As the title indicates, this is a travel time related story. The UK Government has discovered a way to bring back people from other times. Those people are called refugees, because of the needs they have once they are in our time. Soon, our MC gets too involved in this for her own good.
I found the story interesting, although the time travelling method itself is not explained. Of course.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC copy of this title.

This is such a fun concept and it delivered.

I absolutely loved the characters in this book and their dynamic, they are both likable and had a lot of chemistry.

I liked that it didn't over explain anything, it wasn't trying to be sci-fi in that sense and I think it being more character driven paid off.

I had lots of moments where I laughed out loud and my attention was captured throughout. I would highly recommend this if the synopsis sounds interesting to you, as it is everything it says it is.

Thank you!

The audiobook is narrated by two people - one for each of the dual timelines. The main narrator who tells the present story does voices and accents of characters, which I think they managed quite well - it’s always a worry that when voice acting different genders it’s going to be cringy or distract from the story but I think this was done well considering all the different accents required.

The book is about a civil servant who finds out that she’s going to be looking after a ‘refugee’ and living with them whilst they get settled into the country. But the ministry informs her that she’s going to be paired with a man from the 1800s who was saved from death and brought to the current day. His name is Commander Graham Gore (a real person c.1809-c.1847), who was on the doomed Franklin Expedition. This was a book that really got in my head and I couldn't stop thinking about after. I loved the romance aspects even though I’m not a huge romance fan, and it was such an enjoyable book to read. My only criticism is that the ending seemed really rushed - so much happened in a short space that I had to read it twice and I wished the book had just been longer and fully fleshed out the ending!

Thought-provoking and engaging, with a killer 'are we the bad guys' moment and a twist I didn't see coming. I came for the romance and stayed for the physics and ethics of time travel

i am baffled by the hype surrounding this book; not only has been blurbed by several 'big' authors, but it's apparently it's also slated for adaptation into a BBC drama. i have questions...

to use an overused term, this book is mid. inoffensive, if you will. it's doing nothing new, and it is written in the kind of witty British voice that seems derivative of authors like Diana Wynne Jones, possibly even Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. nor does it possess Zen Cho's delightful satire. the storytelling here feels lacklustre & vanilla.
.
Right from the outset, the book's attempts at self-awareness about the tropes of its genre ("anyone who has ever watched a film with time-travel, or read a book with time-travel […] will know that the moment you start to think about the physics of it, you are in a crock of shit. How does it work? How <i>can</i> it work?") backfire, as we are offered a generic explanation of time-travel along the lines of "[D]on't worry about it. All you need to know is that in your near future, the British government developed the means to travel through time".

what made absolutely 0 sense to me was not so much the time-travelling and the lack of explanation around it, but the identity of these 'expats' (would they really 'rescue' someone who was in the midst of a war? surely they would consider them unsuitable, or too much of a risk, given that they are bound to have some form of ptsd and might believe that they have been captured by the 'enemy), and their 'bridges'.
we're led to believe that their bridges undergo careful selection and multiple interviews, yet our protagonist seems entirely ill-suited for the task at hand. it would have been more logical for someone with an understanding of the expat's era to care for them. moreover, the notion that these time expats wouldn't be institutionalized but instead released to live with their bridges seems implausible.
and would they really place them in London? surely it would have made more sense to find safehouses in the countryside, as opposed to smackbam in the middle of modernity.
despite the considerable resources invested in extracting them, they're entrusted to a single individual who promptly forgets their surveillance duties, allowing them to wander the city alone?

it's nonsensical. while i'm willing to suspend disbelief regarding time travel, if i'm to buy into this 'ministry', it should feel less slapdash.

i skimmed ahead and saw how the romance subplot would unfold...if anything the romance made the story all the banal. why can't we have significant non-romantic relationships between male and female main characters? must it inevitably result in a romance, even here? the optics were dubious, akin to a therapist and their patient embarking on a romantic relationship.

given all the buzz around this novel, i recognise that i am an outlier and chances are that it will be a hit for most readers (i just happen not be one of them). i recommend giving this novel a shot and forming your own opinion. YMMV and all that jazz.

