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poffalina's review against another edition
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
I expected this to be a more lighthearted romp through history with misadventures and disasters around every corner. While that is somewhat what the book was like, the misadventures and disasters tended to have much more serious ramifications than I was expecting going into the story, making the overall book feel more dark even though the writing is in a lighthearted style (if that makes sense).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Abortion
christinecc's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Well, the title was right. This book is really one damned thing after another.
Without going into too much detail, the first book in this Chronicles of St Mary's has a very similar setup to Connie Willis's Oxford Time Travel series: a university with access to time travel for historical academia. Except in Taylor's case, time travel is a secret. A very big secret. Also the death count for historians is rather high. Make of that what you will.
It's a fun romp and delivers exactly what it promises: hijinks with occasional high stakes and emotional beats. I'm not sure I liked it enough to keep going but I can see why it would have an addictive quality. Every scene has energy, the story is never boring, and if you have a question it never lingers enough to matter. Really just a high-speed chase of a book.
Recommended for a fast read with fast comedy and a historical sci-fi adventure backdrop.
Without going into too much detail, the first book in this Chronicles of St Mary's has a very similar setup to Connie Willis's Oxford Time Travel series: a university with access to time travel for historical academia. Except in Taylor's case, time travel is a secret. A very big secret. Also the death count for historians is rather high. Make of that what you will.
It's a fun romp and delivers exactly what it promises: hijinks with occasional high stakes and emotional beats. I'm not sure I liked it enough to keep going but I can see why it would have an addictive quality. Every scene has energy, the story is never boring, and if you have a question it never lingers enough to matter. Really just a high-speed chase of a book.
Recommended for a fast read with fast comedy and a historical sci-fi adventure backdrop.
Content Warnings
Minor: Miscarriage, Sexual assault, and Death
jessitheblonde's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Medical content, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Miscarriage
_inge_'s review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I gobbled this book up in no time at all and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a frantic romp through time and there is no time to catch your breath - or really be bothered by the technical issues.
The pacing and structure of the story is all over the place. For example, the surprise that five years have passed which you only know because it is stated. On the one hand, it is logical that all the events in the story cannot happen in less time. On the the other hand, the personal and relational developments seem to be simultaneously much slower and out of the blue. This book in itself could probably have been a couple of volumes if the story, historical references and characters had been fleshed out a bit. The world building could be stronger - I'd be interested to know more about the characters running out of sync with 'real time' or each other, because the assignment time is not equal to the amount of time they are gone from 'real time'.
All these things didn't stop me from enjoying the story, however. Definitely going to continue reading the series and hopefully the story structure will improve as we go along.
The pacing and structure of the story is all over the place. For example, the surprise that five years have passed which you only know because it is stated. On the one hand, it is logical that all the events in the story cannot happen in less time. On the the other hand, the personal and relational developments seem to be simultaneously much slower and out of the blue. This book in itself could probably have been a couple of volumes if the story, historical references and characters had been fleshed out a bit. The world building could be stronger - I'd be interested to know more about the characters running out of sync with 'real time' or each other, because the assignment time is not equal to the amount of time they are gone from 'real time'.
All these things didn't stop me from enjoying the story, however. Definitely going to continue reading the series and hopefully the story structure will improve as we go along.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Sexual assault
sarabook's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve been a fan of the St Mary’s gang for a number of years, I’ve read all of the series to date (the newest of which, Hope for the Best, is released next week) and I’ve grown to love these characters like extended, eccentric, members of my own family. So when Jodi’s books were picked up by the major publishing company Headline at the beginning of the year, I was excited to see how they’d preserve the essence of St Mary’s and bring the gang, and Jodi’s wonderful stories, to a wider audience.
This is a book about time travel. Although the historians of St. Mary’s institute prefer to call it ‘the investigation of historical events in contemporary time’. They’re a motley group of disaster magnets, often bouncing from one time period to another and trying not to get killed by contemporaries, or the omnipotent History, in the process. In one chapter we might find them peeing up a stone block in medieval England, the next we could be fighting off T-Rex’s with some pepper spray. As long as there’s a cup of tea at the end of it, the possibilities, and time periods, are endless.
I think that’s where this first novel lets itself down a little. Taylor has so much story to tell, so much history to cram into one book, that the plot often moves around without much cohesion, and a lot of chaos. The passage of time depicted during ‘modern day’ segments are uneven, one minute going from a training period of new recruits and their first mission, to suddenly mentioning they’ve been there for 5 years without much explanation. I will say that this chaotic nature gets better with each book, and the world becomes more established. Time travel is a complicated subject to get your head round, and Jodi just about manages to hold onto the topic in the first book without it getting too complicated and out of hand.
That being said, Taylor’s gift is in immersing the reader in history, any history, and making it interesting and accessible. She can drop her characters anywhere in time, and make me want to learn more about it. The writing is good, well described and fast paced (perhaps too much at times!) and Taylor’s passion for history, and the infallible research that goes with it, is great to read and shines through. She manages to encompass so much both socially and on a wider scale that I’ve felt personally compelled at times to read up on some topics that I wouldn’t normally ever be interested in, or been exposed to. That’s a wonderful talent to have.
