Okay, I gotta break this down.

* Concept *
A country’s government finds the means to travel through time (via doors in both cases), which kickstarts the “Ministry of Time”. I want to address the fact that this upcoming book is called the same and follows a very similar premise to a Spanish TV show from nearly 10 years ago. IF this book deliberately took a very obscure show’s concept and tried to pass it as original, that seems a bit shady to me. I don't know if that's the case, though. The concept is executed differently from the TV show (the book is more slow-paced and character-oriented, whereas the show is more action-packed, with missions through different time periods and (at least in my opinion) does a better job of dealing with the logistics of time travel). I personally preferred the show, BUT, now that this is out of the way, I’m going to try to judge this book by itself.

* Plot *
Now this threw me for a bit of a loop. This book is meant to be a time-travel romance, spy thriller and workplace comedy, but it didn’t fully hit any of those marks for me. I didn’t get into the romance at all, it felt too slow for a thriller and I struggle to see it as a “workplace comedy”. I liked that it was ambiguous and had a unique approach to its story, but it also seemed disorganised and cluttered. All in all, most of this book read more as a… slice-of-life? I love slice-of-life so I’m fine with that. It just wasn’t what I was expecting from this particular read

* Characters *
Gore was my favourite, he did seem to be coherent as a character. Same with Maggie and Arthur. I liked the nameless protagonist at first but for some reason I don’t quite understand I felt more and more detached from her as the story went on, until I frankly stopped caring what happened to her. There were also quite a few background characters that just added to the confusion

* Pacing *
Quite slow, with very long chapters. Not a bad thing necessarily, but hard to get through at times

* Narrative style *
Very different from most things I have read! I loved it most of the time, since the author is very good at coming up with creative metaphors and descriptions, but sometimes I found it a bit excessive or like it slowed things down more

* Themes *
So many. I felt like the author had a lot to say and share, and perhaps that is one of the reasons why this book ended up feeling convoluted for me. I wanted to hear her out, as I liked some of the reflections sprinkled throughout the book, but it all just felt a bit like a mish-mash of important themes fighting for attention.

* Conclusion *
I would probably have liked this more if it was categorised as literary fiction / slice-of-life, and it was upfront about the time travel being a device to have a cast of characters from different time periods. Because really, what I enjoyed the most was the way they all interacted and tried to understand each other and their current context. The ways they tried to adapt, the culture shock. I got some giggles out of it. There were cute moments. But I think it was all bogged down due to too many things going on, and creating expectations that weren’t met. That being said, I would like to read more books from the author, because I am very interested in her views and her unique style. And… I would like to know if this is derivative from the show I mentioned and, if so, it would be good to have it acknowledged too. So I thought I’d do my best to shout it out with my review, in case anyone reading it wants more media with similar concepts!

I've been a bit full-up on fantasy at the moment so I've been on the lookout for some good science fiction, or at least some science fiction that doesn't feel like a Black Mirror episode. Time travel in sci-fi is as old as the genre itself so it's refreshing to see it done in a new and unique way.

The Ministry of Time tells the story of a civil servant landing a job at a government ministry that brings people on the verge of death in the past through time to the modern day to test the limits of time travel.

The story follows Arctic explorer Commander Graham Gore and the woman who is to be his 'bridge' to the modern world. With the help of his 'bridge' Graham begins to adjust to the 21st century, but it becomes apparent the Ministry's project isn't all that it seems...

The other 'expats' and 'bridges' are an interesting mix of characters, whose stories could be full novels in themselves. Some of the characters were loveable and I wished I could have spent more time with them, particularly Arthur and Margaret.

We're thrown right into the action and the pace picks up gradually into a crescendo. I only wish that the book had been longer so to really explain the intricacies of the project and to give the rug pull of a twist more impact.

I absolutely ripped through this book and found that I couldn't think about anything else when away from Graham and the other expats.

