Two stars, because this really isn't for me, but I see the vision!! The execution just fell short for me. I think it was just too... wordy, for me. Don't get me wrong, I love prose and a sprinkling of more words than people are comfortable with, but there doesn't really seem to be a point in its wordiness?? If it was wordy because the main character was such a stickler for literature, I'd get it... but I'm reading two pages going "...why did we need all these adjectives if four could've sufficed to describe the ambiance??"

And because I do see what the plot could entail, I'm giving it an extra star instead of leaving it at just one

This is a bit of a different review genre for me today. I received an advance copy of this ebook “The Ministry of Time” to review and I was quite excited to give it a read. There were so many interesting ideas promised in one storyline; time travel, historical fiction, romance.

The official synopsis is “...time travel romance, a spy thriller, a workplace comedy, and an ingenious exploration of the nature of power and the potential for love to change it all: Welcome to The Ministry of Time, the exhilarating debut novel by Kaliane Bradley.”

I will say that if you are a fan of flowery narrative, psychology, or are extremely interested in the life story of Sir John Franklin this book might be right up your alley.

Myself, I was hoping for the action, adventure, escapist fiction that was promised...or barring that, a good romance novel. I have now sat down with the book over a dozen times and I honestly think I am going to have to set it to my ‘’cannot finish this’ pile. Well over halfway in and I feel absolutely no empathy for either of the main characters. Which is amazing to me given that all there seems to be so far is a running dialogue of each characters’ over analysis of their place in life, written in rather inaccessible language, that I feel is an attempt at wittiness that is possibly lost on my North American myself because of all of the British colloquialisms.

Either way, it is definitely not a light summer read, and while I might give it another go in a bit to see if any actual plot development eventually occurs in the second half of the book, for now I am going to set it aside. I have a lot of other summer books to read that I have faith will offer more action/adventure/romance that this one did.

For the idea of the book itself I am giving it 3 stars out of 5...I can’t give it more than that though as it simply fell completely flat for me ☹️🤷🏻‍♀️.

#bookstagram #bookreview #bookrecommendations #reviewer @simonschusterca @netgalley #booktok

This book was included in the Indigo Best of the Read (so far) in the month of May/June and it's still on our Bestseller wall at 30% off. Customers have really responed to the vivid characters and thought provoking plot. Thanks for the ARC.

I might try this again in the future, but unfortunately a DNF for me. Nothing wrong with it at all, I just got 15% of the way in and didn’t feel drawn back at all.

I thought this was super original and different. It’s a different take on time travel and the book tackles many genre all at once. It was engaging overall but also a little bit too much all over the place for me. The story jumped around a lot and I was confused at times. The romance was disappointing and maybe a little cringey. It didn’t work for me. I did like the characters in general and found the concept brilliant and would read another book from this author.

This one missed the mark for me. The writing was verbose for the sake of being verbose, and over all, the story itself just... didn't really have a story? I have a special place in my heart for more relaxed cozy reads, but this one just... really didn't work. Something needs to be going on, the characters need to have **something** going on for me to care. This one really didnt. DNF @40%

Title: The Ministry of Time
Author: Kaliane Bradley
Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: 2.50
Pub Date: May 7, 2024

I received a complimentary eARC from Simon & Schuster Canada via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted

T H R E E • W O R D S

Creative • Clunky • Predictable

📖 S Y N O P S I S

A civil servant starts working as a 'bridge' - a liaison, helpmeet and housemate - in an experimental project that brings expatriates from the past into the twenty-first century. This is a science-fiction story.

In a London safehouse in the 2020s, a disorientated Victorian polar explorer chain-smokes while listening to Spotify and learning about political correctness. This is a comedy.

During a long, sultry summer - as the shadows around them grow long and dangerous - two people fall in love, against all odds. This is a romance.

💭 T H O U G H T S

The Ministry of Time was one of my most anticipated 2024 releases. The premise sounded fantastic, unlike anything I'd read before. I certainly had high hopes when I was gifted an ARC, and even more so after it was announced as a GMA bookclub selection. I definitely couldn't avoid all of the hype surrounding this one.

Unlike some other reviews, I thought it started really strongly. I was interested and the concept was fascinating. However, the tone and direction completely shifted several times, especially in the final third, making it feel like a completely different book and story each time. I believe I'd have liked it more if it had kept the same trajectory as the beginning and if I'd gotten to spend more time with each of the characters rather than focusing primarily on one.

