local brothel. Tabitha’s an upstate city girl with a wry humor and a thirst for adventure, while farmgirl Pearl takes everything with stone-cold seriousness. Their brittle partnership is tested as they team up with an aspiring girl reporter and a handsome Irish bartender to mount a rescue effort, only to find their fates entwine with Medusa’s and Jack’s.

I am absolutely obsessed with Julie Berry’s books. If Looks Could Kill is the latest from Berry and continues to uphold the excellence I have come to expect from her writing. This is a historical fiction with a fantastical twist. Set in 1888, this young adult book follows two young women who are roommates in New York City’s Bowery. Meanwhile, Jack The Ripper is on the loose and making his way from London right to the Bowery. Of course, things are about to get tense. 

The two main characters of If Looks Could Kill are Tabitha and Pearl. Tabitha is full of good cheer and humor and from a wealthy upstate family. Her roommate, Pearl, is beautiful and from Pennsylvania. The two are volunteers for the Salvation Army and go out and about attempting to sell pamphlets and convert souls to Christianity. Pearl is a true believer whereas Tabitha bends the rules here and there. The girls encounter poverty and depravity. It becomes hard for them to focus on proselytizing when there is such a need for poverty relief among the residents of the Bowery. Meanwhile, as mentioned, Jack The Ripper is making his way to the Bowery from London, leaving a trail of victims in his wake. Due to his actions, a Medusa has awakened and she is hunting for Jack with her snakes for hair and a gaze to turn him to stone. 

Berry’s latest is captivating. By all measures, it feels like it shouldn’t work because of the different elements, but actually it does. The story is so well researched — you can tell from the bibliography at the end as well as the author’s note. It is also fiercely feminist. I loved how Tabitha and Pearl were portrayed — how we had these perceptions of both, but then got to go a little deeper. I loved their road to friendship. Also, how the two advocated for the impoverished once they got a picture what life really was like for people in need — people who needed more than just religion, but had real material needs. 

If Looks Could Kill is a book that has depth. It is a smart read — and I love that for YA. I like the fluffy and the smart. There is a little romance in this book but it is not at all the point of the story. This is a story about female rage, yes, but it is also a story about sisterhood — the bonds of friendship. If you want a book that has a sense of place and time, interesting characters, and a fascinating plot, pick up If Looks Could Kill by Julie Berry.

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April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

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