I don’t think you can enjoy these books if you don’t love the characters too. Madeline Maxwell, Max, the main protagonist is self deprecating, smart, unable to keep her mouth shut, and a lover of chocolate. She’s the glue that holds this story together, and she’s by no means perfect, but I like that Taylor isn’t afraid to show strong, intelligent women in less than perfect ways. The same goes for her colleagues Kalinda and Helen. Combined, they’re a formidable force that as a reader you also want to be a part of. In fact, the undeniable bond that forms between them all is rather lovely, and when Jodi rips this away with her unbiased deaths, it makes them all the more hard hitting and difficult to cope with. And believe me, Taylor holds no punches when it comes to killing off characters you’ve just started to get to know and love.
A great start to what has become one of my all time favourite series. Come for the history, told with a passionate hand, and stay for the flurry of wonderfully imperfect characters.
I’ve been a fan of the St Mary’s gang for a number of years, I’ve read all of the series to date (the newest of which, Hope for the Best, is released next week) and I’ve grown to love these characters like extended, eccentric, members of my own family. So when Jodi’s books were picked up by the major publishing company Headline at the beginning of the year, I was excited to see how they’d preserve the essence of St Mary’s and bring the gang, and Jodi’s wonderful stories, to a wider audience.
This is a book about time travel. Although the historians of St. Mary’s institute prefer to call it ‘the investigation of historical events in contemporary time’. They’re a motley group of disaster magnets, often bouncing from one time period to another and trying not to get killed by contemporaries, or the omnipotent History, in the process. In one chapter we might find them peeing up a stone block in medieval England, the next we could be fighting off T-Rex’s with some pepper spray. As long as there’s a cup of tea at the end of it, the possibilities, and time periods, are endless.
I think that’s where this first novel lets itself down a little. Taylor has so much story to tell, so much history to cram into one book, that the plot often moves around without much cohesion, and a lot of chaos. The passage of time depicted during ‘modern day’ segments are uneven, one minute going from a training period of new recruits and their first mission, to suddenly mentioning they’ve been there for 5 years without much explanation. I will say that this chaotic nature gets better with each book, and the world becomes more established. Time travel is a complicated subject to get your head round, and Jodi just about manages to hold onto the topic in the first book without it getting too complicated and out of hand.
That being said, Taylor’s gift is in immersing the reader in history, any history, and making it interesting and accessible. She can drop her characters anywhere in time, and make me want to learn more about it. The writing is good, well described and fast paced (perhaps too much at times!) and Taylor’s passion for history, and the infallible research that goes with it, is great to read and shines through. She manages to encompass so much both socially and on a wider scale that I’ve felt personally compelled at times to read up on some topics that I wouldn’t normally ever be interested in, or been exposed to. That’s a wonderful talent to have.
I don’t think you can enjoy these books if you don’t love the characters too. Madeline Maxwell, Max, the main protagonist is self deprecating, smart, unable to keep her mouth shut, and a lover of chocolate. She’s the glue that holds this story together, and she’s by no means perfect, but I like that Taylor isn’t afraid to show strong, intelligent women in less than perfect ways. The same goes for her colleagues Kalinda and Helen. Combined, they’re a formidable force that as a reader you also want to be a part of. In fact, the undeniable bond that forms between them all is rather lovely, and when Jodi rips this away with her unbiased deaths, it makes them all the more hard hitting and difficult to cope with. And believe me, Taylor holds no punches when it comes to killing off characters you’ve just started to get to know and love.
A great start to what has become one of my all time favourite series. Come for the history, told with a passionate hand, and stay for the flurry of wonderfully imperfect characters.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Death
Minor: Gore
nytephoenyx's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book is no less enjoyable upon reading it for a second time... though I really, really must move forward in the series. The first time I read this, it made me laugh out loud, which was exceedingly awkward on a cruise ship full of refined patrons. The second time, it still made me laugh out loud, because I'd legit sit just long enough that I'd forgotten some of the funny bits.
It's a quick-paced book, but I think that is to its benefit. There are some high highs and some low lows and it makes you run the entire gamut of emotions for Max. I maintain that St. Mary's is exactly the sort of career I would like. And that this book is just fun enough to be an absolute joy and a comfort read for me. I still wholeheartedly recommend it, and honestly, I may just go order A Symphony of Echoes because zany time travel is exactly my cup of tea.
__________
Original Review: 5 Stars (April 26th, 2018)
St. Mary’s is a historical research facility attached to Thurst college. It’s a small institution, remaining under the radar. The application process is quite rigorous. The training doubly so. These historians aren’t studying archaeological evidence. At least, not in the traditional way. St. Mary’s is in possession of six time machines, and it is the job of the historians to go back in time and observe history, then report their findings back to Thurst in the form of extraordinary presentations supported with technical evidence.
History occasionally disapproves of this process, of course, and there is the odd casualty.
Erm. Okay, the very common fatality. But the historians know what they’re getting into from day one.