Equal parts time travel, romance, and spy thriller, this novel tries to do a lot and really ended up not doing anything at all. It needed more character development, more editing, and more cohesiveness. The lack of character depth, made it hard to believe the romance. With very little direction in the writing, from one page to the next, I often felt like pieces of the story were missing.

There is a lot of social commentary sprinkled into this story. From colonialism and racism to power and sexuality to climate change and corruption, the author probably should have picked a couple areas to focus on rather than trying to do it all. It convolutes the actual story and maybe that was the author's intent. It just didn't work for me.

A criticism I have seen is that the middle is bogged down with historical details. I, however, liked learning about the expedition and Graham's life. Given his character is based on a real person, I think it was necessary to include these details in order to give the reader context. It was also interesting take on seeing this early explorer in the present day.

The Ministry of Time had all of the right ingredients, yet they didn't come together in a way that worked. I have to commend the marketing team as they have done their jobs in promoting this book and I have no doubts many people will love it. The execution just wasn't there to make this book a stand out for me. My opinion is definitely the unpopular one, so I would say give it a shot if it's something that interests you. I'd definitely be curious to read something else written by Kaliane Bradley in the future.

📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• fancy language
• stories that don't fit into a box

⚠️ CW: death, grief, violence, gun violence, war, murder, blood, injury/injury detail, cannibalism, colonization, genocide, racism, racial slurs, xenophobia, homophobia, sexism, misogyny, sexual content, drug use, alcohol, cursing

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"If you ever fall in love, you’ll be a person who was in love for the rest of your life."

"It can get better, but you must allow yourself to imagine a world in which you are better."

"Forgiveness and hope are miracles. They let you change your life. They are time travel."

This was one of the most interesting books I've read in so long. I went in, to be entirely honest, confused how this premise would work and then proceeded to get absolutely schooled. What a wonderful incredible story.

I had selected this book because it had been favorable reviewed by several large review publications, and I was a bit disappointed, though it was a good book, it just didn't live up to the hype, in my opinion. In London England, a process has taken place that has brought several people from different historical time periods to the future, all of these individuals would have otherwise passed away as a result of their situation during their timeline. Graham Gore, one of the people, was brought from 1847, he was on the Sir John Franklin artic exploration at the time he was plucked from that time. All of the individuals are assigned a 'bridge' someone to help them assimilate to the time period they are in. As you can imagine it's quite the change going from travelling on horses, to riding in a vehicle (Graham still refers to it as a horseless carriage), along with television, movies, laptops, tall buildings, etc. Graham and his bridge are assigned to live together during the year it has been anticipated that it will take to fully adjust. There is flashbacks of the Franklin exploration and the difficulties they encountered, along with assistance they received from the Inuit, those were interesting. Graham and his bridge eventually engage in an intimate relationship, something that was not supposed to happen. Other than the initial time travel of the individuals from their time to the present there is not any more until the last part of the book. This was a good book, though I would consider this more of a romance with a bit of a historical twist. Thanks to #Netgalley and #Simonandschuster for the ARC.

i was so incredibly excited to start this book… as in, time travel romance?! count me in, please! and ofc i was so excited for asian rep, which to me was one of the only pros of this book.

the ministry of time tells the story of a government worker who is invited to work on a secret time travel project, helping expats/the time travellers get acquainted and acclimatized to the present day. her charge is a man who died in arctic exploration, graham gore.

as expected of someone from his 1800s era, gore is racist and expects britain to be an imperialist powerhouse, and upon realizing that those two things are not acceptable, he must be introduced to the present by the main character.

the main character, by the way, WHAT EVEN IS HER NAME?? her name and identity apart from the author is not at all explicit, in which case i truly believe this is some off brand fanfiction of a real person. although that would be acceptable to me in some contexts, it’s so obvious that the main character is meant to be a self/insert of the author.

thus, the things that happen are a product of the author’s fantasies about a historical figure, being that she desires to:
- teach him how to not be racist
- teach him not to say borderline slurs
- teach him not to hunt and kill randomly shit in the city
- teach him not to be a pedophile WTF

just based on all of these things above, as well as the a(sexual)phobic undertones, lack of plot, terrible pacing, and cringe characters, i couldn’t stand this book, and i feel so awful.

