Really enjoyed the premise of this book and the interplay between refugees of time and place. The second act felt less developed and rushed sadly.

I really wanted to like this one as it has some of my favourite elements, like time travel, and I had seen many glowing reviews on social media but I just could not get into and I found myself bored. I am hoping this was just my mood a the time and if I revisit I the future I enjoy it more.

Fascinating! I really enjoyed the initial disparity between the “ex-pats” and their handlers, known as their Bridge.

Imagine travelling to the present day from the 1800s, where there is no internet, no Spotify, single men and women live together out of wedlock, women go to the pub, indoor smoking is prohibited and everyday words from your time, like “negro” are racist and you just don’t understand why! And as for no servants? Oh, but there’s a dishwasher and a washing machine, so no need to panic!

Commander Graham Gore is one of the few chosen to be transported from the 1800s to 20?? something in the near future. With a young, disgruntled civil servant as his “bridge”, the present day person responsible for helping the wide eyed time traveller transition into the current time. Their initial awkwardness grows into friendship and then a far deeper, romantic relationship.

This is a well researched, brilliantly written and serious book, but with a generous smattering of dry humour, which I loved. A refreshing and original book, which deserves every one of it's FIVE STARS. The mix of historical fact and fiction worked perfectly in this mixed-genre gem of a read. A time travel, spy, suspense thriller with romance and a bit of spice. Fabulous!

The audiobook was well narrated by George Weightman and Katie Leung, who brought the characters to life brilliantly.

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Kaliane Bradley and Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC in return for an honest review.

'We have time travel. Welcome to the Ministry.'

I'm a bit of a junkie when it comes to time travel novels, and where Kaliane Bradley's debut departs from the likes of Jodi Taylor and Genevieve Cogman is that - in my opinion - it is perfused with a darkness that eclipses the wry tone that can typify the genre. Something very dark is in the cards, and it's inevitable.

'Their love is both meaningless and Sisyphean.'

Bradley employs a slow-drip divulgence of  Gore's story to heighten this, and her style - very Historical Biography, much like Diane Preston's biography of Captain Scott's Antarctic Expeditions (I haven't read Simmons) - handles foreboding and looming tragedy adeptly.

But, really, where all my stars go is to Katie Leung, who voices 'the Bridge'. I wasn't enthralled to George Weightman who embodies Gore, but Leung - whom I know from Murder Most Unladylike audiobooks can effectively cup a narrative in her hands without spilling - does a singular job of channelling the whole story like some exceptional spirit medium.

More of the serious-mindedness, we come to realise, comes from 'the Bridge', as she confronts the legacy of her British-Cambodian female biracial identity. Bradley opens up a space for socio-anthropological debate, yet this is a space the dimensions of which are rigidly set by Bradley's cast of characters elected to inhabit it.

They can talk about colonialism, they can talk about modernity and cultural context, but I do think that 'The Ministry of Time' could have been twice the length; I certainly enjoyed and was much more comfortable with the pace at which these issues were investigated at the start of the novel. I eventually found things being glossed over and made flippant. And I would have rather Maggie's coming to embody her sexuality was not treated as comic relief with so many quips made at lesbians' expense.

Ultimately, for time travel novels, there needs to be a clear gimmick that justifies the author's own unique 'wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff'. Otherwise,  an author tends to need to spend an entire series establishing and iterating all the workings-out of the sciency bits, so that the worldbuilding can withstand interrogation. I think here, we missed out on either of those, and it unfortunately felt at times as though suspension of my disbelief was frankly demanded of me because the plot requires it. In that respect, 'The Ministry of Time' wasn't a wholehearted success for me.

Yet, huge thanks to Hodder & Stoughton Audio, for the delight of listening to Leung's terrific audio performance of this debut novel.

This was really good! It was a cool concept, which was executed really well,, both humorous and profound! The characters were endearing in their mundanity, and the way they interacted was really interesting!

