• Christmas Past

  • A Chronicles of St Mary's Short Story
  • By: Jodi Taylor
  • Narrated by: Zara Ramm
  • Length: 1 hr and 39 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (1,055 ratings)

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Christmas Past  By  cover art

Christmas Past

By: Jodi Taylor
Narrated by: Zara Ramm
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Publisher's summary

Max, Leon and Matthew - together at last for Christmas at St Mary's, a time of conspicuous consumption, riotous misbehaviour and the traditional illegal Christmas jump. And this time it's intergenerational.

Donning her unfamiliar mother hat, Max takes Matthew back to 19th-century London, where they plan to deliver a parcel of Christmas cheer to his former friends but find themselves confronting the terrifying Old Ma Scrope in the process.

'Tis the season to be jolly. It's also the season of goodwill towards all mankind.

Pity no-one told Max.

©2017 Jodi Taylor (P)2017 Audible, Ltd

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What listeners say about Christmas Past

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

heartwarming

the narration was wonderful and, as always with Jodi Taylor's Christmas shorts, the story was divine. this one leaves you with a smile because "Mummy is awesome".

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

great short story

these stories never grow old or get boring., even when the world goes white.
Zara Rahm is an excellent narrator, whatever century they put her in.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I. Loved. This.

This is the best of all Ms. Taylor's Christmas stories. It has time travel, danger, Max and most of St. Mary's cast make a brief appearance. But is there a Christmas miracle? Does anyone die? Are costumes damaged? Does Max lose weight? I'm not going to tell. You will have to read this yourself. Merry Christmas, everyone.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Sad but hopeful

Matthew and Leon come to visit Max at St Mary’s for Christmas. It’s bittersweet in that they live with the Time Police for their safety and health.
Max takes Matthew with for her annual unauthorized Christmas excursion. They take food and blankets to the 2 remaining Scropes boys that Matthew was living with. Then they jump to the next Christmas to check if the boys survived.
Matthew comes back lighter of spirit.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I'm surprised ...

... that the BBC hasn't snatched up the St. Mary's Chronicles and turned them into an award-winning television series! Each one is a time travel treat!

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Best one so far!

If you're a Chronicles of St Mary's fan, you will love this story. It shows development in Max's relationship with Matthew.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Glorious!!

This is ridiculously satisfying. The narrator, as always, was wonderful. A mother's story, her son's story and exactly what needed to happen.
I've listened to it at least a dozen times.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Quick, pleasant listen

There's always humor in a Jodi Taylor story, even a short story. Nothing heavy about this one, but it's enjoyable. And I do enjoy Max's internal dialogues.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Will Jodi Taylor run out of ideas? I hope not!

What did you love best about Christmas Past?

It brilliantly continues the story of St. Mary's. I wouldn't recommend that anyone unfamiliar start with this story, but anyone who knows the series won't be disappointed. One of the particularly wonderful things is that while the story gives a solid nod to the "formula" for both the series and these Christmas novellas, this one breaks with the formula (if there really is such a thing for St. Marys!) without feeling at all out of place. One of the characters even lays out the formula, only to be told, essentially, "Not this time."

Who was your favorite character and why?

If I had to pick a favorite character, it would be Max, of course. But in all these stories, the real "main character" is the whole wonderfully insane population of St. Mary's. By now, Taylor can just drop one of the ongoing characters in for a short scene and since we know and love them, every one is a little gem in a larger setting.

Which scene was your favorite?

The ending. No spoilers.
The whole thing is as much of a ride as these stories always are, and it leads to the ending that doesn't disappoint.

Any additional comments?

The joy of the St. Mary's stories is that Taylor manages to balance incredible detail and joyously fun short vignettes while still keeping the broader storyline going. Strap in, because it's the ride that's all the fun, not just the destination!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The Best Christmas Treat

Somehow achieving the impossible, everything Jodi Taylor writes, be it novel or shot story, is better than the last. These characters are part of my family, St Mary’s is my home, and yet the antics and dilemmas that face them never cease to surprise me, make me gasp in fear, and warm my heart as no Yule Log could. A brilliant writer that has so much to say and never fails to delight. Thank you for this beautiful Christmas present.

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