Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Ministry of Time.

I'm not an avid reader of time travel themed novels because it can get confusing and tricky to follow but the premise of The Ministry of Time was so intriguing, I wanted to give it a shot.

The characters are interesting, especially Graham Gore, and the writing is good, though overly wordy, heavy on the metaphors as if the author wanted the main character to sound smart in case we had any doubt.

I liked the slow burn romance between the main character and Gore, but found the sex scenes unnecessary.

They didn't add to the narrative, and though I'm up for a sexy, erotic love scene as much as the next person, what's the point of those scenes?

The narrative began to take a turn for the romance-y which I'm not a fan of.

The story was slow for the first half, not surprisingly bogged down in political and social inequality discussions, which made sense since Gore had to acclimatize to a new political and social landscape, but it was apparent the main character had social and ethnic identity issues of her own she never dealt with.

The world building was decent, though I was still confused (not a surprise) about the time door and the purpose of 'extracting' the expats in the first place.

Why bring the expats back to the present (future)? To see if they can survive the time travel continuum or whatever?

Will they contribute to society? Will they discover the cure to cancer?

I just didn't get the purpose of the Ministry and their goal of screwing with past timelines and using the time door.

Just because those individuals they 'kidnap' are going to die in the past doesn't mean their deaths won't be irrelevant in the future.

This is what I mean when I say time travel in novels/movies/shows is confusing.

I liked the twist, and I guessed the identity of the mole correctly.

It took me until nearly the end of the novel to realize readers are never told the name of the narrator, like the narrator in Fight Club.

She's not a bad character, but I felt she was kind of naive and lacked street smarts despite her upbringing and her position as an expat.

This had an original premise though with typical time travel plot holes, and unnecessary wordy prose.

I did not particularly like this book, but I think it will find its readers. While I understood the story and the plot, the sometimes vague and nebulous writing often left me confused and disinterested.
It’s about time travel but also about a woman. I actually don’t have a clue what the point was, and I’m disappointed for what this book could have been.
Here’s a good quote though:

‘Belief has very little to do with rationale. Why demand a map for uncharted territory?’

I liked the character Graham Gore, who was based on a real person. He was funny, strong, observant, and believable. The protagonist was confusing and unlikable to me, and I didn’t believe their love connection.

Thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

This was a DNF for me, and I do feel bad about that. I'm usually all over the time travel books and thought would be just up my alley. I'm not sure why it wasn't, but after about a third of the book it was really starting to feel like homework. Not much was really happening, other than the time travelers going through their historical educations. There was some humor but not enough to get me to feel entertained and invested in the story. So this book was not for me, but I'm sure others will love it.

In the near future, a civil servant is offered a new and exciting position. A recently established government ministry is gathering “expats” from across history to establish whether time travel is feasible. She is tasked with working as a “bridge”: living with, assisting, and monitoring the expat known as “1847” or Commander Graham Gore, pulled from a doomed 1845 expedition to the Arctic, so he’s a little disoriented to be living with an unmarried woman who, surrounded by concepts such as “washing machines” and “the collapse of the British Empire.” But with an appetite for discovery, and the support of a charming and chaotic cast of fellow expats, he soon adjusts. Over the next year, what the bridge initially thought would be an uncomfortable roommate dynamic evolves into something much deeper. By the time the true shape of the Ministry’s project comes to light, the bridge has fallen in love, with consequences she never could have imagined.

Thank you @netgalley for the ARC! I was drawn to this book by its very interesting and unique premise. The book read like a futuristic Outlander with a bit more commentary on race and colonization. It was an accessible sci-fi with a touch of romance that I think a lot of readers will enjoy. I really enjoyed how the expats adapted to modern living and found those moments funny and endearing. I also found it interesting and poignant that the bridge, who narrates the book, remains nameless throughout, I thought the book was very well written, but at times the story seemed to stall and drag on a bit. This isn’t a genre that I typically gravitate towards so perhaps that’s why at times I was a little bored or waiting for more exciting plot points to occur. The majority of the exciting plot points took place in the final third of the book, so I found the pacing to be a bit off. The book was witty but the execution fell a bit short of my expectations.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Simon & Schuster/Avid Reader Press for the opportunity to read this book ahead of its release date!

