Book Review: Just One Damned Thing After Another (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s, #1) by Jodi Taylor

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Just One Damned Thing After Another
Series: The Chronicles of St. Mary’s, #1
Author: Jodi Taylor
Publisher: Headline
Publication date: June 1, 2013
Length: 282 pages
Genre: Time travel
Source: Purchased
Rating:

They say that History is just one damned thing after another. Welcome to St Mary’s Institute of Historical Research – where damned things happen every day.

When Dr Madeleine ‘Max’ Maxwell is recruited by St Mary’s, she finds their methods to be somewhat unorthodox. They don’t just study the past – they actually visit it, carefully observing historical events as they unfold in real time.

And not dying. This last part is important.

The whole of History now lies before Max and her new colleagues, but, as she will discover, time travel is never straightforward. Because History doesn’t like to be messed with, and danger lurks in every century…

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s series has been on my to-read for years now. Back in January, I committed to finally starting it in 2026… and now I have, and I can’t believe I waited this long!

‘You’re feeling a bit under the weather,’ he said soothingly. ‘I know it’s natural for historians, but try not to dwell so much on the past.’

Book 1, Just One Damned Thing After Another, introduces us to the crazy world of St. Mary’s, a seemingly normal, possibly even boring, institute of historical research. But behind the front doors, something else entirely awaits. Max, a history professor in her late 20s, is recruited by St. Mary’s and learns what they’re really up to: Rather than relying on books and artifacts to understand the past, the St. Mary’s team uses time travel to visit and observe key moments and document their findings.

“… Although the phrase “time travel” is so sci-fi. We don’t do that. Here at St Mary’s we investigate major historical events in contemporary time.”

They can’t change anything while they’re there, but they’re able to report back with incredible new findings to pass along through the more official university channels. Their work is revolutionary, but government and university funders are breathing down their necks, and their continued existence is always a question mark.

Max is outspoken and fierce. After a rigorous training period — which includes everything from hand-to-hand combat to field medicine — she begins going on missions with other historians. And as she sees, these missions really are just one damned thing after another. Things go wrong often, and dramatically. Meanwhile, secrets about her colleagues at St. Mary’s change her understanding of certain situations, and betrayal from within threatens Max and everyone she cares about.

Some descriptions of this series describe it as madcap, hilarious, full of hijinks… and that may be true (and granted, I’ve only read the first book) — but I found that Just One Damned Thing After Another gets quite dark at time too. There are certainly plenty of humorous moments, and the dialogue truly makes me laugh at times. Still, there are some pretty awful things that happen to Max and others, including scenes of death and destruction, emotional collapse, and a couple of terrible moments between Max and people she trusts that are upsetting and heartbreaking.

On the whole, though, the book’s fast pace and sense of adventure keeps things moving and doesn’t force (or allow) readers to dwell for very long on the more painful moments. Meanwhile, there are ancient artifacts and extinct creatures to encounter! Even back at St. Mary’s, the inventors and scientists and researchers keep everyone on their toes (explosions, mainly unplanned, abound).

You can say this about historians, we may be the tea-drenched disaster-magnets of St Mary’s but bloody hell, can we think quickly when we have to.

My small quibble with Just One Damned Thing After Another is that there are just so many characters to keep track of! The book has a “Dramatis Thingummy” section at the beginning, listing and defining over 30 characters — which, yes, is helpful as a reference while reading, but feels really daunting as well. There are some people I never did manage to keep straight — we’ll see how many show up in the next books in the series.

Overall, I really enjoyed Just One Damned Thing After Another. The writing is upbeat and engaging, and even through the darker moments, there’s always another bright spot to look forward to. I came to love Max herself and her close colleagues and allies, thought the approach to time travel and the idea of historians as the ultimate explores were amazing, and can’t wait to see what’s in store for the St. Mary’s crew.

Will I continue this series? Absolutely. As of this moment, there are 14 novels in the series (and a long list of associated short stories), and apparently a 15th book scheduled for release in 2027. With so many books ahead of me, I’m going to try to pace myself — but I do hope to read at least one or two more by the end of this year.

