Sadly this book did not quite resonate with me. Despite blending time travel, love and work-place politics the narrative somehow lacked pace and dynamism. The characters were superficially enigmatic yet flat. I could summon neither empathy nor enthusiasm for the resolution of their fates. I am certain lots of readers will love this book. It just wasn't for me. Special thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for a no obligation advance review copy.

The Ministry of Time was one of my most-anticipated books of the year because it has such a wonderful premise. I absolutely loved the idea of "expats" who move through time, and the parallels that can be drawn with "conventional" immigration are fascinating.

My favourite thing about the book was the characterisation of the three central "expats". They were all warm, intriguing characters, each lovable in their own way. They often confounded expectations and defied easy categorisation, whilst their anachronistic quirks brought genuine humour.

This novel has been described as "genre-bending" which is definitely true. It blends romance, thriller, comedy, historical fiction and more. Some parts of the book worked better for me than others. I personally much preferred the first half (which was funnier and much more character driven) to the plotty, action-focused final act where, at times, I confess to getting a bit lost (unusual for me). This is just my own preference though, and I can imagine that the book will appeal to an extremely wide readership.

This book is highly discussible and well worth adding to your summer reading list! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free advance copy of The Ministry of Time in exchange for an honest review.

I really thought I would love this, the blurb made it sound like it would focus on the romance. A romance between a Victorian naval officer and a modern-day woman? It sounded amazing, I was ready to swoon.

Unfortunately, not only was the focus <i>not</i> on the romance imo, the parts that <i>were</i> about it just didn't work for me. There was a lot of telling, with the main (unnamed?) main character summarising things for us after they happened, so I honestly didn't really know what they saw in each other - they just seemed to be drawn to each other because they were sort of the only people around? Besides, her obsession with him wasn't endearing.

I didn't get attached to either of the characters. I gradually went from being undecided about the main character, to not really liking her (she fed butterflies to a spider because she was afraid of it?!), to actively disliking her and finding her annoying. Graham Gore, the Victorian love interest, wasn't particularly swoon-worthy for me. I didn't think we got to know him very well, and the parts we <i>did</i> learn weren't entirely to my linking. I was taken a little aback when I found out that he was a real historic figure! I wonder why the author picked him and his expedition.

I wish we would have had Graham's pov too. For me, seeing our world through a Victorian's eyes would have been so interesting. Instead, we got the FMCs pov only (I'm not counting the snippets about his expedition), which focused a lot on her struggle with her biracial heritage and her mother's experience of the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia. It focused on mundane interactions with other characters, some vague struggles with her job, and then later turned into a quasi thriller?

I suppose a lot of it is down to personal preference and expectations, but I think objectively the story-telling wasn't great, with <i>too much</i> telling. Too many themes and ideas, with none explored in-depth. I struggled to find some parts believable (or they just didn't make sense), and I was often confused by the dialogue, because I lost track of who was saying which line.

Overall, I really struggled with this one and could easily have set it down without thinking about it again. I just wasn't for me, although I thought the idea was great.

A fusion of time-travel, romance and spy thriller, this debut novel by Kaliane Bradley is engaging, compelling and humorous. The author has taken an historical event, The Franklin Expedition (1847) and woven it into this unputdownable read. The Ministry of Defence have ‘kidnapped’ people from their own timelines and brought them into the future. The government employees tasked with helping the reluctant time travelers climatise to their new time are called ‘bridges’. The characters are charming, funny and charismatic. This novel is expertly written and well plotted. Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley UK for the ARC.

An interesting title and potential for an entertaining story line. Historical characters are transported to the present where they are allocated a specially selected civil servant, a Bridge, who helps them to acclimatise. Commander Graham Gore, is extracted from 1847 from an ill fated arctic expedition. The historical details of the period are clearly well researched and there are interesting social and cultural insights as Gore tries to make sense of the modern world whilst his Bridge also tries to see things from his perspective. There is some interesting dialogue on topics including equality, technology, relationships and trust.

I enjoyed the first quarter of the book and Gore’s character is particularly well developed. However, the narrative style after a while became rather tedious and I struggled to see what the purpose of the time travel experiment was. There are some plot twists towards the end which felt rushed and I lost track of who was from which period. Overall, the story started strong but failed to keep me engaged.

The Ministry of Time is an inventive and totally absorbing blend of science fiction and romance with a dash of historical fiction and an element of mystery added for good measure. If this all sounds a bit of mishmash, think of it instead as a glorious cocktail of different ingredients that once you’ve downed it you immediately want to drink again… except this time surely it tastes slightly different?

