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missflyer 's review for:
Just One Damned Thing After Another
by Jodi Taylor
Well, that was quite a ride! You start out thinking you’ve mistakenly ended up in boot camp, and passing it put you on Splash Mountain, only to find out that it is connected to Space Mountain and the Toy Story shoot-em-up-aliens ride… all while visiting the Museum of Natural History (take your pick which one).
Taylor aimed to create a story with history, adventure, comedy, romance, tragedy and more, and she succeeded with this first installment of The Chronicles of St. Mary’s. It had me laughing out loud, eager to hear the next quip, curious where in time Carmen San Diego was going next (oh wait, I mean, Clive Ronan. …Same thing, really.), where Max was going to end up, if the fire alarms would ever go off, wondering just how they figure out birthdays with all this time traveling, and even nearly crying on several occasions – Taylor doesn’t pull any punches on that front, no more than she does on any of the other fronts. I would sit down to read for fifteen minutes, and next thing I knew, an hour had gone by.
The Historians get dusty doing research, sure, but not nearly as dusty as when they travel back in time to learn What Really Happened. And naturally, to take the paraphrased words out of Peterson’s mouth, “it would be a pity [to] not take a look around, the comment that gets so many historians, past and present, into such trouble” (page 65). And after all that dust, how else will you clean up but with some very boozy drinks at the unofficially official Whack-A-Coworker St. Mary’s bar? But if you want slivovitz, you’ll have to go to a special place with a special someone. And always bring beer to rescue missions – you’ll get forgiven for anything that way. Oh, and I suppose a trip to Sick Bay at some point isn’t such a bad idea either – you know, to make sure that the person you walloped is still alive, but has definitely not forgotten who did it. Maybe that should come before the celebratory booze and in-fighting, after all…
That’s just a tiny idea of the special brand of craziness that is St. Mary’s, which makes it such a fun place to hang out. Yes, even when stone pineapples are falling out of the sky. You’ll thank Dieter and Max later.
Now, to get a little more serious. As I noted in one of my status updates, I found it interesting that the idea of “saving face” came at least once (page 86), probably twice, in this book – I am more accustomed to this term/idea being used to describe Asian cultures, but spoiler alert – even Western cultures take it into consideration. Maybe not in the same way, but we do. It’s done in that obvious way where you go, Oh, I did that sort of thing in x situation, I didn’t realize it had a name/idea behind it.
I found it interesting also that while Taylor/Max decided to share select details of an intimate scene, something as relatively mundane as flipping someone the bird gets the vague treatment of “They gestured back.” (page 174) – context of course indicates just what the gesture most likely is, but I still found it intriguing that one “line” could be “crossed” but not another.
Despite Max’s seemingly oblivious way of charging through life – focusing on her studies, deciding with head not heart where to put her trust, being blind to anything remotely romantically inclined facing her direction, and generally just plowing ahead like a stubborn mule (I mean that in the best possible way!) – she opens up to reveal that she has many of the same worries and insecurities that most women have – the “built-in female guilt” (page 125), and having a really hard time telling someone important something important – and still not telling them (even when you know you should). And even though she makes a point to point out how Historians are notoriously disconnected from the here and now, she also records her thought processes on some all-too-concrete events
My future looked bleak and consisted of a cold, damp, mould-filled flat and very little money. There was nothing left for me. I’d lost the man I loved and I’d lost his child too. Suddenly I was so tired, tired of everything, tired of trying to get by, tired of struggling with love and loss. I felt as if the strings of my life had been cut with a pair of scissors. This was the end for me. I’d had enough.
This is how it ends. One minute you have a job, somewhere to live, friends, and no provision for a future you never expected to have. Take away the job, and the friends and the home disappear all by themselves. Then the last money is gone, benefits that were inadequate anyway are never paid, the rent is due, and suddenly a whole life just crashes to the ground, never to get back up again. – page 202-203
Re-reading this, Max seems very close to suicidal – which explains a lot of Mrs. De Winter’s comportment. So as light and snarky as Max is, she is also very capable of having very dark moments, just like anyone going through life. This characterization makes her more human, or at least, even more easily relatable in the crazy world that is St. Mary’s.
