The Night Tourist

Module 8

The Night Tourist by Katherine Marsh

Jack is a shy ninth grade student who lives with his father. Jack is not like a normal teenager, he is usually by himself reading a book. Jack is also very shy who is a prodigy. Jack is in a serious accident and almost loses his life. Jack goes to New York to see a doctor. This is where Jack meets a young girl by the name of Euri. It is then that Euri and Jack visit Grand Central Station where he learns secrets. He learns of the ghostly underworld buried below the train station. Jack’s guide becomes Euri because she is supposed to be a ghost. She tells him he could possible find his mother who had died eight years ago in New York. They search at night so they would not be captured by underworld authorities. Along the way they solved mysteries.

My Impression
This is not usually the type of book I will read. I did not think I would like it but I really enjoyed reading it. It actually captured my attention from the beginning. I just decided to become a part of the story and try to figure out the outcome of the story. The more I read the more I needed to know. The book is very thrilling and exciting. I would recommend this book for those who love a thriller.


How can I use this story in a Lesson?
Create a Character Web. Draw a picture of the main character in the center circle. In each of the spaces, the student will answer the question about the character. Who? What? Where? How? Why? When?

Bibliography

Marsh, Katherine. The Night Tourist. New York: Hyperion for Children, 2008. Print.


Book Reviews

BookBrowse
If you're familiar with the Orpheus myth, you'll have a good gist of how the story will progress, but not without some unexpected twists and turns, and an ending that, despite the odds, manages to surprise. A couple of times, convenience for the sake of the storyline takes the place of credibility (would Jack's father really have let him travel to New York by himself, especially knowing what he did about Jack?); but such contrivances are few, and overall Marsh stays true to the essence of the original story while putting a modern and very witty spin on the timeless themes of love, loss and longing.
Full Review (members only, 968 words).


Kirkus Reviews
Teenagers knowledgeable about mythology and appreciative of sophisticated wordplay will especially enjoy this intricate read.

Children's Literature
This novel has an unusual situation, but it may be hard for older middle school or high school readers to be patient and stick with the story.

Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. [T]his intelligent and self-assured debut will compel readers from its outset, and leave them satisfied as it explores universal themes of love, loss and closure.

The Washingtonian - Whitney Spivey
Although Marsh eloquently combines her interests in ancient Greece and historical New York, The Night Tourist lacks depth in the fantasy realm. The author spins a colorful tale of an extraordinary underworld, yet she often uses the supernatural context to facilitate events that merit more explanation. Too often, events fall into place a little too easily.