Review by Booklist Review
Madeline Max Maxwell has stumbled upon the dream of a lifetime: train and work as a historian for Saint Mary's Institute of Historical Research. Brought in for an interview by longtime mentor Mrs. DeWinter, Max quickly learns that Saint Mary's is more than the typical academic hallowed hall. The key to their success is time travel; historians are trained to jump back to various historical events to observe and record, keeping their influence to an absolute minimum so as to avoid any time-space continuum hiccups. All is dandy until Max learns of a plot spanning thousands of years to disrupt Saint Mary's success and thwart its director, Dr. Edward Bairstow. Max and her colleagues travel back to dodge dinosaurs, protect valuable treasures, and save Saint Mary's, all while falling in love. Taylor has written a madcap and very funny hodgepodge of a novel whose pacing and humor is reminiscent of a Simon Pegg-Edgar Wright film. As with all time-travel stories, try not to get too caught up in the details, and just go along for the quite enjoyable ride.--Ciesla, Carolyn Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The first novel in Taylor's Chronicles of St. Mary's series (of which six volumes have been published in the U.K., with more forthcoming) takes readers on a carnival ride through laughter and tears with a bit of time travel thrown in for spice. St. Mary's Institute of Historical Research is kind of, but not quite, attached to England's Thirsk University; it's dependent on the educational institution for funding and ostensibly receives some oversight. But St. Mary's has its own mission to undertake. The Historians, aided by a phalanx of support personnel, are tasked with traveling throughout the past and reporting their findings. They're restricted to observation only, with minimal interaction. Madeleine "Max" Maxwell, an expert in the field of history, finds herself pulled into the institute's chaotic orbit, and she brings her own special brand of madcap innovation. Of course, her introduction to time travel doesn't go smoothly, especially as several people are out to destroy St. Mary's and all within its hallowed walls. The humor is plentiful, but the comic situations aren't overly exaggerated. Max's world is depicted in lush detail, mixed with appropriately interesting historical tidbits. U.S. readers will be impatient for later installments to make their way across the Atlantic. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
A job interview arranged by a former teachers leads Madeline "Max" Maxwell to a new career as a time-traveling historian with St. Mary's Institute of Historical Research. The researchers are under strict orders to observe only-no interaction with the locals is allowed. But from her first mission rescuing artifacts from the Great Library of Alexandria, Max soon realizes that time travel is a dangerous activity and that history will go to elaborate lengths to protect itself. -VERDICT Taylor does a great job of setting up an appealing cast of characters in this new series opener, most especially the intrepid Max. There is plenty of humor, lots of action, and even a touch of romance. Six more entries are out in the UK and due to be published here in the next year.-MM © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Time-traveling historians: just pop in, have a look at, say, the Battle of the Somme, and pop back home. What could possibly go wrong? Taylor presents a compelling, astute take on time travel in this first of an eight-volume series. (http://ow.ly/h2xF305MzTe)-Sarah Flowers, formerly at Santa Clara County Public Library, CA © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