There is so much to like about this book. In particular, there’s Kaliane Bradley’s prose which is absolutely fizzing with wit. She has a real gift for snapshot similes. They’re all over the prose:

“He got out of the car and looked up and down the street with the weariness of a man who has travelled across the continent and has yet to find his hotel.”

“That night, I slept with unpleasant lightness, my brain balanced on unconsciousness like an insect’s foot on the meniscus of a pond.”

She also has a real gift for juxtaposing ideas. The premise of the book is that a government department has plucked a handful of people out of the past and is studying them to see what effect time travel has upon them. The narrator who has been assigned as a minder to one of the time travellers is of British Cambodian heritage (like the author) and continually views the situation and behaviour of her charge through the prism of dislocation and exile. It’s a comparison that yields all kinds of interesting insights.

However, Bradley’s writing is more than a little opaque. Indeed, as the novel went on, I found it harder and harder to understand what was going on until, by the end, I was frankly lost. I don’t think it was all my fault. The closing stages of the book felt full of slightly frantic explanation that didn’t really explain things at all.

Nonetheless, this is an exciting debut from a writer I really want to read more of.

I really liked this audiobook, right from the very first page it was interesting, the concept of being a refugee in time is just really unique and the narration was great.

It’s sci-fi and time travel so it definitely made my head ache at times but also my heart, It has really well done romance.

I did not see the answers coming until they unravelled and I really enjoyed exploring the ambiguity of a lot of history and how we see things.

There was also lot of charm and humour especially from Gore, I loved his character. All the characters that were meant to be liked are and easily so. They’re well developed and the plot is very much charchter driven. It was a complicated story but written in a way that was perfect to get your head around and held my interest, I’m not a huge romance reader but I loved watching the main relationship of the plot develop.

Paced well, it explored the themes of colonialism and identity while also being a slow burn thought provoking romance. A truly unique book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an ARC copy of this title.

The premise of there being a ministry to support refugees throughout time had me hooked from the off. It gave off Harry Potter and The Time Traveller’s Wife vibes. I’d be interested in a series off of the back of this as I thoroughly enjoyed it!

The characters and their relationships are layered and complicated. I absolutely adored Margaret and her character also reminded me of the play Top Girls by Carl Churchill.

The book explores really important themes in a smart way by placing characters of different attitudes and eras all together in a current context. Key to the narrative are attitudes to race, equality and diversity and many more.

It had a good pace to its plot with well placed humour and realism in a well developed story and ended in a hopeful way.

"The Ministry of Time" is a fascinating blend of genres that takes you on a journey through history, love, and the complexities of human connection. The story interweaves elements of science fiction, comedy, and romance to tell a story that is both engaging and thought-provoking.
Throughout the novel, you'd be hard pressed not to like the majority of the so-called "expats", special shout out to Margaret who sounds like an absolute hoot. The slower paced start of the story allows plenty of time to really get to know and love the expats before the faster-paced second half comes crashing down with its twists and turns that bring a much darker side of the project to the surface.
This book raises questions about whether love can overcome the barriers of time and the inherent challenges of bridging vastly different worlds. I haven't read anything like it and wouldn't hesitate to recommend far and wide.

What an exciting and original story this is! I have read some reviews on Goodreads from people accusing the writer of plagiarism of a Spanish TV series also called 'The Ministry of Time'. I haven't seen this TV series, however I was intrigued to find out more about it so I read about it a little. The two things this book and the TV series seem to have in common are the title and the concept of time travel - let's face it, both of those are common themes of many, many books and films alike.

In addition, this book is not even a time travel story per se. Sure, there are characters in here that, at the time the story starts, have arrived into the present from other eras - but this is it, we don't actually see anyone travelling to different times within the defined storylines. What we do see is an engaging narrative with several different twists and turns, well portrayed and quirky protagonists and a solid writing style. I have thoroughly enjoyed my listening experience of the audiobook and I look forward to seeing what the author will write next.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest and impartial review.