Overall, I really enjoyed it and the narrators were fantastic! The narrators definitely added to how much I liked the book :)

The ending gutted me- the little note at the end of the book??? Yeah I’m glad i read this,, I’ll be thinking about it for a while

A got The Ministry of Time off NetGalley audios ages ago nd swore every week since ad start it, but summit came up each time, anyhow av eventually smashed it nd a honest duno why ad waited

It revolves round this proper mysterious government agency that collects up “expats”, people from across history so they can test what time travel does, they are paired with a Ministry worker called a bridge and the story centres around their relationships

There’s loadsa dialogue nd a reckon it will make a great Netflix series. Reminded me a bit of Tenet and Looper

If ya like a soft scifi with characters who have a lot to say, nd summit that examines the intricacies of relationships ya will live this

It’s also super well researched nd includes some key points in history woven into the story making it way more realistic

The characters were really brought to life by the audio narrator, and if ya can do paper and audio, do it for this one, aye it’s canny

It’s a dystopia,, a quirky read, kinda Liam Brown, John Marrs or Christina Dalcher stuff. Just my bag of spec fic

It was a 5 star til the last couple chapters where a thought it fell just short, a duno it felt a bit disjointed there, as if the ending cudda been more, but it didn’t spoil it too much, ad still defo recommend it and a want more from the author

Ad probs change the cover if it were my shout as a don’t think it conveys the quality of the read

#theministryoftime

This was not what I was expecting, in both a good and bad way!

This is primarily a near future contemporary set in England, featuring our heroine and a gentleman plucked from history in a new time travel program.

What follows is the story of them building a bond, with a light undercurrent of conspiracy.

It’s a fascinating look at how we change overtime, human relationships – and a little bit of action at the end!

There were elements that didn’t land for me but on the whole this was a solid romance tinged science-fiction adventure!

Wow what a debut. This highly quality audio is perfect for sifi fans but you need to listen to it for what it and not compare it to anything else. It has time travel and romance and strong powerful messages. A real refreshing read. Thank you netgallery and publisher and author and narrator for this 5 star lusten.

I nearly DNF'd this early on as I couldn't get into it, but I saw a lot of good review so started it over and... I could've just DNF'd. It was fine but I just didn't care. I found it jarring at parts - we seemed to jump forward months and would only know when a comment was made about how long since they had been brought to the future and the character development was non-existent. People just.. changed - again, because months would pass and they'd be more settled and starting to integrate into society but in my mind it had barely been a few weeks. Why Graham was joining the ministry felt sudden and random and also why.. WHY.. did we make him an actual person?

We have pretty much no info on who the real Graham Gore was and it just felt a bit off to me to make the character him and give him traits that could be wildly off rather than a character inspired by the man.

I also have no idea what purpose the alternate POV chapters served. I feel like nothing happened in them and they were just boring.

This had such high potential but really fall flat to me. I don't even want to class it as sci-fi as we really don't experience much of that.

Let’s start by saying that I didn’t fully know what this book was going to be when I went in, and I’m glad that this was the case. I don’t tend to read romance novels. I enjoy romance as part of a novel, but as a genre, it’s never been one that’s particularly appealed to me. This is very much a romance novel, to at least the same degree that you would call it a sci-fi novel. The story manages to transcend the boundaries of genre, weaving together elements of romance, sci-fi, and comedy into a compelling tapestry of brilliance that overcame any prejudice I might naturally (and perhaps unfairly) have against the romance genre.

Set in a near-future London, the novel introduces us to an unnamed British-Cambodian woman who works as a “bridge” in a top-secret government department. The department’s mission is to extract individuals (referred to euphemistically as “ex-pats”) from different historical eras and bring them to modern-day London. The purpose of this mission remains intriguingly ambiguous throughout the novel, leaving readers to ponder whether these time travelers are scientific experiments, historical refugees, or something else entirely.

The novel’s most compelling character is Commander Graham Gore, a real naval officer and polar explorer from the 19th century. The real-life Gore was an officer on a doomed Arctic expedition. Gore’s character is beautifully crafted, embodying a blend of earnestness, formality, and curiosity that is really quite endearing. His interactions with modern technology, from Spotify to dating apps, provide moments of humour and insight, highlighting the absurdity of our modern life through the eyes of a man from the past. There are big Mr. Darcy vibes, here…

At its core, The Ministry of Time is a deeply original love story and an examination of otherness, heritage, and identity. It explores the lingering effects of colonialism and the environmental crisis, all while maintaining a sharp wit and a keen eye for the absurdities of modern life.