*Up next: Book #2, A Symphony of Echoes*

Purchase links: Amazon – Bookshop.org – Libro.fm
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15Feb2025

Book Review: Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Crazy Rich Asians
Series: Crazy Rich Asians, #1
Author: Kevin Kwan
Publisher: Doubleday
Publication date: June 11, 2013
Length: 546 pages
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Source: Purchased
Rating:

Crazy Rich Asians is the outrageously funny debut novel about three super-rich, pedigreed Chinese families and the gossip, backbiting, and scheming that occurs when the heir to one of the most massive fortunes in Asia brings home his ABC (American-born Chinese) girlfriend to the wedding of the season.

When Rachel Chu agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, she envisions a humble family home, long drives to explore the island, and quality time with the man she might one day marry. What she doesn’t know is that Nick’s family home happens to look like a palace, that she’ll ride in more private planes than cars, and that with one of Asia’s most eligible bachelors on her arm, Rachel might as well have a target on her back.

Initiated into a world of dynastic splendor beyond imagination, Rachel meets Astrid, the It Girl of Singapore society; Eddie, whose family practically lives in the pages of the Hong Kong socialite magazines; and Eleanor, Nick’s formidable mother, a woman who has very strong feelings about who her son should—and should not—marry.

Uproarious, addictive, and filled with jaw-dropping opulence, Crazy Rich Asians is an insider’s look at the Asian JetSet; a perfect depiction of the clash between old money and new money; between Overseas Chinese and Mainland Chinese; and a fabulous novel about what it means to be young, in love, and gloriously, crazily rich.

Having seen the movie version of Crazy Rich Asians back when it was released in 2018, I wasn’t sure that I ever needed to read the book. The movie was a blast, but I assumed the book would just cover the same ground — and there are always so many other books to read. This year, Crazy Rich Asians came up as an option for a reading challenge I’ve committed to, so I thought, why not finally give it a try?

I’m so glad I did. While yes, the book does cover much of the same plot points as the movie, it’s just so much fun to see it unfold on the page — and the ending goes off in very different directions, leaving the door open for whatever comes next in the book trilogy.

In Crazy Rich Asians, New York college professor Rachel Chu is in for the shock of her life when her boyfriend (and fellow professor) Nick Young invites her to come with him to Singapore for his cousin’s wedding and to spend their summer vacation. Rachel agrees, and is thrilled at this next step in their relationship. From the moment they book their flights and Rachel sees the level of luxury she’ll be traveling in, she starts to realize that there’s a lot about Nick that she just doesn’t know.

Meanwhile, the gossip instantly spreads among the billionaire class of Singapore: Nick Young is bringing home a girlfriend! But who is she? Is she perhaps related to the Taiwan Plastics Chu family? (She’s not.) Before Nick and Rachel even board their flight, Singapore society — and especially, Nick’s family — are in a tizzy of worry and speculation.

Rachel is not at all prepared for what life amidst true wealth looks like, and she’s bombarded by opulence and designer clothing from the moment she arrives. Meanwhile, she starts to meet Nick’s vast family as well as others in the social circle, and it’s overwhelming. Plus, she’s given the mean girls treatment by an assortment of cruel and catty women, and it’s clear that Nick’s mother has no intention of giving her a chance.

Other storylines focus on Nick’s cousin Astrid and her troubled marriage, as well as assorted other friends and relatives. The cast of characters is huge, and it’s a challenge to keep track of them all. (A family tree is provided at the beginning of the book… but even that is only marginally helpful).

The story itself is lots of fun. Rachel and Nick’s relationship, their turbulent ups and downs as they navigate the hostility of an exclusive world that doesn’t allow outsiders, Rachel’s close friend from college who provides a safe haven for her — all add depth to the characters and the “crazy rich” world they inhabit.

Of course, seeing the world of billionaire-level wealth is entertaining all on its own. From the sightseeing aspect of Nick and Rachel’s time in Singapore to Rachel’s shopping outings to make sure she’s properly outfitted for the social whirl of the wedding, it’s nonstop luxury and casual spending of outrageous amounts of money. I did get a little weary of the constant designer names, which really mean next to nothing to me. At some point, it feels like overkill: We get it. These people are richer than the gods. But hey, let’s see what else their money can buy!

Having seen the movie, I was surprised by the final 20% or so of the book, which goes in a different direction, presents unexpected complications and revelations, and sets the stage for new storylines in the next book. I appreciated the fresh dose of conflict, although certain revelations come in one big info-dump crammed into the final chapters, and it might have been nice to have a few hints earlier in the book.

