Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I found this book very frustrating. I wanted to love it because the concept is stellar and the whole organization of Historians going back in time to study history and then filtering their observations through a funding university is brilliant.
However.
The pacing and plotting were all over the place, with the slow burn of what seemed to be something like a school-story, leaning heavily on interpersonal drama, and then the action plot kicked in heavily, sprinkled in with espionage and betrayal, and just… I had trouble grounding myself in this book. The whole plot seemed to be a set up for how Max was going to reorganize St. Mary's (and set up for the series), so I had trouble parsing the book as it's own thing.
Max's story is interesting, as is how she rises through the ranks, but the tension is undercut by certain reveals and by the end of the book she becomes sort of a "chosen one," which seems rather odd given the tone of the rest of the book.
There's also a major plot point around the romantic pairing that enraged me. The suggestion of infidelity when there was (1) literally no reason to think that, and (2) Max was accused of being unfaithful with her abuser, made me want to throw the book across the room. Not to mention it seemed wholly out of character for the Chief to even suggest infidelity. Things I'm tired of: infidelity drama, sexual assault, lost pregnancies.
I did really enjoy the time travel aspects of this book, so I'm contemplating reading the second one.
However.
The pacing and plotting were all over the place, with the slow burn of what seemed to be something like a school-story, leaning heavily on interpersonal drama, and then the action plot kicked in heavily, sprinkled in with espionage and betrayal, and just… I had trouble grounding myself in this book. The whole plot seemed to be a set up for how Max was going to reorganize St. Mary's (and set up for the series), so I had trouble parsing the book as it's own thing.
Max's story is interesting, as is how she rises through the ranks, but the tension is undercut by certain reveals and by the end of the book she becomes sort of a "chosen one," which seems rather odd given the tone of the rest of the book.
There's also a major plot point around the romantic pairing that enraged me. The suggestion of infidelity when there was (1) literally no reason to think that, and (2) Max was accused of being unfaithful with her abuser, made me want to throw the book across the room. Not to mention it seemed wholly out of character for the Chief to even suggest infidelity. Things I'm tired of: infidelity drama, sexual assault, lost pregnancies.
I did really enjoy the time travel aspects of this book, so I'm contemplating reading the second one.
Love, love, love The Chronicles of St. Mary's!! Re-listening to the series again and enjoying it even more since I can go from book to book without waiting. Spin-off series Time Police is fun too.
Nearly perfect, became just "very good" in the last four chapters, but still satisfying and worthy continuing the series.
Who needs interesting dynamic characters, pacing, or internal consistency when you have a series of events that you think can pass for a plot?
This could have made for an interesting idea of it had been in the hands of a capable writer, but instead we are left with a mess of uninteresting and undistinguished characters. What exceptions there are lack any nuance or thought behind their actions other than to advance the 'plot'. Someone once described this as a poor man's Connie Willis - it is frankly an insult to Willis such a comparison is made at all. 0/0 - there is nothing to recommend this.
This could have made for an interesting idea of it had been in the hands of a capable writer, but instead we are left with a mess of uninteresting and undistinguished characters. What exceptions there are lack any nuance or thought behind their actions other than to advance the 'plot'. Someone once described this as a poor man's Connie Willis - it is frankly an insult to Willis such a comparison is made at all. 0/0 - there is nothing to recommend this.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wondered if this series would be similar to the Oxford time-travel books by Connie Willis, and so far in the first book it most definitely is not. The time travel is messier, and the consequences are absolutely life-and-death. People die in the Willis novels, but here it's a lot more brutal. There the historical timeline was somewhat benevolently trying to help the historians (hurrah for cats and Hodbins!), but here it's actively trying to exterminate them before they can muck up past events.
Quite the roller-coaster! Good thing there are more in the series to dive into.
Quite the roller-coaster! Good thing there are more in the series to dive into.
P.S. Even better on audio the second time.
Delightful time traveling humor with some romance thrown in. More, please.
Delightful time traveling humor with some romance thrown in. More, please.
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No