Oh, almost forgot to mention the intriguing one-off line of “[…] and after America closed its borders last year […]” (page 297) – I wonder what that is referring to? I know Max has mentioned how Dr. Bairstow warns Historians to not get too disconnected from the world outside St. Mary’s, so now I’m really curious to see if this will play into a larger scheme of things, or at least just what it means. Even if the majority of this story is about St. Mary’s adventures, it acknowledges that there are other events going on around outside, and that they are important, too.
Overall, and despite the far-too numerous typos scattered throughout which greatly saddened me (listed below are all the ones I found – and I would be hard pressed to chalk enough of them up to British English vs American English usages. Night Shade Books, please consider correcting these typos for any subsequent re-printings), I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and plan to continue the series – after all, I want to know just where St. Mary’s is going from here, along with all of her crazy inhabitants! Even if the result ends up paralleling the quote below – an emotional price to read the series, to read or not to read it, and what about a slippery slope into consuming all that this series has to offer as a result of my readerly avarice for a jolly good story?
Yes, there was an emotional price to pay for interaction, but was it greater or lesser than doing nothing? And what about a vengeful History, always on the lookout for naughty historians? (page 87)
I received this book through a Goodreads Giveaway, and this has in no way influenced my opinion/review. Thank you Goodreads for the opportunity to discover a new and fun story!
Typos:
Grant and I eyed each other and then by, unspoken agreement, split up. – page 59 – Comma should be before by, not after: “and then, by unspoken…”
… but Peterson said it would be a pity not take a look around… -- page 65 – should be “be a pity to not take…”
I drew deep breath, feeling it all bubbling up again. – page 98 – should be “I drew a deep breath…”
It could be spectacular, Max and I’d like to do it. – page 101 – Comma in a weird place – it’d be best if there was another one after Max, or if commas cost too much, for it to be after Max, not before.
Yes, sir. And no, sir.” – page 139 – missing opening quote
You will not now or ever discus anything… -- page 196 “discus” should be “discuss”
Nothing’s moving and people are leaving in their droves. – page 206 – Should just be “leaving in droves”
Dawn was not far away and I was far to strung-up to sleep. – page 258 “to” should be “too”
In future, we will have to be more careful. – page 271 – should be “In the future…”
“We’ll start with the background briefing.
Ptolemy II of Egypt founded the Library of Alexandria… -- page 278 – Missing opening quotes for new paragraph.
Taylor aimed to create a story with history, adventure, comedy, romance, tragedy and more, and she succeeded with this first installment of The Chronicles of St. Mary’s. It had me laughing out loud, eager to hear the next quip, curious where in time Carmen San Diego was going next (oh wait, I mean, Clive Ronan. …Same thing, really.), where Max was going to end up, if the fire alarms would ever go off, wondering just how they figure out birthdays with all this time traveling, and even nearly crying on several occasions – Taylor doesn’t pull any punches on that front, no more than she does on any of the other fronts. I would sit down to read for fifteen minutes, and next thing I knew, an hour had gone by.
The Historians get dusty doing research, sure, but not nearly as dusty as when they travel back in time to learn What Really Happened. And naturally, to take the paraphrased words out of Peterson’s mouth, “it would be a pity [to] not take a look around, the comment that gets so many historians, past and present, into such trouble” (page 65). And after all that dust, how else will you clean up but with some very boozy drinks at the unofficially official Whack-A-Coworker St. Mary’s bar? But if you want slivovitz, you’ll have to go to a special place with a special someone. And always bring beer to rescue missions – you’ll get forgiven for anything that way. Oh, and I suppose a trip to Sick Bay at some point isn’t such a bad idea either – you know, to make sure that the person you walloped is still alive, but has definitely not forgotten who did it. Maybe that should come before the celebratory booze and in-fighting, after all…
That’s just a tiny idea of the special brand of craziness that is St. Mary’s, which makes it such a fun place to hang out. Yes, even when stone pineapples are falling out of the sky. You’ll thank Dieter and Max later.
Now, to get a little more serious. As I noted in one of my status updates, I found it interesting that the idea of “saving face” came at least once (page 86), probably twice, in this book – I am more accustomed to this term/idea being used to describe Asian cultures, but spoiler alert – even Western cultures take it into consideration. Maybe not in the same way, but we do. It’s done in that obvious way where you go, Oh, I did that sort of thing in x situation, I didn’t realize it had a name/idea behind it.