Bradley’s writing is really quite exquisite, and I found myself constantly surprised that this was her debut novel. It is filled with smart observations and a unique voice that makes the novel a joy to read (or indeed, to listen to). The novel is not just a gripping, high-octane spy thriller but also a dark workplace comedy and a powerful meditation on climate crisis and displacement. Above all, it is a love story that manages to fold so many genres and themes into one smooth package.

The Ministry of Time is a surprisingly funny, thought-provoking, and genre-defying debut that promises to leave a lasting impression on its readers. It’s no wonder that this novel has already been commissioned as a BBC series. Kaliane Bradley has truly made a mark with this debut, and I eagerly anticipate what she will bring us next.

I have mixed feelings towards that book. On one hand, I really appreciate the inclusion of commentary of a few important topics, but the plot has honestly lost me a few times.

I've liked the characters but I've never felt like I really knew them, and I've never became truly immersed in the book. I think the plot was interesting but also, for me, not really well paced.

Overall, it was a nice read, but it didn't really wow me. I'll be interested to see what this author does in the future though.

Time travel scenario manages hypothetical and theatrical.

4.5 stars

A debut? Very impressive! I found myself wondering why this hadn't been done before - an in-depth look at the emotional/psychological repercussions of time travel, from the past to the present.

In this dystopic our-world-not-quite, we have a 1984-sounding Ministry of Time which packs a range of genres and themes into one story of several humans catapulted from their own impending deaths to contemporary England.

One of these 'ex pats' as they are termed is observed/tutored as the rest are, and through this pair we see the effects on both of the attitudes, personality, experiences and cultural contexts as they clash over a period of many months. This in itself is fascinating. But then a Hollywood-esque time travel adventure also begins to raise its head.

I loved seeing General Gore's own history and time period, among the other men caught in the Arctic ice, doomed to a slow and painful death, interspersed with his new life in the 21st century and how the many missed events catch up with him.

This was the part I liked best really, the growing relationship between 'Bridge' and Ex-Pat, though the last act was quite exciting it almost felt as though it came from another book.

Gotta love a book with the ultimate Odd Couple, the time travel side of things made this doubly compelling. I managed to keep track of where I was with the audiobook, thought the last third last me sometimes with the time travel jiggery pokery, not as much my cup of Cream Soda.

Fascinating concept, one to relish.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample audio copy.

Well I FOR ONE did not anticipate this having several sexual scenes LOL. It's not bad, it was just.. Strange for me personally to read via audiobook. ANYWAY. I devoured the first half of the book SUPER easily - it was a lot of fun and the characters were so developed that I could see them easily in my minds eye. But the second half went a bit too fast for my liking. Like, the mystery was revealed and solved so easily?? I feel like Kaliane probably is not a SFF person as the weak points were def the time travel aspects. But I still super enjoyed it. :) Love to see a tumblr girlie use her The Terror tv show obsession for good lol.

**I'd like to give this 3.75 but I'm not able to, so I'm just rounding it off.

I absolutely love this book and have already recommended it to many people. The concept of bringing people from the past into the near future./ ‘Current time zone’’ ,as this book Is set in the near future, Is absolutely brilliant.

This book is part history, spy novel, social commentary, and love story

The secret government ministry have discovered a time door and venture into the past to collect several humans from different time zones, to bring into the current day, Allegedly as a historical project.

Characters from 1916, 1847 , a woman from the period of the black death in England, are several of the main characters in this book. Our main protagonist Is a historian who act as the ‘ Bridge’ for her ‘charge’ Graham. Gore Graham was an Antarctic explorer.

How the Characters from the past try to assimilate and learn about the nuances of life in ‘the now’ Is both amusing and concerning. Social niceties, norms, technology, and transport are all. areas for social discovery.

This book reads as a historical transcript or diary written by the protagonist whose name we never really learn, About their job, About the project, About the intrigue of the department members. There are also excerpts From the Antarctic expedition to show depth and character as well as situation of Graham Gore.

