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novel_nibbles's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
I enjoyed the I book so much I consumed it in a single sitting however it wasn’t quite a 5 star read for me. It felt like it was trying to do too many things- fish out of water comedy, thriller, time travel paradox. forbidden romance- and as a result I felt like I didn’t get enough of any of them.
I am interested to see what Bradley writes next
4/5
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Slavery, Death of parent, Drug use, Cannibalism, Blood, Racism, Colonisation, and Racial slurs
kelly_e's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Author: Kaliane Bradley
Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: 2.50
Pub Date: May 7, 2024
I received a complimentary eARC from Simon & Schuster Canada via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted
T H R E E • W O R D S
Creative • Clunky • Predictable
📖 S Y N O P S I S
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.
💭 T H O U G H T S
The Ministry of Time was one of my most anticipated 2024 releases. The premise sounded fantastic, unlike anything I'd read before. I certainly had high hopes when I was gifted an ARC, and even more so after it was announced as a GMA bookclub selection. I definitely couldn't avoid all of the hype surrounding this one.
Unlike some other reviews, I thought it started really strongly. I was interested and the concept was fascinating. However, the tone and direction completely shifted several times, especially in the final third, making it feel like a completely different book and story each time. I believe I'd have liked it more if it had kept the same trajectory as the beginning and if I'd gotten to spend more time with each of the characters rather than focusing primarily on one.
Equal parts time travel, romance, and spy thriller, this novel tries to do a lot and really ended up not doing anything at all. It needed more character development, more editing, and more cohesiveness. The lack of character depth, made it hard to believe the romance. With very little direction in the writing, from one page to the next, I often felt like pieces of the story were missing.
There is a lot of social commentary sprinkled into this story. From colonialism and racism to power and sexuality to climate change and corruption, the author probably should have picked a couple areas to focus on rather than trying to do it all. It convolutes the actual story and maybe that was the author's intent. It just didn't work for me.
A criticism I have seen is that the middle is bogged down with historical details. I, however, liked learning about the expedition and Graham's life. Given his character is based on a real person, I think it was necessary to include these details in order to give the reader context. It was also interesting take on seeing this early explorer in the present day.
The Ministry of Time had all of the right ingredients, yet they didn't come together in a way that worked. I have to commend the marketing team as they have done their jobs in promoting this book and I have no doubts many people will love it. The execution just wasn't there to make this book a stand out for me. My opinion is definitely the unpopular one, so I would say give it a shot if it's something that interests you. I'd definitely be curious to read something else written by Kaliane Bradley in the future.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• fancy language
• stories that don't fit into a box
⚠️ CW: death, grief, violence, gun violence, war, murder, blood, injury/injury detail, cannibalism, colonization, genocide, racism, racial slurs, xenophobia, homophobia, sexism, misogyny, sexual content, drug use, alcohol, cursing
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"If you ever fall in love, you’ll be a person who was in love for the rest of your life."
"It can get better, but you must allow yourself to imagine a world in which you are better."
"Forgiveness and hope are miracles. They let you change your life. They are time travel."
Graphic: Grief, Violence, Gun violence, and Death
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Colonisation, Genocide, War, Homophobia, Misogyny, Blood, Racial slurs, Murder, Xenophobia, Sexism, Cannibalism, and Racism
Minor: Sexual content, Drug use, Cursing, and Alcohol
alexrobinsonsupergenius's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Cannibalism
Moderate: Xenophobia, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Gun violence, Misogyny, Confinement, Alcohol, Colonisation, Death, and Drug use
laraamaee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
As other reviews have said, the actual logistics of time travel are not explored in depth, but to be honest I don’t mind because I’m not a massive sci-fi reader…I was more captivated by Bradley’s writing; very metaphor-heavy and striking.
I could have read about the “expats” adjusting to the modern-day forever. I wish there was more of that!
Graphic: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Blood, Cannibalism, Colonisation, Death, Grief, Murder, Gore, and Sexual content
Moderate: Body horror, Racial slurs, Racism, and Misogyny
Minor: Homophobia
nicklybear's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Graphic: Blood, Racism, Violence, Colonisation, Gun violence, Gore, Confinement, Murder, Grief, Racial slurs, and Death
Moderate: Alcohol, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Mental illness, and Alcoholism
Minor: Slavery, Vomit, Misogyny, War, Animal death, Xenophobia, Cannibalism, and Homophobia
chelbelle122's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Misogyny, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Death, Gun violence, Colonisation, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Alcohol, Homophobia, Classism, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Drug use, Xenophobia, Racism, and Sexism
essieruth's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, Death, Xenophobia, Grief, Confinement, Colonisation, Classism, Racism, Cannibalism, Vomit, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Addiction, Blood, Classism, Alcohol, Racism, Racial slurs, Sexual content, and Physical abuse
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Misogyny, and Slavery
fluffles's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Also I agree with other reviewers who say this reads like a self-insert.
Anyways,
The rest of the book was wonderful, with a very unique premise. Writing was good. Would buy a sequel of the author writes one.
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Sexism and Misogyny
aileron's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Mental illness, Murder, Gun violence, and Death
Moderate: Blood, Racism, Racial slurs, and Grief
Minor: Slavery, War, Cannibalism, Animal death, Colonisation, Genocide, Misogyny, and Sexism
kylosten's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
If you like the parts of the TV show/comics where Loki is an agent of time dealing with the bureaucracy of the Time Variance Authority or the Temps Commission agents on Umbrella Academy then you might enjoy this.
Also, has long chapters so if you're someone who is put off by that maybe skip this one.
I think maybe it felt more like a screenplay than a book.
Still giving 4 stars because even though it wasn't for me I can acknowledge it was well written and the themes were good.
Graphic: Gun violence, Death, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Misogyny, Cannibalism, and Sexual content