Starred review from January 19, 2015
In a place like Razorhurst—a slum of 1932 Sydney, where guns are outlawed and men kill with blades—it’s little surprise that Kelpie and Dymphna meet over the slit throat of a dead body. Though circumstance unites them, the girls couldn’t be more different: street urchin Kelpie stumbles upon Jimmy Palmer’s corpse while looking for food. Dymphna, though a teenager, looks and acts like an adult woman: she’s the top-earning prostitute in Glory Nelson’s criminal empire, and Jimmy is only the most recent of the dead lovers who have earned her the nickname “Angel of Death.” But both girls can see ghosts, and thanks to the cascading effects of Jimmy’s murder, both may die before the day ends. Larbalestier (Liar) packs plenty of danger into the single day this novel covers, but frequent interludes of backstory keep things from feeling rushed. The narrative also benefits from a colorful, well-rendered cast, human and ghost alike. While the writing style calls to mind fiction of an earlier era, this story’s interwoven intrigue and empathy make it feel timeless. Ages 14–up. Agent: Jill Grinberg, Jill Grinberg Literary Management.
Starred review from December 15, 2014
Kelpie sees ghosts. An orphaned street urchin in the slums of 1932 Sydney, she has learned to survive not only the ill intent of the living, but also the machinations of the bored dead, who stir up trouble for their own entertainment. Weakened by hunger, she lets a malicious shade lead her astray, catapulting her straight into a crisis that, like a carnival ride, will both thrill and nauseate readers. Along the way, she is alternately helped and foiled by her fellow inhabitants of Razorhurst, including femme fatale Dymphna Campbell, who coped with the trauma of her early life by refashioning herself as the city's most expensive prostitute. Dymphna's recently deceased paramour and protector, Jimmy Palmer, hounds the pair through the city, offering both good and bad advice as they try to escape the clutches of the two competing crime bosses on their trail. Straight from the opening lines, the suspenseful narrative is both dizzying and illuminating as it rotates among the characters, giving a nearly 360-degree perspective on the life-threatening mess that Kelpie and Dymphna find themselves in. Characters both living and dead reveal crucial pieces of the plot slowly over the course of one harrowing day. Larbalestier pulls no punches with the gruesome, gory details about the violence of poverty, and the result is a dark, unforgettable and blood-soaked tale of outlaws and masterminds. (glossary, author's note) (Historical suspense. 14 & up)
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Starred review from December 1, 2014
Gr 9 Up-Larbalestier's latest features gritty historical fiction with a paranormal twist. The grim tale takes place in 1932 in a fictionalized version of Surry Hills neighborhood of Sydney, Australia. The neighborhood is dominated by two rival gangs, but because guns are illegal, violence is done using razor blades and gruesome scars are a common sight. The novel takes place over the course of one day and tells the story of two very different young women: Kelpie, a feral child raised by ghosts, and Dympha, a prostitute with a violent past who seems older than her years. Razorhurst introduces a historical period with which many North American readers may not be familiar. Though some of the events and character backstories border on improbable, the short chapters and multiple viewpoints keep things interesting. The ghosts are mostly peripheral to the story, though their presence emphasizes the bloody nature of the time period and provides occasional humor.-Eliza Langhans, Hatfield Public Library, MA
Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
March 1, 2015
It is 1932, and Kelpie is an orphan waif living on the streets of Surry Hills, Australia, a violent, poor Sydney neighborhood ruled by two mob bosses -- one of whom is Gloriana Nelson, madam of the city's busiest brothel. Kelpie's only caretakers have been ghosts, but they've long dissipated when she's caught up in the aftermath of a gory murder and befriended by Gloriana's "best girl," Dymphna Campbell. In a day spent dodging razor-wielding thugs, gun-happy "coppers," and bloodthirsty rival bosses, Kelpie and Dymphna break free of the crime-riddled underworld and share their common aptitude -- the ability to see and speak with ghosts. Yoking paranormal thriller, roman noir, and historical fiction, Razorhurst teems with precisely realized period details and an expansive cast of unsavory characters, as well as numerous allusions to the films noirs and Sydney history that inspired Larbalestier; what the ghosts add to the mix remains unclear. The story's third-person narration frequently shifts points of view; this and its many cuts and flashbacks disrupt momentum repeatedly, undermining action and suspense. Larbalestier's prose throughout is intensely lucid and sharp, however, and colorful with Sydney's historical dialect and setting. deirdre f. baker
(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)