The Ministry of Time is a sci-fi novel by Kaliane Bradley, and is actually her debut novel. I listened to the audiobook, which is read by Katie Leung and George Weightman. It was published by Hodder and Stoughton Audio. The book was released on the 7th of May, 2024. This review is intended to be free of spoilers, but none of us are perfect. A review copy of the audiobook was provided. There are affiliate links at the end of this review.
Blurb:
The Time Traveller’s Wife meets David Mitchell meets Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow meets Kate & Leopold in this debut novel from an award-winning writer.
There are several ways to tell a story.
A boy meets a girl. The past meets the future. A finger meets a trigger. The beginning meets the end. England is forever; England must fall.
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.
The Ministry of Time is a novel about Commander Graham Gore (R.N. c.1809-c.1847) and a woman known only as the bridge. As their relationship turns from the strictly professional into something more and uneasy truths begin to emerge, they are forced to face the reality of the project that brought them together.
Can love triumph over the structures and histories that shape them?
Review:
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.
Rating: 5 / 5
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