I’m not going to try to summarise the plot for fear of spoilers but what I can say is you will meet some wonderful characters. Commander Graham Gore, obviously, but also Arthur (‘1916’) and Margaret Kemble (‘1665’). There’s a lot of humour as the ‘expats’ are introduced to modern technology, attitudes and concepts by their ‘bridges’. Margaret’s 17th century mode of speech and inventive cursing is both endearing and very funny.

But there’s also a serious side as well as the expats learn about world events that have taken place since they were ‘extracted’ from their own time. For example, Arthur, having been plucked from the Battle of the Somme, is horrified to discover that there was a second world war, although in other ways the modern world may be more accommodating than the one he left. Having all been rescued from certain death, survivor’s guilt is real for them. This is especially the case for Gore once he learns the fate of his comrades on Sir John Franklin’s Arctic expedition. He is haunted by the knowledge his markmanship might have made a difference to their survival. I particularly liked the sections which take us back in time to witness the ill-fated mission from the point of view of Gore.

There’s a sinister aspect to the way the expats are constantly monitored (in more ways than they realise), periodically assessed and tested by Ministry officials, and reported on by their ‘bridges’ who also exercise control over the information they are given. Just why these particular individuals were chosen to be ‘rescued’ becomes a source of mystery too.

There’s an interesting parallel made between the assimilation of the expats into the modern world (to misquote E. M. Forster, ‘The present is a foreign country: they do things differently there‘) and the experience of people moving from one culture or country to another. Gore’s bridge is part-Cambodian and the daughter of immigrants so she has had to be a ‘bridge’ for her Cambodian mother, helping her learn a new language and so on.

A wonderfully supportive relationship develops between the three expats and the narrator also becomes more a friend than a ‘bridge’, although this brings its own challenges for her. One particular relationship becomes the main focus of the story and if it doesn’t touch your heart I’ll be surprised.

Towards the end of the book, the author really ups the action and throws in a terrific curved ball that took my brain a while to unscramble. The message I had no difficulty understanding, though, was that whereas you can’t change the past, you can change the future. Oh, and the enduring power of love.

I thought The Ministry of Time was mindbendingly brilliant and definitely among the most enjoyable books I’ve read so far this year.

'The Ministry of Time' by Kaliane Bradley is a captivating debut that seamlessly blends time travel romance, spy thriller, workplace comedy, and a thoughtful exploration of power and love. The novel centers on a civil servant who is tasked with assisting Commander Graham Gore, a historical figure resurrected from Sir John Franklin’s doomed 1845 Arctic expedition. The characters, particularly the nameless British-Cambodian female main character (FMC), Commander Gore, Margaret Kemble, and Arthur, are richly developed and convincingly portrayed, evoking a strong sense of historical and emotional authenticity.

Bradley's humor is a highlight, skillfully balancing self-awareness and dry wit to address time travel tropes and paradoxes. The narrative delves into themes of colonialism, inherited trauma, slavery, racism, racial identity, climate change, gender, and LGBTQ+ sexuality, all interwoven with clever, plot-relevant commentary that never feels preachy.

However, the novel's ambitious scope becomes a double-edged sword. As the story progresses, the plot developments accelerate and the reveals become increasingly awkward, making the ending feel rushed and overly complex. Despite this, the book remains an imaginative and engaging read, with its vivid characters and inventive premise leaving a lasting impression. Overall, 'The Ministry of Time' is a smart, witty, and thought-provoking novel that deserves a solid 4 out of 5.

This book is so many things to me, and so many of them are truly beautiful and excellent. It's funny, in a way that genuinely made me laugh out loud. It's sexy, in a slow build but inevitable way that pays off fantastically. It explores the similarities and differences of personal experiences of trauma and generational trauma. It is a thrilling, action-packed spy novel. It poses fascinating questions about the science of time travel. It is truly devastating, but ultimately uplifting. It is deeply personal, while also speaking to broad, societal issues. It is utterly fantastic.

The Ministry of Time tells the story of our unnamed protagonist, who is employed as a "bridge" for a refugee of time, Commander Graham Gore, who was supposed to die in his arctic exploration of 1847. There is, of course, the whacky fish out of water shenanigans that you would expect in such a set-up, but the story is so much deeper than that. I don't want to give too much away here though - half the beauty of this book, for me, was discovering the story as it unfolded.

I did not expect this book to have half as much of an impact as it did, and I didn't expect it to stay with me as strongly as it has. I don't think I can do justice to all of the things I love about this book, so all I will say is read it

I am at a loss where to even start on this review, there are so many things about The Ministry of Time that I loved. And not a single thing I didn't.