It's a surprisingly moving story which reminds us that it's not the high tech or the bells and whistles that make a good sci-fi story, but the humans and the connections they make along the way.

A strong debut novel and I will be definitely keeping an eye out for Bradley's next book!

I give The Ministry of Time 4 stars.

The Ministry of Time - Kaliana Bradley

Take a disparate group of people from the past with nothing in common and whisk them forward to the future. Throw in their minders (called bridges) who have to look after them and report on them for a year to see if they could live independently and you have the makings of a great story.

The Ministry of Time controls everything or so it thinks but the quirky characters especially Commander Graham Gore (1845 Victorian Arctic Explorer), Maggie (1665 plague survivor), and Captain Reginald Smyth (1916 World War 1) manage to get under your skin with their antics.

As the characters develop the mystery of why they were extracted from their time develops. A mysterious Brigadier and his sidekick appear who are definitely not who they seem and love is in the air for Commander Gore.

However this is not just a love story and there are twists and turns in a book that uses our colonial history, Cambodian genocide and global warming to paint a vivid picture of life in the near future intermingled with the past. There is a lot of humour however and Maggie especially with her dating apps, night clubbing and 17th century speech is a hoot.

This is a well written genuinely moving book with a very sexy love story that has plenty of twists and turns right up to the end.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy.

A really interesting concept and a clever plot which was incredibly well written.

Definitely an author I will continue to look out for

I went into this book not knowing much and was glad for it!
It was a unique concept and a take i've seen (and agree) would be enjoyed by lovers of Outlander!
It did take a second for me to get into the romance and writing but once I was in I was all in! The writing and story telling was so beautifully done
If you're someone who doesn't necessarily stick to one genre and likes something new and fresh - this would be a great read!

I was really excited to read this book after hearing a lot about it as one of the hotly tipped books for 2024. As a big fan of Emily St. John Mandel, I love sci-fi or books with hooky, high concepts that are grounded in the character relationships so the promise of a time-slip, dystopian, rom-com was right up my street.

The book opens with such an engaging and original premise, a near-future government employee being given a new job on a time-travel project as a “bridge” to help recently rescued time-travelers adapt to the modern world. You can’t help getting swept up in the story of a slightly world-weary, biracial civil servant sharing a flat with Commander Graham Gore, an 19th century gentleman-explorer and member of the ill-fated Terror and Erebus Arctic expedition. Bradley is an astute, natural and witty writer, clearly having a lot of fun with the set-up and exploiting it to the full.

For me the book worked best in the interplay between the characters and fun that comes from seeing someone who comes from a past era that barely had electricity, use the internet, send a text, ride a motorbike and navigate 20th century concepts like “feminism”. The romance element also builds believably and I was truly rooting for a relationship, even though at times I found the Commander’s character a little underdeveloped.

Once the narrative moves away from the initial set up and transitions from rom-com becoming more of a conspiracy thriller, I think the plot lost some of its clarity and I started to care less about the characters.

I devoured this book very quickly, was gripped right to the end and never could guess what was coming next. I was also very impressed by Bradley’s writing style which is beautiful, funny, accessible and engaging. Overall, I really enjoyed this book although I much preferred the first half to the second. There were a few things that didn't work for me, but this might just be personal preference and I have no doubt that this book will find a very dedicated audience. I loved the premise and will wait eagerly to see what Bradley writes next!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review.

This absolutely began life as Graham Gore fanfic, which is pretty hilarious, but it worked out as a fun romance with an unnecessary thriller element. In general, I think that people who enjoyed Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow will go absolutely wild for this high concept romance, and fall in love with Graham Gore.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Wow this is nothing like I’ve ever read before.

The Ministry of Time is about a newly established Government ministry that takes people from their own times and brings them to the modern world. Each “expat” is given a “bridge” - a handler of sorts that helps the expat acclimatise to life as we know it today.