The book really isn't for me...way too little time-travel, way too much romance. It's well-written, and, as a romance book, I could go for it. However, not being into the genre, it's not for me.
The narrators did a goood job.
5 stars because it's not the book, it's me.

The Ministry of Time has as it's central story a very novel concept. The taking of several 'expats' from different timelines in history where they had died and bringing them to the present time for repatriation into the 21st century. Here they are given a mentor or 'bridge ' to acclimatise them to everyday life. Being a sucker for any time travel/slip/jump story I jumped at the chance to read this book as I loved the idea. The story concentrates mainly on the relationship between expat Commander Graham Gore (a real person lost in an Arctic expedition in 1847-8) and his Bridge. As one would expect the novel touches on many issues whilst acclimatising the expats and this is done in a sensitive fashion. The characters are well written and easily visualised. The narrative is complicated, fascinating and imaginative. I really didn't know what was going to happen next right to the very last page. An excellent book I'm happy to recommend for all fans of time travel or simply a very good read.
I listened to the audiobook of The Ministry of Time. Two narrators were used. A male voice read the introduction to each chapter which had Commander Gore in the Arctic and a female voice the role of the narrator/Bridge. I felt this was very effective and enhanced my enjoyment of the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

I can understand why there is so much prepublication hype about this one and I think it will be huge, widely read and so so many readers will love this.
However, I didn't love yet but certainly enjoyed most of it. I can suspend reality with fiction but I felt like I was plunged into this story so much so that I went back to check I hadn't missed a couple of chapters at the beginning. The pace is quick at the beginning, there is a brief explainer into this concept of time travel and away the book goes. Once I understand the concept I decided to go with it and this was an original read, I liked the writing and how the author mixes in so many type of genres. This was part historical fiction, part spy thriller/ adventure, a dash of dystopian but at its heart its a love story. I really liked the main characters but their romance , I didn't connect with it, it felt a bit telling not showing for the first half of the build up of their relationship but eventually I got on board with them being together although I didn't love the details of same,.

I thought the final quarter of the book was its strongest and I was invested at that point, a satisfying conclusion and listening to the acknowledgements at the end gave me a greater appreciation of the book, as a whole. An original story, well written and will appeal to so many readers.. I really liked the narration on this one and to be honest I am not sure would I have continued reading if I was reading this one but the audiobook was great.

This was more its not you, its me. Romance isn't my favourite, type of fiction, less sex more spys and this could have been a 4 star for me but a steady 3 star read, glad I read it, know it will be successful.

Wishing the author much luck and looking forward to more from her.

I really did not know what to expect when I went into this story. And after hearing it, I still don't quite know.

Specific personalities from the past chosen to be saved from their fate and taken into the present, and the people there to guide them, as friends, as housemates, as supervisors. To help them adapt, accept, and learn.

What starts as a somewhat slow romance-ish thing soon turns into a romantic drama, with all the issues that come with lovers from different times, where one is keeping more secrets than they let on. And has significantly more power.
The romance felt a little...odd. At times I felt the main character had more chemistry with some of the female characters than the male lead. Far more. Maybe the story would have been better if a lesbian relationship had formed, especially since one of the characters I'm talking about is already lesbian. But then again, I always think that lgbt-leads would be more interesting than straight-leads.
What felt especially off-putting were the sex scenes. Even though they were not super explicit, they were decently so, and...
I don't quite know whether it was the way it was read, or the way it was written that made it feel so weird.
I kind of liked the way that the author avoided repetitiveness sometimes by not repeating the action that was already talked about outside of conversation, but letting the reactions of the characters speak.
And what I really liked was the whole concept of the story. Maybe it would have been better entirely without a romance - just the sci-fi time travel drama and intrigue.
Even though on the scientific layer the whole concept falls a little bit flat.

All in all, the book was good. The narrator did a good job, even though sometimes the voice she gave the male lead made me think he was a like 80 year old man, his old-timey speech not helping there (even though the latter makes sense since he is indeed from the past), which made the romance feel even weirder.