The Ministry of Time has a unique storyline that I found quite intriguing. I have always been interested in the HMS Terror, and the missing Franklin Expedition. My Father and brother are boat ship Captains that have travelled the Northwest Passage many many times. As such I was really interested in Gore's character and how he adapts as an expat. There are a few twists in this novel and I was pleasantly surprised by some aspects of the ending. It was nice to have not known how a book was going to end for a change. Highly recommend for anyone remotely interested in time travel.

In an unspecified near future, an unnamed civil servant (and the narrator) is selected for a new position, with a big bump up of her salary, in a secret government department, revealed to be the Ministry of Time. The Ministry has been putting together a group of what they call "expats", who have been pulled into the present from different times in the past. These people will be heavily monitored to determine if it is practical and possible to survive time travel, both physically and mentally.

The narrator has been hired to be one of these expats' liaison, or "bridge", to the present. Her expat, Commander Graham Gore, is known as "1847" in the Ministry, and was rescued from the doomed Franklin Arctic expedition. Gore is understandably disoriented and shocked by this present, and a little horrified to be living openly with a woman to whom he is not married, and who shows more skin than he was ever used to a woman showing. Then there is indoor plumbing, the Internet, and any number of other things that are weird, but he's an adventurer, and curious, so he manages the transition to the present better than a few of his fellow expats.

The narrator and Gore gradually become accustomed to one another, and she also gets to know a few of the other bridges and their expats. Though there is constant surveillance and monitoring of the expats, there are also lingering questions about the future use of these people, and a covert group is revealed to be working in opposition to the Ministry, and sudden instances of violence and death. This is the backdrop for the novel, as much of it is spent in conversations between the narrator and Gore, and dealing with the expats' fish out of water impressions of the present. And there is also an intense, slow-burn romantic relationship that develops between the narrator and Gore, which is handled beautifully.

This was brilliant. Author Kaliane Bradley has created a wonderful mix of different genres to craft a funny, tense, and surprisingly moving novel. The inclusion of Commander Graham Gore (a real figure on the Franklin expedition) allows the author to comment on so many of the social and technological changes, such as the perceptions of colonialism, slavery, racism and passing, Orientalism, etc. that have occurred since the mid-1800s.

Bradley also does a great job of characterizing two of the other expats, Margaret Kemble and Arthur, both of whom find great hope and opportunities in this present versus their own, homophobic time periods. Margaret is also just plain funny in a novel that has plenty of self-deprecating and dryly humorous moments.

I was captivated by this book, and its characters. The plot is well constructed, giving us two major storylines: Gore's past, leading up to his capture by the Ministry, and the narrator's perspective as she helps Gore acclimate, and wrestles with her obligations and emotions as she wonders about the Ministry's intentions, and how these may conflict with her feelings for Gore, and by extension, the other expats.

The novel is introspective, serious in its interrogation of Western attitudes, quietly humorous, and character-driven. And I adored the beautiful ending.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Simon & Schuster Canada for this ARC in exchange for my review.

I enjoyed this book and felt connected to the characters, but have to admit that at times I was confused about what exactly was happening. I really feel this is the type of book that would benefit from a second reading. All that being said, the romance was lovely, the humour fun and the writing quite beautiful and very deep and thought provoking at times. Also the forward time travel made a nice change. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital advance reading copy. 4/5 stars!

Oh, this was fun. I concluded sometime last year that time travel stories weren’t for me, but with so many enthusiastic reviews and a big, sweeping premise, I had to give this one a try. I’m glad I did - this story is suspenseful, romantic, tender, and clever. Anytime I felt my brain contorting into the frustrating knot that sometimes comes from time-travel narratives, Bradley manages to steer the story away in such a way that I was content not to dwell on the specifics, and divert my energy to the broader social commentary and bittersweet romance.

I also really enjoyed all the parts of the story that linked back to the Franklin Expedition. Like the author, I too became deeply obsessed with the miniseries The Terror a few years ago (I’m still haunted by certain scenes.)

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader proof!