So let's start with the easy bit, the story, set in near-future London. The narrator, a minor civil servant, is appointed for a secret mission: to act as a 'bridge' (observer, minder, helper) to a man who has been taken from the past using a secret time travel machine. He is Commander Graham Gore, second-in-command on a ship trapped in the Arctic ice in 1847. She is to live with him, help him adapt to the modern world, and report back on his behaviour and progress to the Ministry. Four other time travellers and their bridges are also set up together. The narrator and Gore soon become fast friends with two of them; Maggie, a plague survivor from 1665 and Arthur, a first world war soldier from 1916.

We follow the time travellers (called 'expats' by the Ministry) as they adapt to their new life. They have a lot of adapting to do. Maggie, a feisty, intelligent, warm-hearted and beautiful lesbian, revels in her freedom as a woman in this century, and quickly sets out to explore Tinder, clubs, fashion and parties. Her language is 17th century English, so she comes across as wildly eccentric. Arthur is a traumatised gentle soul, still reeling from the transition, but he and Maggie become close allies. Gore is, well, an utterly charming 19th century gentleman and hero, We also have a range of Ministry staff and other villains. What a cast!

Meanwhile, the narrator, overwhelmed by her lust/love for Gore, seems to be deliberately blind to all the hints that all is not as it seems at the Ministry.

Bradley is an astoundingly good writer and it is mind-blowing that this is her first novel, it is so perfectly accomplished. The writing is wonderfully readable but also original, quirky, funny and moving. No matter where we are in the narrative, Bradley makes it all just so damn INTERESTING! It's not only that the reader is gripped and eager to know what follows: she can make a description of a character making a cup of tea interesting. Her metaphors and similes are original, striking and often hilarious, the dialogue is clever, and the growing bond between Gore and his bridge is sensitively portrayed and beautifully paced.

Moreover, The Ministry of Time is full of insightful parallels with, references to and commentary on historical and current events, notably around empire and colonialism, refugees and climate change. Indeed the facts we learn about Commander Graham Gore's past are based on true accounts of his life and final Arctic expedition.

If this doesn't become a roaring bestseller, I don't know what will. It would also make a fantastic film or TV series.

This is a good old-fashioned love story but, a slow burning love story. It’s not apparent in the beginning but when the gentleman comes from the past into the future, well the present, his handler and himself just have a slow burning friendship which after they were attacked and almost killed, turned into love.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I thought it could’ve been a little bit shorter only by a chapter. But it was a fun easy read as you can tell I finished it in a day/2. The characters in it the main four the three from the past and the guider were great fun characters and it was a shame that they had to pass away well one of them did, but I won’t say which one! It also had a lovely little twist in there which I didn’t actually see coming but I should’ve guessed. Maybe you’ll see it when you read the book and I recommend that you do.

An experiment in time travel has led to a disparate group of expats who have been transported to the present by a mysterious Ministry. Each is assigned a 'bridge' who will live with them for a year, monitor them and assimilate them into modern life. One of the expats is Graham Gore who disappeared in 1847 on a failed Arctic expedition. As he and his bridge grow closer, the experiment starts to have problems.
I found this quite an odd novel to read. Being someone who utterly hates Sci-Fi I found great stretches of the story difficult to engage with, however the slow-burn love story and the insights into assimilation from refugees and 'expats' were great. It's a bit of curate's egg, fantastic in parts but actually the key plot points I really disliked, however there's no doubting Bradley's talent

Amazing concept, really well executed. This book is a slow-burn romance, a thriller, and a wibbly-wobbly time travel story all rolled into one, and also manages to take aim at climate change, colonialism, and racism along the way. Some of Bradley's metaphors are so well crafted, they were worth rereading to appreciate their beauty.

Graham Gore, a real Arctic explorer, is a worthy fictional object of swoon, although I was quite annoyed at him at times towards the end. Margaret and Arthur were perfect secondary characters, and the villains suitably evil. I could not have guessed the twist, and I can't help thinking about it, even days later. I will certainly be seeking out anything else that Bradley writes. This was excellent.