This novel absolutely captured my imagination. There’s not many people captivated by history, but those of us who are, are very passionate. Max is a new trainee with St. Mary’s, but she is by no means a green student. She has a doctorate in history with a focus in Ancient Cultures (have I mentioned I love Max? I love Max.) She is a bit of a loner, but not a Rebel Without A Cause. She gets in so many scrapes and tumbles throughout the novel that I spent a lot of time in high angst, scratching my head and wondering how the bloody hell she was going to get out of this one. She’s smart, but horribly unlucky. She trusts too easily and acts a bit rashly.
Have I mentioned the dinosaurs? There are dinosaurs in this book. I won’t discuss that more, because I was *delighted* when I discovered there would be dinosaurs and I don’t want to give too much away. Think all the best of Michael Crichton’s imagination with the charm and spark of a witty British heroine.
One of Jodi Taylor’s strengths is that she follows through on her choices. As a writer, I appreciate the fine line between dictating the direction of your story letting the pieces fall in place. As I listened to this audiobook (small aside, excellent narration on this one), I felt like Max kept leading the story herself and I would imagine Miss Taylor in front of her computer downing glass after glass of robust red wine and violently cursing her headstrong characters as she struggled to make them follow her outline. I *adore* books like that. You feel an internal struggle, and since this book has comedic elements, it was perfect.
Along with that, the writing was shocking and funny. There were moments of great stress, but there were also moments that made me laugh out loud. Which wasn’t awkward at *all* on a bus filled with edgy Americans en route to Paris.... I loved it, even if I felt a bit foolish.
Just One Damned Thing After Another falls within the range of New Adult. Max is just post-doctorate, but the tone is light (a la Terry Pratchett or Douglas Adams) and doesn’t feel properly like an adult book. It has a few mature themes - there’s a brief, tasteful sex scene - but nothing too gruesome or graphic for the YA audience.
For what it’s worth, I loved this book. I’m so glad there’s 8 more in the series so far (not including short stories). Also, I’d like to be Max when I grow up. That is all.
It's a quick-paced book, but I think that is to its benefit. There are some high highs and some low lows and it makes you run the entire gamut of emotions for Max. I maintain that St. Mary's is exactly the sort of career I would like. And that this book is just fun enough to be an absolute joy and a comfort read for me. I still wholeheartedly recommend it, and honestly, I may just go order A Symphony of Echoes because zany time travel is exactly my cup of tea.
__________
Original Review: 5 Stars (April 26th, 2018)
St. Mary’s is a historical research facility attached to Thurst college. It’s a small institution, remaining under the radar. The application process is quite rigorous. The training doubly so. These historians aren’t studying archaeological evidence. At least, not in the traditional way. St. Mary’s is in possession of six time machines, and it is the job of the historians to go back in time and observe history, then report their findings back to Thurst in the form of extraordinary presentations supported with technical evidence.
History occasionally disapproves of this process, of course, and there is the odd casualty.
Erm. Okay, the very common fatality. But the historians know what they’re getting into from day one.
This novel absolutely captured my imagination. There’s not many people captivated by history, but those of us who are, are very passionate. Max is a new trainee with St. Mary’s, but she is by no means a green student. She has a doctorate in history with a focus in Ancient Cultures (have I mentioned I love Max? I love Max.) She is a bit of a loner, but not a Rebel Without A Cause. She gets in so many scrapes and tumbles throughout the novel that I spent a lot of time in high angst, scratching my head and wondering how the bloody hell she was going to get out of this one. She’s smart, but horribly unlucky. She trusts too easily and acts a bit rashly.
Have I mentioned the dinosaurs? There are dinosaurs in this book. I won’t discuss that more, because I was *delighted* when I discovered there would be dinosaurs and I don’t want to give too much away. Think all the best of Michael Crichton’s imagination with the charm and spark of a witty British heroine.
One of Jodi Taylor’s strengths is that she follows through on her choices. As a writer, I appreciate the fine line between dictating the direction of your story letting the pieces fall in place. As I listened to this audiobook (small aside, excellent narration on this one), I felt like Max kept leading the story herself and I would imagine Miss Taylor in front of her computer downing glass after glass of robust red wine and violently cursing her headstrong characters as she struggled to make them follow her outline. I *adore* books like that. You feel an internal struggle, and since this book has comedic elements, it was perfect.
Along with that, the writing was shocking and funny. There were moments of great stress, but there were also moments that made me laugh out loud. Which wasn’t awkward at *all* on a bus filled with edgy Americans en route to Paris.... I loved it, even if I felt a bit foolish.
Just One Damned Thing After Another falls within the range of New Adult. Max is just post-doctorate, but the tone is light (a la Terry Pratchett or Douglas Adams) and doesn’t feel properly like an adult book. It has a few mature themes - there’s a brief, tasteful sex scene - but nothing too gruesome or graphic for the YA audience.
For what it’s worth, I loved this book. I’m so glad there’s 8 more in the series so far (not including short stories). Also, I’d like to be Max when I grow up. That is all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit, Violence, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Miscarriage, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, and Suicidal thoughts
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