York: The Map of Stars

By: Laura Ruby

Narrated by: Adam Verner

The thrilling conclusion to two-time National Book Award finalist Laura Ruby’s epic adventure through the streets of an alternate New York City.

It was only a few days ago that Tess Biedermann, Theo Biedermann, and Jaime Cruz, along with a mysterious figure from the past, managed to survive an assault on the location of the latest clue in the Morningstarr cipher—and, in the process, made a shocking discovery about their own connection to this one-hundred-sixty-year-old enigma.

Now the friends are divided. Tess and Theo have no idea what the photo they found in Greenwood Cemetery means, but Jaime is convinced that they do, and that they’ve been keeping their own secrets from him. As the city continues to break around them, suddenly solving the greatest mystery of the modern world seems less important than saving their own friendship.

The stakes of completing the cipher, however, have never been higher. Darnell Slant, real estate developer and owner of all the Morningstarr buildings, knows that they hold one last secret: a power that even the Morningstarrs themselves never revealed. The world has rested on a precarious balance of power for generations; now Slant and his shadowy business partners aim to unbalance it.

It’s up to Tess, Theo, and Jaime to uncover the Morningstarrs’ final mystery in a desperate attempt to set things right. The world—theirs, and possibly others—depends on it.

A sharp turn

I liked the evolution of this book series. It kept a great mystery secret and did not reveal the truth until the very gripping end. We’ll read and told by the narrator.

But...I want more!

A twisty turny end to the series that in some ways was the best ending and in other ways left me wanting so many more details! I would be quite happy with a companion series in the future set in the past or the future.

A fun story but ending is too rushed

Overall I enjoyed the series. The characters were interesting and made you want to root for them. I especially enjoyed oh no who, with only 2 phrases said so much. Without giving spoilers, I would say that the ending was too abrupt. It felt like they spent so much time on the cyphers and puzzles that the ending seemed rushed and logically didn’t make sense (unless they’re in a paradox), like there could have been a whole other chapter or book between chapters 36 and 37 to better explain it.