Wow-how to explain this book? In one sentence, this is a romantic, time-travel spy thriller, which after this beautiful cover, immediately caught my eye.

This book follows our nameless main character who is the daughter of a Cambodian immigrant mother and a white British father. We learn that our main character, who struggles to find a sense of identity throughout her adult life, randomly joins a secret sect of British government called "The Ministry of Time" in order to fulfill a soul-deep need to feel power. She has no clue what this Ministry does when she signs on for the job, but soon realizes that her purpose is to act as one of several "bridges" or guides to a "expats" that the British government has "rescued" from the past, right before the times of their deaths. The bridges are to live with the expats for a year to help them "assimilate" to London in the 21st century. The narrator is assigned to be the Bridge of Graham Gore, who is presumed to have died in 1847 along with the rest of his expedition trying to discover the Northwest Passage.

I was immediately sucked into this story from the first page. Kaliane Bradley, who is British-Cambodian herself, offered such an interesting perspective to this story, and I could tell as the reader that the narrator's experience as a white-passing mixed-race woman living in England very much paralleled the author's own life experiences. She writes with such wit and sharp observations that were simultaneously heartbreaking and hilarious. The majority of this story was actually an interesting (and often funny) study of how people transported from the past (all from different points of time) interact with each other and the modern world around them. This eventually turned into a really touching love story that I thoroughly enjoyed. Also, be prepared to obsessively Google Graham Gore and his expedition throughout reading--I know I did!

In my opinion, this book really went off the rails in the final 25%. It randomly turned into a pretty underdeveloped spy thriller/espionage situation that felt bizarre and confusing. There were a lot of loose ends and very little final explorations of our narrator's journey of self-discovery. My ARC, which is a pretty early proof of the final novel, also had a lot of strange spacing and confusing use of quotation marks, which may have affected some of the book's overall impact for me. Hopefully this will be worked out prior to the pub date.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story, and it is a pretty solid debut. I really look forward to reading more from Kaliane Bradley! Thanks again to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press.

Omg omg omg! I read this book in one sitting, simply could not put it down. Even from the authors opening note, I knew I was going to like this one—Kaliane Bradley addressed very openly her process of creating this novel, by essentially becoming obsessed over an obscure historical figure and imagining what having him as a roommate might be like. I thought ok, this has my interest and wow, what an engaging mysterious and meditative journey this book is on human history and what it means to be human. I loved it so much!!!!! Thank you to Avid Reader Press & NetGalley for the early opportunity to read and review it. Smash hit five stars, cannot wait to convince my book club to read this in May!

Requested this ARC after Emily Henry mentioned it was good on her blog. I will follow Henry anywhere, and that recommendation just solidifies my faith in her. This book was weird but in the best way possible. So funny—I loved the moments in which the MC had to teach Gore modern intricacies. Also a very cute romance. She seamlessly combined science fiction, humor, romance all in one and I was here for it. I loved it! Unrelated to the novel itself, my one gripe was the ARC file was formatted weirdly, which sometimes confused me. So I’m it looking forward to purchasing it and reading it in a hard copy.

Received this as an ARC and I loved it so much! It ticked several of my favorite boxes - time travel, spies, slow burn romcom - but it’s so much more than that. Probably the most thoughtful time travel novel I’ve ever read, touching on racism, sexism, homophobia, and the experiences of refugees/immigrants/displaced persons. Funny, heartbreaking, tense, and sweet.

My opinion may be in the minority on this one, but I found this book to be dull. The writing style is not for me, a lot of SAT words and just overly formal writing. The description of this book led me to believe it would be a lot faster-paced and climactic, but the first half was so boring and slow-moving that I nearly DNF'd. The second half did pick up the pace and finally, like the last 25%, we got what the book's description promised. It just felt like a lot of lead-up to very little action. I did enjoy the end and was glad that I finished the book. I give the first half 1-2 stars and the second half 3-4 stars with an average of 3 stars overall. Thank you to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I'm not sure I would read another book by this author, but clearly, others are loving it, so please take a chance and read it for yourself!

