The Ministry of Time

by Kaliane Bradley
The Ministry of Time cover
Good Books rating 4.0
Contemporary Fiction
Technical:
  • ID: 476
  • Added: 2025-09-12
  • Updated: 2025-09-18
  • ISBN: 9781668045145
  • Publisher: Simon and Schuster
  • Published: 2024-05-07
  • Formats: 10
  • Reviews: 4
Buy online
Waterstones
Paperback • £9.99 Hardback • £16.99

Set in a near future where a covert British ministry experiments with time travel, The Ministry of Time follows a biracial civil servant assigned to help historical figures, or 'expats,' adapt to modern life. These expats, plucked from moments just before their deaths, must navigate the bewildering realities of the 21st century, from technology to shifting social norms, while grappling with their own past traumas and identities. As the story unfolds, the protagonist's role as a 'bridge' evolves from mere handler to lover, particularly with Commander Graham Gore, a Victorian naval officer from the doomed Franklin expedition. The novel deftly combines a thrilling secret project backdrop with sharp social commentary on colonialism, race, sexuality, and belonging, while also delving into the emotional complexities and ethical dilemmas of altering history and the human heart.

Reviews
Tarvolon · 2024-12-19
ambitious 3.00

The book ambitiously combines time travel, romance, immigrant experience, and political intrigue but struggles with tonal consistency and plot overload.

This reviewer notes that while the novel ambitiously attempts to weave together many plotlines—time travel, romance, immigrant identity, and political thriller elements—this complexity sometimes detracts from the overall cohesion and focus. The breezy and fun writing style works well for the quirky romance aspect but does not always suit the thriller tone, causing some unevenness. Despite these flaws, the book's multifaceted approach offers a rich, if somewhat scattered, reading experience that still has its merits.

Quick quotes

    It's a proliferation of plotlines that I honestly had not gathered from other reviews before I picked this one up.

    The writing style is breezy and fun and a value-add for a quirky romance, but it doesn't tonally serve the time travel thriller.

    The Ministry of Time is trying to do a lot more than those two things, mostly to its detriment.

The Guardian · Bidisha Mamata · 2024-06-23
engaging 4.25

The novel is praised for its intelligent and witty fusion of a love story, mystery, and postcolonial narratives, making it a sparkling and engaging debut.

Bidisha Mamata appreciates how the author skillfully combines multiple genres—romance, mystery, and social commentary—into a cohesive and intelligent narrative. The witty writing style and nuanced exploration of postcolonial themes enrich the story, elevating it beyond a typical time-travel romance into something more thought-provoking and delightful to read. They found the novel to be a sparkling delight that balances emotional depth with sharp cultural insights.

Quick quotes

    The author's intelligent and witty first novel effortlessly fuses a love story, a mystery and postcolonial narratives.

    Time travel romance is a sparkling delight.

    A novel that is both emotionally engaging and intellectually stimulating.

Cristina Sanders' blog · Cristina Sanders · 2024-06-21
sparkling 4.50

The novel is celebrated for its great premise, excellent character development, and sharp social commentary woven through a sparkling and engaging narrative.

Cristina Sanders was impressed by the novel's ability to blend social commentary on feminism, racial equality, and bureaucracy with a compelling story about time-traveling characters adapting to modern life. She highlights the vivid characterizations, particularly of the historical 'expats,' and how the book thoughtfully explores their trauma and adjustment to a new era. The witty and sparkling writing style makes for an enjoyable read while addressing serious themes with nuance and insight.

Quick quotes

    The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley gets my book of the year so far.

    A good bit of social commentary runs through the sparkling text as our bridge explains to her charge concepts such as feminism, racial equality, on-line etiquette, bicycles.

    The time-travellers are called ex-pats ‘from history’.

The Guardian · 2024-05-03
engaging 4.25

The novel is praised for its thrilling blend of sci-fi and romance, exploring human morality through an engaging bureaucratic and historical setting.

This review highlights the novel as a seriously fun sci-fi romcom that successfully intertwines a bureaucratic near-future London with a Victorian explorer's story. The narrative is appreciated for diving deeply into themes of human morality, making the story both thought-provoking and entertaining. The dynamic between characters and the setting creates a compelling backdrop that elevates the novel beyond typical genre fare.

Quick quotes

    A bureaucrat in near-future London finds love with a Victorian Arctic explorer in a thrilling debut.

    Takes a deep dive into human morality.

    A seriously fun sci-fi romcom.

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