I was surprised how much I enjoyed The Ministry of Time despite it not being a genre I generally enjoy. I loved the contempory setting for the historical characters and exploring with them all of the changes and challenges they had that you may not have considering going into the book. The romance was very much a b plot and I don't think it was necessary except to add more pages to the end of the story. I didn't feel a connection between the two of them outside of affection coming from living together in unusual circumstances. I wish it wasn't added but can see why it was. I did like the diary entries and wish there was more added for the other characters as well to get more of a picture of all of the historical characters rather than mainly focusing on one.
But I found it interesting and easy to follow and would highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for sending me an advance copy of this book!

What a thrillingly unique story this is! Part time travel romance, part spy thriller, and part colonial commentary, I enjoyed every minute of reading this. The narration style reads like a memoir, with the narrator reflecting back on significant events in her life from a point after they've passed. This memoir feeling made the story flow so smoothly, and there were numerous eloquently reflective passages that I couldn't help highlighting.

Reading about the expats adapting to life in the future with all their confusion and varying interests in modern technology and advancements was so fun and I would happily read more content like this. Above the humour though, there are a lot of deeper messages and challenging ideas to unpack, making this book much more complex than it appears at first glance.

If you're looking for a light-hearted time travel story that also has high stakes and a splash of romance, I definitely recommend giving this a try!

Graham Gore is an 1845 commander of an expedition to the Arctic. He is plucked from his time period before his death into the present day by the British government. His bridge is tasked with ensuring a smooth transition into the 21st century. They didn't expect to fall for one another.

A very interesting concept, but I was bored until the last bit of the book when it suddenly turns into a spy thriller. I found the chapters to be a bit to long for my taste, and it made the story drag for me. I thought their relationship developed naturally, and I think they were cute together. It is definitely a slow burn romance, as Graham must become used to his new surroundings. I liked the supporting characters of Arthur and Margaret, two other expats from two different timeframes, and think they brought a lot of joy to the story.

Set in the vague near future, The Ministry of Time follows an unnamed female protagonist who is signed up to work for the eponymous government organisation. Using their access to time travel, the Ministry has “extracted” individuals (called “expats”) from specific eras. These expats have been assigned to civil servants who act as “bridges,” tasked with helping them learn about life in the 21st century and move forward. The protagonist has to live with 1847 aka Commander Graham Gore (who originally died in an 1845 expedition to the Arctic).

Given its unique and interesting theme, I had high hopes for this book. It started off with many thought-provoking ideas. For instance, it made me wonder – if I were to time-travel to 2024 from a past era, what in the future would be most shocking for me?

I enjoyed the parts involving Gore learning how things work in the modern world, his perspective on everything from smartphones and motorcycles to dating and phrases we use.

However, as the story progressed, I realised it wasn’t really pulling me in. It wasn’t making me curious about what would happen.

One major issue I found with the book was that it tried to deal with too many elements. There’s time travel, history, romance (which didn’t work for me), climate change, and more. The protagonist, a British-Cambodian, talks about her mother’s life as an immigrant – I expected this to have more depth, but it ended up feeling superficial.

I saw an online review that mentioned the author’s use of similes in this book. I agree, the similes are numerous and quite wacky.

Did I like it? Not as much as I thought I would. Read it for the interesting concept, I'd say.

Delighted to include this title in the May edition of Novel Encounters, my column highlighting the month’s most anticipated fiction for the Books section of Zoomer, Canada’s national lifestyle and culture magazine. (see column and mini-review at link)

Many thanks to the publisher for my copy - all opinions are my own.

The Ministry of Time is a sweepingly epic tale that somehow beautifully combines time travel, spy-action, dystopian futures, historical fiction and a magnificent romance all into one story - and it works.

I read this one while on a plane on a recent trip and it kept me GLUED to the page from start to finish. I don't even know how to adequately describe this book which somehow has pulled together Jason Bourne levels of spy agency action, with Black Mirror levels of dystopian future/time travel twists, while somehow also having Time Traveler's Wife romance-worthy vibes. I would normally probably hate something that felt so all over the map, but in this case, I was fully invested in the hugely dynamic characters, entirely enthralled by the twisting mystery of what would happen to the time travelers, and rooting for the love story to win in the end.

I honestly don't want to give any spoilers, and I think this is one that you will enjoy the most if you go in completely blind and without expectation. But holy hannah is this going to be one of the most unique reads of your year, I can promise you that.