From the moment I encountered the premise of Kaliane Bradley's debut, "The Ministry of Time," I was intrigued. Promising a blend of time travel, romance, and espionage, it immediately brought to mind Connie Willis's Oxford Time Travel series—a favorite of mine. Such a comparison set the bar high, fueling my anticipation for a reading experience filled with adventure, humor, and depth.

Bradley's debut is ambitious. Her narrative displays a dedication to historical authenticity and a clear passion for her subject matter. Bradley's enthusiasm for Graham Gore is infectious; her portrayal is rich and breathes life into the historical figure, making the past resonate with the present. Yet, the romantic subplot centered around Gore fell short of my expectations. The main character, serving as our narrator, remained elusive throughout much of the book, leaving me feeling detached from her and the unfolding plot at times.

The first act fuses time travel with workplace comedy, setting a light-hearted tone with hints of darker intrigue. But as the story progresses into its later acts, the seamless blend of genres begins to unravel. The narrative's shift toward a spy thriller diverges from the initial whimsy, leaving the romantic narrative thread dangling. I was expecting Connie Willis, but the third act felt more akin to Blake Crouch.

Despite these criticisms, Bradley's exploration of England's colonial legacy stands out as a narrative highlight. The climax, a confrontation that masterfully ties together the story's thematic threads of racism and colonialism, underscores Bradley's skill in weaving significant social commentary into her storytelling. This moment, more than any other, showcases the depth of Bradley's narrative ambition and her ability to engage with complex historical and contemporary issues.

This was a solid 3.5-star read for me. For those drawn to time travel fiction and speculative innovation, Bradley's debut promises an engaging, though at times uneven, adventure. Her potential is undeniable, and she is definitely a name to watch.

This book was a delightful surprise! Reading the description I thought "there's no way this book can pull off all those genres and actually be GOOD" but it did! I was hooked within the first 10 pages!

The book follows the unnamed narrator as she becomes one of the very first "bridges" in the top secret Ministry of Time. Tasked with helping unsuspecting 'expats' (aka people who were unceremoniously plucked from the past and brought to the future) navigate their new lives in the modern day, the bridges live and work in close contact with their expat - in our narrators case, Graham Gore, a Naval sailor from the late 1800's. As the story progresses you learn about our narrator, Graham, the eclectic yet lovable other expats, and the mysterious players within (and without) the Ministry of Time, with a few unexpected twists along the way.

While the plot moves things along and dips into various genres while doing so, this is very much a character driven book. You're on a strictly need to know basis about a lot of the inner workings of the Ministry and the mechanisms of time-travel, which might be a bummer if you're hoping for a lot of plot and internal office politics. That's not to say that the plot isn't there! It is, and sometimes strikes when you least expect it! But if you (like me) are interested in the interpersonal relationships between characters, the larger implications of forcing someone to adapt and survive to impossible circumstances, how we can stand on opposite shores of oceans of grief, time, cultural differences, and societal expectations and still manage to connect somewhere in the middle - then you should definitely read this book!

Kaliane Bradley has crafted a thoughtful and funny (I did not expect it to be so funny!) tale that has a little bit of everything: found family (a la the Ghosts tv show), mysterious workplace intrigue (for fans of Severance, perhaps?), timey-wimey action and a whole lot of heart. Do not miss this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster for this ARC. The premise of this book is lovely. The idea of taking persons from history who have already died and bringing them to the present was fantastic. Basing some of them on real people from history was also great. It really made it feel more real. However, that’s where my enjoyment ended. Our main character wasn’t fully realized enough to keep me interested in her, 1847 was the most fleshed out character and you could feel the authors love for him throughout the novel. Some parts were difficult to keep up with and the pacing was difficult at times.

While I wanted more from this book personally it may be a great fit for someone else. I really liked their characterization of Lt. Gore and would have loved to read a novel more focused on him with less time travel peril involved.

After seeing The Ministry of Time recommended by Julia Armfield, I had been eagerly anticipating the release, and I was not disappointed. It was quietly hilarious and so smart. The idea of blending nearly every genre seemed like it would be difficult and clunky, but Kaliane Bradley was able to pull it off seamlessly. I absolutely loved this and cannot wait to see what Bradley does next.