Issues such a slavery, human in humanity, war, peace, courting, love, relationships, history are all explored and confronted face. on

I give this book 5 stars Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ahead of publication and exchange for an honest review

I was granted access to the digital copy as well as the Audiobook, which gave me the opportunity to pick and stop and pick up again whenever I liked. I particularly enjoyed the voices and the narration on the Audiobook.

The Ministry of Time is a fascinating and original read, blending science fiction, thriller and romance. It starts relatively slowly, but the idea of a historical figure living in a modern world caught my attention, and the pace picked up later. Especially once we discover that the Ministry has different plans for the “expats” from what they initially revealed. There is more to this book than the romantic plot the blurb suggests.

What I liked most about this book was the wide cast of characters. They all have distinct personalities and their own stories. The author brought together a modern civil servant and “expats” from different historical periods who do not share experiences or values, creating many comic situations and an unexpectedly close-knit group of friends. I found this book to be a surprising blend of cosy, heartwarming, and funny, with some really sad scenes.

First and foremost Id like to thank Hodder & Stoughton and the author for this ARC audiobook. I really enjoyed the performances of the narrators. Katie Leung in particular was great at playing the different characters and changing her tone so you knew just who was speaking without question.

The story itself was beautiful. I was hooked in by the description and I wasn't disappointed. I find with books like these its best to go in without much knowledge but what I will say is if you enjoy time travel and historical sci fi -esque stories with some romance thrown in for good measure you will love this.

I loved Graham Gores character and the fact that he was a real person in history was so clever. I have thought about him since finishing reading. I highly recommend this book and the audio version in particular is fantastic. Such a clever use of historical figures and story telling. I will be checking out this authors work in future for sure.

I didn’t know what to expect going into this one, time travel is not a theme I usually read so I was stepping into the unknown somewhat. However I needn’t have been apprehensive. Although this novel features time travel it’s about so much more than that.

The story is told from the perspective of the ‘bridge’ but features excerpts from Gore’s doomed expedition to the Arctic in 1847. This is well done in the audio version with two narrators; Katie Leung and George Weightman. I enjoyed the inclusion of these excerpts - which the author confirms in the afterward are based on real accounts - as they offered a comparison to the life Gore now faces as an ex-pat as well as providing background on this former self.

Gore’s adjustment to life in the ‘modern world’ brings humour to the story as he encounters technology, plumbing and shifts in social attitude and acceptability. As readers, it makes us look at our own world from a different perspective and reflect on how our lives appear to an outsider.

It’s a story which defies any particular genre; it’s science-fiction meets spy thriller meets romance meets human interest. It’s a story that emphasises the importance of history, how it shapes us, what we can learn from it and how we can use it to hope for a better future.

This book took me by surprise with its blend of humor and thought-provoking themes, made even more enjoyable by its excellent narration in the audiobook format.

The story follows a biracial British-Cambodian translator working for the Ministry of Time, tasked with guiding historical figures into the present. Assigned to assist Commander Graham Gore from the failed Franklin expedition, she embarks on a journey filled with laughter and reflection.

Narrated with skill and flair, the audiobook seamlessly blends elements of romantic comedy, sci-fi, and speculative fiction. As a slow-burning romance unfolds, it also tackles weighty subjects like colonialism, slavery, and racial identity.

The initial chapters are a riot of laughter, as historical figures navigate the complexities of modern life. The narrator's delivery brings their antics to life, evoking genuine laughter form me. Yet, as the story progresses, it takes on a more introspective tone, delving into deeper social issues with sensitivity and depth.

While the characters are well-developed and the narration enhances their portrayal, I occasionally found myself struggling to navigate the past segments. Despite this, the audiobook remains a captivating listen, offering both entertainment and food for thought.

Overall, though, "The Ministry of Time" audiobook is a must-listen for fans of romantic comedy with substance. Its blend of humor, reflection, and excellent narration make it a truly enjoyable experience.

When this book boasts that it has all the genres, it really does! Conspiracy x time travel x romance x cozy HEA. It reminded me slightly of a more playful version of Great Circle but also completely different. If you want hard sci-fi, don't pick this up, but if you're looking for something "just right", this is she.

Time travel is one of my favourite subgenres, so I was excited to read this one. Sadly it just didn't work for me and I found myself questioning too much instead if just suspending my belief and enjoying it as I have with other similar style novels.