All in all, Crazy Rich Asians is a very entertaining, escapist bit of reading. Based just on page count, it would appear to be a very long book — but as I discovered, there are a lot of footnotes, and those explain the length. The story actually goes very quickly, and the pages just fly by.

Crazy Rich Asians is the first in a trilogy. While I’ll don’t intend to continue immediately, I do want to read the other two books this year.

And now that I’ve read the book, I’m dying to rewatch the movie and see how it holds up!

8Dec2024

Book Review: Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Rooftoppers
Author: Katherine Rundell
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication date: 2013
Length: 279 pages
Genre: Middle grade
Source: Library
Rating:

Embrace possibility in this luminous novel about a girl in search of her past who discovers a secret rooftop world in Paris.

Everyone thinks that Sophie is an orphan. True, there were no other recorded female survivors from the shipwreck that left baby Sophie floating in the English Channel in a cello case, but Sophie remembers seeing her mother wave for help. Her guardian tells her it is almost impossible that her mother is still alive—but “almost impossible” means “still possible.” And you should never ignore a possible.

So when the Welfare Agency writes to her guardian, threatening to send Sophie to an orphanage, she takes matters into her own hands and flees to Paris to look for her mother, starting with the only clue she has— the address of the cello maker.

Evading the French authorities, she meets Matteo and his network of rooftoppers—urchins who live in the hidden spaces above the city. Together they scour the city in a search for Sophie’s mother—but can they find her before Sophie is caught and sent back to London? Or, more importantly, before she loses hope?

Phillip Pullman, author of the His Dark Materials series, calls Rooftoppers “the work of a writer with an utterly distinctive voice and a wild imagination.”

In this charming story about love, friendship, and believing in possibilities, an orphaned child sets off on an adventure across the rooftops of Paris in search of her long-lost mother.

Never ignore a possible.

Sophie was only one year only — or thereabouts — when she survived a shipwreck, and was found floating in a cello case by a kind man who decided on the spot to give her a home and a family. Charles Maxim raises Sophie with generosity and wisdom, encouraging her wild imagination and bravery, and teaching her to embrace whatever life has to offer, even against the odds.

Charles and Sophie’s life together is threatened by the official government agency which monitors guardianships. Aghast at Sophie’s inappropriate upbringing — including writing poetry on walls, wearing trousers, and learning from life rather than school — they inform Charles that Sophie will need to go to an orphanage.

Meanwhile, Sophie has yearned all her life for the mother she can barely remember — a woman who played the cello, and was presumably lost at sea. Sophie is convinced that her mother is alive — it may not be probable, but it’s at least a little bit possible — and when the authorities seem about to take 12-year-old Sophie away from Charles, the pair hatch a daring plan.

Following a very slender lead, they escape London and make their way to Paris, where the search for Sophie’s mother seems to hit a dead end. Sophie won’t give up though, and soon makes the acquaintance of Matteo and other “rooftoppers”, orphans who make their homes on the roofs of the city. The rooftoppers are tough and cunning and creative, and help Sophie find her way across the roofs as they follow mysterious cello music and chase down further hints and clues.

Rooftoppers is a lovely, sweet book that’s never overly sentimental. Charles and Sophie have a wonderful relationship: He clearly loves Sophie, but never hesitates to support her dream of finding her mother, and meanwhile ensures that she broadens her mind and experiences life to the fullest extent possible.

The adventure is terrific, with some glorious rooftop action sequences. The solving of the mystery may not be terribly realistic, but it’s heart-warming and exciting none the less.

As an adult reader, I found the ending rather abrupt. The book has a beautiful final scene, and perhaps for the book’s target middle grade audience, that will be perfectly satisfying. For me, though, I couldn’t shut out the “and then what?” that immediately came to mind. I liked the ending, but was desperate for an epilogue to tell me where the characters went from there and how it all worked out.

Other than that, I truly enjoyed reading Rooftoppers. It’s a book that I meant to get to years ago, and I’m glad I finally picked it up. Highly recommended for middle grade readers who enjoy a bit of whimsy and adventure — as well as for adults who enjoy beautifully written middle grade fiction.