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The Ministry of Time: A Novel
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Original price was: $28.99.$17.81Current price is: $17.81.
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ONE OF BARACK OBAMA’S FAVORITE BOOKS OF SUMMER 2024 • A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK • ONE OF THE WASHINGTON POST’S BEST BOOKS OF THE SUMMER
“This summer’s hottest debut.” —Cosmopolitan • “Witty, sexy escapist fiction [that] packs a substantial punch…Fresh and thrilling.” —Los Angeles Times • “Electric…I loved every second.” —Emily Henry
“Utterly winning…Imagine if The Time Traveler’s Wife had an affair with A Gentleman in Moscow…Readers, I envy you: There’s a smart, witty novel in your future.” —Ron Charles, The Washington Post
A 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.
In the near future, a civil servant is offered the salary of her dreams and is, shortly afterward, told what project she’ll be working on. A recently established government ministry is gathering “expats” from across history to establish whether time travel is feasible—for the body, but also for the fabric of space-time.
She is tasked with working as a “bridge”: living with, assisting, and monitoring the expat known as “1847” or Commander Graham Gore. As far as history is concerned, Commander Gore died on Sir John Franklin’s doomed 1845 expedition to the Arctic, so he’s a little disoriented to be living with an unmarried woman who regularly shows her calves, surrounded by outlandish concepts such as “washing machines,” “Spotify,” and “the collapse of the British Empire.” But with an appetite for discovery, a seven-a-day cigarette habit, 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, at best, a horrifically 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 haphazardly, fervently in love, with consequences she never could have imagined. Forced to confront the choices that brought them together, the bridge must finally reckon with how—and whether she believes—what she does next can change the future.
An exquisitely original and feverishly fun fusion of genres and ideas, The Ministry of Time asks: What does it mean to defy history, when history is living in your house? Kaliane Bradley’s answer is a blazing, unforgettable testament to what we owe each other in a changing world.
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Categories: Best Books of 2024 So Far
Product name:
The Ministry of Time: A Novel
Price:
Original price was: $28.99.$17.81Current price is: $17.81.
Susan B. Iwanisziw –
I found this novel engrossing, perhaps because I once worked for Britain’s Ministry of Defence and know exactly where it is if not what it was up to.
I loved the time-traveling (time-abducted) characters plucked from death and coaxed into the modern world through assigned helpers called “bridges.” This motif is beautifully played and becomes food for profound thought in light of subsequent revelations. Three abductees–Arthur, Maggie, and Graham–are characters for the ages.
The narrator is also a fascinating character. Half-Cambodian, she often reflects on the Khmer Rouge and the killing fields of Cambodia from which her “Mai” escaped at great psychic cost. The motif of refugees is essential to the plot and a reminder of modern migrations, along with a curt reminder of Western nations’ not-so-valiant efforts to absorb the dispossessed.
The narrator volunteers for the bridge job to advance her career and finds herself possessed by a slow-burn lust for Graham, a transplanted veteran of a Northeast Passage exploratory failure. The character is based on a real seaman and his former life is brilliantly evoked. He is a chain-smoking crack shot of a Victorian patriarch with great charm and a daunting talent for staying alive.
I highly recommend this book for those who like British humor, action, and unusual romance with a touch of sci-fi.
littlewren –
I loved the author’s imagination, but also her weaving together of issues that matter more than ever: climate action; identity; community; the potential in us all to make change for the better.
Recommended for pretty much anyone.
James –
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley is a compelling and fascinating read that had me hooked from the start! This stellar debut novel blends sci-fi elements with contemporary issues, making it both entertaining and thought-provoking. The premise of a new government agency that pulls people from the past into the present day is intriguing, and the book deftly explores the resulting complexities. The inclusion of time travel, fated Arctic expeditions, and an 18th-century naval commander who plays disco music on his flute adds a unique and engaging twist!
The strength of this novel lies in its superb character development. Bradley has created deeply drawn and wonderfully realized characters, particularly Graham Gore from a doomed 1840’s Arctic expedition. Gore’s intelligence, wisdom, innocence, and vulnerability are vividly portrayed, making his character profoundly compelling. Other characters are equally unique and three-dimensional, each bringing their own distinctive flavor to the story. This rich cast ensures that readers genuinely care about the fates of these individuals.
The novel also includes refreshing LGBT representation, with characters expressing their identities authentically. The story alternates between the modern-day plot and Gore’s final days on the HMS Erebus in the Arctic, building suspense towards the novel’s climax. The romance that develops between the protagonist and Gore is carefully developed, though it is unevenly paced. The protagonist’s experiences as a Cambodian immigrant in the UK provide additional depth, drawing parallels with how the Ministry treats the time expats. The protagonist’s desire for power in the arena of cultural identity adds another layer of complexity.
