Title: All the Nothing We’ve Done
Author: Christina McMullen
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: January 8, 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Humour, Contemporary
Length: 24 pages
Source: I received a free copy from the author.
Rating: 3 Stars
Blurb:
Chevelle Falsetto has died, struck down by the Number 48 bus. The very bus she should have been riding to work. Now, instead of explaining to her boss why she’s late, Chevelle finds herself explaining to Saint Peter why she’s early.
Review:
Content Warning: Bus accident, alcohol use
Everyone deserves a second chance, right?
Chevelle was a witty, opinionated, and confident protagonist. I kept shaking my head as I read all of her rebuttals to what Saint Peter was saying. She certainly had thought her arguments through well, and I was curious to see if the heavenly realm would actually listen to what she had to say. There is definitely something to be said for characters who know their worth and who aren’t shy about pushing back against unfair judgements even if those judgements come from a saint himself.
I would have liked to see more time spent developing the ending. There were some important rules established in earlier scenes that were not taken into account in the final scene. As much as I enjoyed the rest of it, seeing the characters ignore the prior plot development dampened my enthusiasm for this tale. If only there had been a better explanation for why this happened!
With that being said, I enjoyed having a protagonist who worked in the service industry. This is just uncommon enough that it makes me perk up every time I find another book that talks about what it’s like to work a low-paid, stressful, and low-status job without any hope of finding a better position. The hopelessness of her work life endeared me to Chevelle even more than I already was. More than anything, I wanted her to finally get her happily ever after.
While there are references to Christian religious beliefs here, this cheeky tale isn’t something I’d slot into the inspirational genre by any means. It’s meant for readers of any (or no) belief system without advocating for any particular perspective , so don’t let the references to saints and heaven dissuade you from checking it out if you don’t generally read about such things.
All the Nothing We’ve Done made me smile.