Also
when a gun is pointed at you, "Oh" is maybe not the best response xD
But this spoke for the main character if anything :P

I read the premise for this book and it hooked me. I’m a sucker for time travel and this book deals with the impact that being snatched out of their own timelines has on characters from different periods in the past. The primary focus is on Graham Gore, a naval Lieutenant (and actual historical figure) plucked from 1845, and his ‘Bridge’ (our narrator whom Gore affectionately nicknames ‘Cat’), who’s a ministry civil servant charged with ensuring Gore’s introduction into 21st century Britain goes smoothly.
It’s difficult to categorise this novel under one genre as it’s pretty broad-ranging. It deals with British imperialism, racism, depression, has a beautiful slow burn romance at its heart, and is intelligently written with some wonderful characters. Margaret, a lesbian from the 17th century is a triumph, and I dare you not to fall a little bit in love with Gore who is utterly charming.
I listened to the audio, with thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton Audio for the chance to listen to an ARC.
Five stars from me.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Ministry of Time publishes on 7th May.

The hype is totally worth it with this one! I cannot get over how brilliant Bradley’s mind is to come up with such a clever and unique story, and yet make it feel like an addictive, bingeable read?!

This is a time travel mash up of a few genres and it works brilliantly! You’ve got mystery, thriller, dystopian, historical fiction and romance to boot - obviously I was especially there for the love story but I loved every aspect of the novel. It’s not the traditional type of time travel novel where someone keeps leaping back and forth in time, so if you’re not a fan of time travel I’d say still give it a go - it feels more like a dual timeline narrative, set between the present and the 1840s in the build up to the doomed 1845 Arctic expedition (so fascinating!!). It’s surprisingly hilarious as someone from the 19th century gets to grips with modern life, but it also brings attention to important subjects like racism, homophobia and cultural identity across the centuries.

I don’t really want to give too much away as half the joy is in the surprise of it all, but let me just say it is BRILLIANT. Genius, funny, moving and so very different to anything else I’ve read - definitely get it on order! (Audio narration was also excellent).

Somewhere in The Ministry of Time is a great story. Meticulously researched and well-thought throughout, the novel is a good attempt at refreshing the time travel concept. The characters brought from the past and living in the modern era were well constructed and enjoyable. However, the book falls victim of its format, as I feel it would've been better served with a third-person narrator and not confined to the linear experiences of the main character. I understand this is being developed into a TV show, and believe it could make for great viewing. Alas, the print form just feels a bit flat. Chalk this as one that could've been great, but ended up just ok. Thank you Netgalley for the advance copy. 3 out of 5 stars for me.

The Ministry of Time
by Kaliane Bradley

I'm not going to lie, the premise of this one didn't speak to me, but finding myself between audiobook holds I requested this to fill a gap, and I wasn't expecting this, but it surprised the hell out of me.

In this near future adventure we get a blend of time travel, fantasy, romance, spy thriller, speculative fiction and historical factual. It sounds like a lot, but it works.

The story of how this elaborate debut came about is almost as interesting as the book, so don't miss the author's note which describes how a fascination with an Arctic explorer sparked this adventure.

There are some great characters from different historical periods who have to grapple with today's world and some of the best humour comes from them trying to wrap their heads around our contemporary etiquette and sensibilities, never mind technology and advancements they could never have dreamed up.

I hear that plans are already underway to turn this into a TV series and I imagine it will be stunning.

Please note that this story is NOTHING like the 2015 - 2020 TV series with the original title El Ministerio del Tiempo that the crazies are trying to compare it to so their plagiarism accusations are ridiculous.

Thanks to #netgalley for the ALC

I loved this book, a great dive into time travel from the point of view of 'The Ministry'. I wasn't sure which direction the love interest of the protagonist was going to go, as there were a couple of options which looked likely. And I absolutely did not see the Adela thing coming. Good book, would read another.

It is hard for a book to live up to as much hype as THE MINISTRY OF TIME has had since the book fair last year. Yet, it absolutely has! From the very beginning I was hooked with such well thought out characters and incredible pacing, right up to the very end. It is such an inspired idea and I can't wait to read whatever Kaliane writes next!