I found it interesting also that while Taylor/Max decided to share select details of an intimate scene, something as relatively mundane as flipping someone the bird gets the vague treatment of “They gestured back.” (page 174) – context of course indicates just what the gesture most likely is, but I still found it intriguing that one “line” could be “crossed” but not another.
Despite Max’s seemingly oblivious way of charging through life – focusing on her studies, deciding with head not heart where to put her trust, being blind to anything remotely romantically inclined facing her direction, and generally just plowing ahead like a stubborn mule (I mean that in the best possible way!) – she opens up to reveal that she has many of the same worries and insecurities that most women have – the “built-in female guilt” (page 125), and having a really hard time telling someone important something important – and still not telling them (even when you know you should). And even though she makes a point to point out how Historians are notoriously disconnected from the here and now, she also records her thought processes on some all-too-concrete events
Spoiler
Sussman jerking off watching her while she sleeps, and after she has been turned out from St. Mary’s with almost nothing to her name:My future looked bleak and consisted of a cold, damp, mould-filled flat and very little money. There was nothing left for me. I’d lost the man I loved and I’d lost his child too. Suddenly I was so tired, tired of everything, tired of trying to get by, tired of struggling with love and loss. I felt as if the strings of my life had been cut with a pair of scissors. This was the end for me. I’d had enough.
This is how it ends. One minute you have a job, somewhere to live, friends, and no provision for a future you never expected to have. Take away the job, and the friends and the home disappear all by themselves. Then the last money is gone, benefits that were inadequate anyway are never paid, the rent is due, and suddenly a whole life just crashes to the ground, never to get back up again. – page 202-203
Re-reading this, Max seems very close to suicidal – which explains a lot of Mrs. De Winter’s comportment. So as light and snarky as Max is, she is also very capable of having very dark moments, just like anyone going through life. This characterization makes her more human, or at least, even more easily relatable in the crazy world that is St. Mary’s.
Oh, almost forgot to mention the intriguing one-off line of “[…] and after America closed its borders last year […]” (page 297) – I wonder what that is referring to? I know Max has mentioned how Dr. Bairstow warns Historians to not get too disconnected from the world outside St. Mary’s, so now I’m really curious to see if this will play into a larger scheme of things, or at least just what it means. Even if the majority of this story is about St. Mary’s adventures, it acknowledges that there are other events going on around outside, and that they are important, too.
Overall, and despite the far-too numerous typos scattered throughout which greatly saddened me (listed below are all the ones I found – and I would be hard pressed to chalk enough of them up to British English vs American English usages. Night Shade Books, please consider correcting these typos for any subsequent re-printings), I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and plan to continue the series – after all, I want to know just where St. Mary’s is going from here, along with all of her crazy inhabitants! Even if the result ends up paralleling the quote below – an emotional price to read the series, to read or not to read it, and what about a slippery slope into consuming all that this series has to offer as a result of my readerly avarice for a jolly good story?
Yes, there was an emotional price to pay for interaction, but was it greater or lesser than doing nothing? And what about a vengeful History, always on the lookout for naughty historians? (page 87)
I received this book through a Goodreads Giveaway, and this has in no way influenced my opinion/review. Thank you Goodreads for the opportunity to discover a new and fun story!
Typos:
Grant and I eyed each other and then by, unspoken agreement, split up. – page 59 – Comma should be before by, not after: “and then, by unspoken…”
… but Peterson said it would be a pity not take a look around… -- page 65 – should be “be a pity to not take…”
I drew deep breath, feeling it all bubbling up again. – page 98 – should be “I drew a deep breath…”
It could be spectacular, Max and I’d like to do it. – page 101 – Comma in a weird place – it’d be best if there was another one after Max, or if commas cost too much, for it to be after Max, not before.
Yes, sir. And no, sir.” – page 139 – missing opening quote
You will not now or ever discus anything… -- page 196 “discus” should be “discuss”
Nothing’s moving and people are leaving in their droves. – page 206 – Should just be “leaving in droves”
Dawn was not far away and I was far to strung-up to sleep. – page 258 “to” should be “too”
In future, we will have to be more careful. – page 271 – should be “In the future…”
“We’ll start with the background briefing.
Ptolemy II of Egypt founded the Library of Alexandria… -- page 278 – Missing opening quotes for new paragraph.