***Disclaimer: This e-ARC was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Huge thanks to them. ***

Thank you to the publisher, the author and Netgalley for a free ebook copy of this novel in exchange for a review.
I adore time travel narratives. I have spent many an hour imagining where I would go if I could go back in time or who I’d most like to meet if I could have a little trip back. So, this book was a total no-brainer for me.
We follow a young woman who is part of a government experiment to introduce people that have been rescued from the past. All of them would have died in their original timelines, so in a way they are free to be here and now. We follow a little band of ‘bridges’ – the 21st century people who are to look after those in from the past, and the ‘ex-pats’: someone from The Great Plague, World War One and most importantly for the narrative, a Victorian man who was part of a doomed Artic exploration. He is the one who develops a relationship with the main (and unnamed) character and we watch how he assimilates into the future world. He is also based on a real person, and the daguerreotype referenced in the book is a real artifact that can be viewed online.
There were so many things to admire in this novel. Firstly, was the way sexual tension was built between the two main characters, it was so pitch perfect and a ‘will they, won’t they?’ dynamic that kept the story moving. The complications of a buttoned down man of the 19th century who was used to women covered from neck to floor and a modern, sexually active woman was enthralling. The next thing that was so brilliant about this book was that I don’t think the writer used one cliche in the whole thing. I think it is Orwell who advises writers to never use a simile or metaphor that they’ve read before and this writer stuck to that precept like glue, making the prose both original and fascinating. But as I say, pitch perfect, so whilst the metaphors were unlike any I’d read before – they created vivid images and played on the senses.
Finally, the writer created such fully formed characters by her use of language. Particularly with Maggie from the 1660s. I found that completely fascinating. Recreating someone’s language, particularly from such a long time ago, is incredibly difficult. Hilary Mantel even spoke about it when discussing how to create verisimilitude in Wolf Hall, and to be honest, I think Kaliane Bradley has nailed it better than Mantel.
There were a couple of things I enjoyed less though. One, all the foreshadowing, hinting that things weren’t going to work out well. It just felt heavy handed as it was sprinkled very liberally with comments throughout that gave away parts of the ending. And another was the timelines. The references to the Cambodian genocide kept the novel in a fairly distinct timeline and that plus the comments about the change in climate in London didn’t 100% seem to gel. But that is a very picky comment and probably other people wouldn’t notice or be fussed about it.
Overall, I loved this book and I have already been recommending it left, right and centre to everyone I know. I can’t wait to see what this writer does next and I’m very envious of her talent!

Loved this so much more than I thought I would! It's sci-fi but beautifully written. Kind of sci-fi/literary. The characters are fantastic. It's also way funnier than I expected. Highly recommend.

glorious. this book made me physically insane on multiple modes of public transport. i sobbed i laughed people moved to other tube carriages to keep away from me. one of the most special reading experiences i've ever had. romance isn't dead. my obsession with polar expeditions is alive and kicking. thank you to the publisher for giving me a copy of this!

What a roller coaster of a book - I loved pretty much everything about it, event the convoluted spy story.
It was a thoughtful look at how time travel could work, what it might feel like to be dragged through time, and an exploration of just how crazy our world would seem to people from the past - but equally if you have people from lots of time frames how little each of them would understand about the other time periods.
I really hope that this book ends up on lots of prize /best of year lists

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley and am grateful for the opportunity to read. The book has rave reviews from well known authors - suggestions that it was a book that could be breezed through with a captivating storyline.

The premise of the book is time travel which brings famous people , who have died in the past, into the present without having an affect on the timeline. Throughout the book these time travellers are referred to both as the year from which they were plucked and by name. Like much else of the book there seems to be no reason why at one point they might be called by one name and then by another. I stayed with it until about a quarter of the way through the book when some of the narrative felt repetitious. I read the whole book and forme it's biggest fault is that new things are introduced late into the storyline, these new things changed what had happened earlier. My mind is a mess as I would suggest the book is.

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley is an absolute dream of a novel, It's like nothing I've read before, The plot is a mix of spy thriller, comedy, speculative futuristic and historical fiction - mind-blowingly well constructed, The characters are vivid, and expertly individually drawn (the historic cast slightly reminded me of the characters from the BBC comedy Ghosts, but that is a compliment).

It's very rare that I feel this strongly about a book, but I so wanted to have written this one! Let me list what I loved about this book:
it is clever; funny; thoughtful; page-turningly entertaining; a tiny bit sexy; heartbreaking; hopeful...I could go on. Brilliant, brilliant stuff!

This book was deemed 'the most anticipated novel of 2024' and it definitely lived up to the expectations. I am grateful for the advanced copy from @Netgaley.
Written from a first person perspective of a British-Cambodian civil servant, a 'bridge' , it was a mixture of romance, service, comedy and time travel. I loved al the different characters and how they identified with the period they had come from.

It was a great read and I especially loved the twist at the end.

The Ministry of Time is a clever, unique story. Part sci-fi, part romance, part history, the story is set around a time machine and how today's world might seem if you were brought here from another time. When the Ministry decides to bring people from various times to the present, each person needs "a bridge" to explain the modern world to them. Told in the first person by Commander Gore's (a 18th century arctic explorer) bridge, this tale is funny, romantic and exciting. Along the way, we explore racism, health, environmental issues in an engaging way.
Definitely one to read