Ministry of time is a fun mix of genres. The characters and narrative arc were very compelling. It was a fun new angle to the time travel genre that I had not experienced before. I enjoyed the light romance. It was plot-driven with strong character development and just an overall adventurous and funny book. Well done.

I loved this! It was so weird. I highlighted a lot of similes just because they made me smile. For example, "[He] learned to peck at the keyboard with the elegance and speed of a badly burned amphibian." I mean, come on. That's great. One more: "He looked at me as if debating how much I would weigh if I were hundreds of beans poured in a bottle." Ha!

When I say this book is weird I mean it as a compliment. It was unpredictable, original, exciting, and a little confusing (in a good way). I read a lot of romance novels and I have never encountered characters falling in love like they do in this book. This book is part slow-burn romance, part thriller, part literary fiction. It is a wild ride. It is squad goals.

It also explores thorny questions about empire and power. It gets into the unnamed narrator's relationship to the British government as the daughter of a Cambodian refugee. We see the 21st century (including identity politics and climate change) through the eyes of characters from other centuries. While I laughed a lot, and even cried once, there are also some very serious and upsetting bits.

This was suggested to me because I liked The Impossible Us. It also made me think of Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. I will also say that Graham Gore has the appeal of a Mr. Darcy type whereas our unnamed narrator is often giving unhinged horny Ali Wong meets Fleabag.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

I enjoyed this fast paced time-travel novel. The premise was a bit different from others in the genre. The Ministry of Time is concerned with bringing people forward in time to be studied, making sure they adjust to modern times appropriately. The author does a good job of character development and readers are sure to find a favorite among the many time-travel refugees. There is humor, romance, and a lot of action. Recommended for light sci-fi readers who are looking for something a bit different.

It has been a very long time since a book has completely torn my heart out and left me weeping, but The Ministry of Time did just that.

I wanted to read this book for a very simple reason. Time travel resulting in people from the past trying to make sense of contemporary things is my favorite trope in fiction. I am endlessly amused by stories that involve this, and have been since I was very young.

What I didn't expect was to feel so incredibly strongly for a group of 4 people (3 of them from the pages of history) that being without them, now with the book finished, would feel like such an incredible loss.

It's February 6th as I write this. Some say it may be too early to name my favorite book of the year, but some would be wrong. This is she.

I was provided access to The Ministry of Time through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This is very honest. This book comes out in May. You will NEED to read it.

I love time travel stories, so when I saw this description, I smashed that request button so hard. I was not disappointed. Kaliane Bradley fuses sci-fi, romance, comedy, thriller, and mystery genres, with a dash of workplace intrigue and historical fiction. This book has it all! Nascent time travel is exploring whether people can survive moving through time and whether this affects the space-time continuum. To do so, they expatriate people who historically died to our near future. One lucky civil servant is given a huge salary to become a "bridge" who assists one of the expats. The drama that unfolds is like nothing I've read before and left me pondering ideas about molding the future and inciting change.

I love this book--from the gorgeous retro cover to the incredible story inside! The Ministry of Time explores many avenues: time travel, identity, modern life, and self-expression, and it does it all so well.

What a debut! I can't wait to read more of Kaliane Bradley's work!

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC.

This book left me reeling. I think that's a good thing?

The premise of a linguist becoming part of a government secret protect involving acclimating time travelers to the present was so intriguing. I had to request it as soon as I read the description. I'm glad I did.

This book had many things that I enjoy, time travel, fish out of water, and romance. What stood out the most though was the exploration of the main characters identity as a biracial individual navigating life in a predominantly white country (the UK). Her relationship with the one other POC was a juxtaposition that allowed us to see how the MC viewed her othered identity. There were so many moments when I became frustrated with the way she navigated her race and how she thought about the establishment she worked for.

The writing might not be for everyone but I found its simplicity perfect for a character who is very calculated.

I liked the MC at the beginning but by the end of it I was starting to dislike her, but that was the point. The author masterfully weaved a tale of identity for someone who is out of their time and another who comes from an immigrant parent.

The only complaint I have is a very charged sentence she used to describe dancing. It was very racially charged and I found it unnecessary. It took me out of the tale for a bit.

Overall this book left me thinking about it long past I had finished it. I believe that to be the mark of a good book.

Thanks netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.