A Symphony of Echoes
by Jodi Taylor (Accent, 2013); audiobook read by Zara Ramm (Headline, 2021)
St Mary’s babbles along happily, its collective personality submersed once again within Max’s narrative brook. The missions incorporate both genuine suspense and frivolous light relief (indistinguishable in advance). The upshot is quirky chaos and an overriding, flatpacked plot arc resistant of assembly.
Just One Damned Thing After Another
by Jodi Taylor (Accent, 2013); audiobook read by Zara Ramm (Bolinda, 2014)
Taylor’s first-person narrative voice is good-humoured and enjoyably raffish. Max and St Mary’s have real personality. However, the plot reeks faintly of extemporisation and the character foreshadowing is often rather overt. Clumsy word juxtapositions detract from the prose, leaving a pulpy impression.