While the novel offers extensive commentary on themes of immigration and cultural assimilation, it can sometimes feel dense and pedantic. To me, the novel is trying too many notes, and the narrative can be a bit opaque, especially during key events. Despite these shortcomings, The Ministry of Time is an engaging read that creatively blends sci-fi themes with modern commentary, making it worth your TIME!
DJ –
‘“I’m smiling too.” “Oh? My ears aren’t quite as good as yours, I can’t hear it.” “I will endeavor to smile louder.”’ (p175)
Wow.
I thought I had this book figured out early – a time travel novel that isn’t hard to follow. Interesting but straightforward premise. Skillful storytelling and sparkling prose. Relaxing, funny, engaging. Plenty of tension, drama, unpleasant events, and even a few big surprises — but only as background for a story that’s basically about relationships. Not particularly deep, but includes a sprinkling of thoughtful commentary. Easily four stars.
But late in the book comes a spectacular development that turns the story on its head. Everything changes instantly. I realized I’d missed all the hints and teasers; I’d even highlighted a few. I should have seen it coming. I didn’t.
Here’s a small warning. Every time something unexpected happens in the book you’re going to ask yourself whether this is the “spectacular development”. No. If you have to ask, it’s not. Believe me, you’ll know when you get there.
Kim –
I thought Natasha Pulley’s ‘The Kingdoms’ was the best time travel book imaginable. I never thought another could come parallel, never mind step beyond. This is undoubtedly parallel. If I read (*when* I read it) another 6 or so times, I’ll know if it’s sunk under my skin and sentences slide into my mind when I’m not expecting them. In the meantime, this is beyond beautifully written, the emotional intelligence flows off the page in subtle, magical waves, and the premise is perfect. Read it. You’ll be glad you did…
Alan and Emily –
3.5 stars for The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
I enjoy time travel stories, but The Ministry of Time was a bit difficult for me to get into. The plot moved a little slowly, and there were a lot of words used that I was unfamiliar with – some related to Cambodia, yes, but many others that just are not commonly part of every day 2024 vocabulary in any language.
However, there were also many phrases in the novel that I found quite funny or immensely beautiful, so I’m very appreciative that a fellow book club member brought this novel to my attention. I won’t list them here and create spoilers, but I will be jotting a few down elsewhere so I may enjoy them again in the future.
I also really enjoyed a couple of the expat characters developed by Bradley. Similar to my favorite phrases, one of the expats was quite funny, and the other I loved was just a beautiful soul.
All in all, I am glad to have read The Ministry of Time, but I don’t know that I’d recommend it. If you have a large vocabulary or simply love learning new words, though, this book is for you.
Alan and Emily –
I love this book so don’t want to give it a negative rating but the copy that was delivered has a bashed in corner, it was loose in the box with other items and should have had it’s own pouch or bubble wrap.
Jane Fleming –
This debut novel is honestly like nothing I’ve ever read before. In a not too far in the future London, a time bridge has been discovered, and through it have come a variety of people from a range of times throughout history. Principally, we’re dealing with ‘47 aka an expat from 1847 – Graham Gore, an actual historical person who disappeared, along with many of his shipmates, in the ill-fated Arctic exploration expeditions. Or did he? Perhaps he was slipped through time, and is living in a safe house with a Woman(and unmarried one at that), in the modern ages.
With strong parallels between time travellers and their culture shock, and people who move to another country and the clash of ideals, and throwing in a love story, a bit of mind-jumping science, and a civil service spy story, this is a rollercoaster read, and has certainly marked this author for me as one to look out for.
John R. Matson –
I’m a sucker for a good Time Machine story. Bradley’s The Ministry of Time was a decent first effort by the novelist. I did often feel that her attempts at humor missed the mark; perhaps they were inside jokes that Brits get but Americans don’t. That criticism aside, her main characters were likable and well-developed. The plot is a bit helter-skelter but there is enough meat on the bone to keep one interested.
Gareth B. –
I had to finish this today and it stayed with me and will stay with me for some time. There is time travel, history, and a love story, and I think the author uses time travel to reflect thoughts on migration – how can you ever feel at home in a strange place or time? Will it be enough to have friends or even family anchor you? Or will you stay an expat forever?
I’d also like to recommend Jo Walton’s My other children, this is not about time travel but about alternate histories – and about dementia -, and just as stunning as The Ministry of Time.