This book touches on topics of race, gender, and sexuality and isn’t shy about it. This is definitely a book that makes you think! The time travel isn’t too confusing that you have to go back and read the same page over and over again to understand, the romance is slow burn, heartwarming and heart wrenching, and the side characters you’ll learn to love and hold dear to your heart.

Be prepared as the chapters are long! I felt like in some parts it was a bit slow but the ending made up for it.

I laughed, cried, and cried some more. If a sci-fi romance spy-esque novel sounds up your alley, then you need to give this a read.

This was an okay read for me, I liked the beginning and the way the story was set up and the time travel concept was intriguing, but the plot never really took off. The pacing was off especially during the middle, it dragged on for a while and then got confusing towards the end when too many things happened at once.

The characters felt a little flat for me, the prose was nice but the humour didn't work for me. The romance was cute, and probably the most interesting thing about this for me, but I still wish there had been more focus on the actual storyline.

The government has brought several 'Expats' from different historical dates to the present with what ultimate goal our narrator or Bridge is not aware of. However, as the relationship between Bridge and Expats begins to develop and not only do the Expats find themselves navigating a truly new world but the Bridges too begin to question everything they've been told and who they can truly trust. This was like a sci fi adventure story wrapped in a spy novel and I loved it; the characters and plot were all well written and I was gripped until the bitter end. Now I need to go and read a bit more about Graham Gore.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

Very pleased to be able to read the hottest-tipped book of 2024! A clever, seductive, genre-busting, sci-fli (cli-fi?) romance with history, toxicity, racism and humanity at its core. But no matter what terms are thrown at it, it remains a pacy story with lots of heart (or maybe not?). The true nature of Gore keeps the reader guessing until the end (and if you can refrain from shouting at the main character then well done you!). I can't wait to see what other novels Kaliane writes. Reminded me a bit of The Psychology of Time Travel meets 1984 - both Orwell and Newman!

Woah this absolutely blew me away. This was so amazing for a debut novel, I loved everything about this, the, plot, the characters, the great twists. I couldn't put this down, everything about this was so unique and I was desperate to see what happened next. I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys sci-fi and thriller and I can't wait to see what Kaliane Bradley comes up with next.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6241294252

Something about the style of this meant it took me a while to get into it/pick up what was going on, but once I did, it was great. A really clever premise, and as the book wore on I came to care a lot about the main characters. Refreshingly different from anything else I've read recently.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Contemporary Science Fiction with a wonderful writing style. Contains the necessary problems and paradoxes associated with time travel, written about by some of the great sci-fi writers of the past. This chronicle also presents and develops some unique characters in which the reader must surely become invested.

Less speed than many time travel thrillers but nonetheless compelling reading.

Finally, if you are a fan of the descriptive narrative, full of similes and metaphors, then dive right in. You will be in heaven!

This book presents a clever and gripping narrative that compelled me to finish it in a mere 1.5 days, a testament to its engaging plot. The prose is marked by witty word plays, offering a nuanced exploration of live cultures, both past and present, and the challenges of understanding them across time.

The absence of the main character's name is a curious choice, though it adds an air of mystery. While it initially bothered me, the gradual revelation that the story may be a personal memoir adds a layer of intrigue to the narrative.

One aspect that stood out was the main character's use of overly complicated words. As a native English speaker with a less extensive vocabulary, I found her language choices, while perhaps reflecting the main character’s background in languages, to be less enjoyable. It made the reading experience less fun for me, as I would have preferred simpler explanations.

The time-travel concept is intriguing, cleverly utilized not only to depict past-to-present cultural shock but also as a tool for the main character's self-reflection. As someone with a similar background of not living in their country of origin, I found relatable elements in her predicament.

Despite my enjoyment, the plot and pacing felt somewhat imbalanced. The slow start, understandable for character development, only truly lifts off around 70%, transitioning abruptly into a more sci-fi thriller. The multitude of tropes explored, including self-acceptance, identity, and cultural issues, felt ambitious but occasionally led to information overload.

In conclusion, this book offers an enjoyable experience, seamlessly blending self-analysis with sci-fi elements. While the balance between genres could be refined, the narrative's potential as a movie, particularly within the sci-fi thriller genre, is evident. A recommended read for those seeking a mix of thought-provoking concepts and gripping storytelling.

Wow! It's hard to believe that this is a debut novel. Read The Ministry of Time if you like exceptional writing, smouldering romance and a crafted plot. A cast of intriguing characters are pulled from various points in the past; their assimilation to modern life (the book is set in the near future) is guided by ministry employees called "bridges" but we don't really know why any of this is happening and the sinister Ministry behind the time travel experiment creates an element of mystery to the story. It is a thriller, there are hints of a dystopian future but there are also many comedy moments, often due to culture shock. I especially liked Margaret's comments on our modern world.
I look forward to Kaliane Bradley's next book.

The Ministry of Time blends time travel, romance, mystery, and comedy seamlessly together. The story revolves around a government ministry gathering "expats" from across history to establish the possibility of time travel. The main unnamed character is a civil servant who works as a bridge to guide her assigned expat, Commander Graham Gore, through the unfamiliar century they have arrived in. It soon becomes clear that the Ministry’s project isn’t all that it seems to be….

This is a really great book that will appeal to all readers, not just those interested in time travel reads. I anticipate that this will be one of the biggies of 2024.

I really don't know what to say. I normally read thrillers but something about this book really intrigued me.

I loved it. I LOVED IT.

I laughed, I cried, I cried some more. I will be recommending this to absolutely everyone.

The Ministry Of Time by Kailane Bradley:

This book had been tipped for success for some time, it’s was in all the ‘best books of 2024’ lists, the international rights have been sold and the TV adaptation is already in progress. I’m here to tell you that the hype is/was/will be real.

In a near future/becoming dystopian Britain, time travel is discovered. People are saved from a variety of fates and named ‘expats’. They are assigned a ‘bridge’, someone to acclimatise those saved to 21st century life and the novel contains the relationship between a British-Cambodian civil servant and Graham Gore, a 19th Arctic explorer.

Ok, that’s a vague and allusive stub of the narrative, but I’m not the kind of blogger who’ll let slip the book’s delicious secrets. One twist can be guessed immediately, but that’s the main strand of the narrative. The others, you won’t see coming a mile off. It’s a book that is part science-fiction, part thriller, part-deadpan comedy. Its roots are in flash fiction (Gore did actually exist), but that’s not to dismiss the effortless comic skill of someone adapting to a pre-apocalyptic future. I loved the other characters too, especially Margaret the proto-lesbian saved from the plague, let loose in hipster London.

The marketing material compares it to Time Traveller’s Wife or Cloud Atlas and they’re two of my favourite books. I think that does the author a great disservice, as The Ministry Of Time is quite unlike anything you’ll read this year or any year. It’s published by Hodder And Stoughton on May 14th and I thank them for a preview copy.

The Ministry of Time has such a unique premise, and the initial setup was wonderful. The first few pages setting the scene and explaining how the expats were selected was gripping and held such promise, however, I found my interest waned as the story progressed

It's extremely well-written and there were moments I thoroughly enjoyed, including laugh out loud moments with the expats accumulation to modern life, but ultimately I felt like there was a limited plot until the end

I also couldn't get on board with the romantic element of this book. I liked Gore, but the romance felt uncomfortable to me as it felt developed from close proximity and obsession, rather than genuine feelings. It was also clear that they were not equals or on the same page. Our nameless female was keeping secrets and Gore was only just learning about modern dating/relationships and putting aside his personal values to try to adjust

I do think this is an incredibly well-crafted book and it's brilliant in many ways, but I was just left wanting more from the plot and would have liked a more developed romance

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for approving my request to read this book!