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adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
A very unique and interesting take on time travel. However, I think the conversations about race and colonialism fell flat. The author didn’t go as deep into that commentary as I thought she was going to.
Also, aside from Graham, the characters felt one-dimensional. And, I don’t mind an unnamed narrator when it’s done well. In this case, it wasn’t. The main character was already flat enough, so making her nameless didn’t help.
On the plus side, this book has some of the best sex scenes I’ve ever read. They were sexy without being cringy or smutty. Writing good sex scenes is not an easy thing to do. Major props to Kaliane Bradley for that!
Also, aside from Graham, the characters felt one-dimensional. And, I don’t mind an unnamed narrator when it’s done well. In this case, it wasn’t. The main character was already flat enough, so making her nameless didn’t help.
On the plus side, this book has some of the best sex scenes I’ve ever read. They were sexy without being cringy or smutty. Writing good sex scenes is not an easy thing to do. Major props to Kaliane Bradley for that!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Sexual content, Violence, Police brutality, Medical content
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Racism, Sexism
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
‘But I wrote it down because I need you to bear witness to it. He was here, by and with and in my body. He lives in me like trauma does. If you ever fall in love, you’ll be a person who was in love for the rest of your life.’
As a piece of RPF, incredible. As a piece of speculative lit fic radio 2 book club book, incredible. As a slightly mismatched layering of these two things on top of one another, a bit less enjoyable for me personally - but still a lot to love!
As a piece of RPF, incredible. As a piece of speculative lit fic radio 2 book club book, incredible. As a slightly mismatched layering of these two things on top of one another, a bit less enjoyable for me personally - but still a lot to love!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Really good fun read. I loved the characters and the relationships. I loved the ambition. I can't say that the time travel timelines or the aims of the ministry made sense at any point. The foreshadowing of what happened between the protagonist and one of the other bridges just didn't make any sense when it happened, and although it explained later the earlier part just looked like a clunky set up for what eventually happened. All that said, I really enjoyed it. The personal stuff interweaving what happened to Graham on the mission with the modern day was really effective. Messages about climate change were powerful. And I found the thread about empire and racism really interesting even if it was a bit confusing as it related to the plot. The relationship between the narrator and Graham and the other time traveller was adorable.
I think a lot of people didn't like the ending but I found it satisfying.
I think a lot of people didn't like the ending but I found it satisfying.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Murder
Minor: Racism, Cannibalism
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Death
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I liked the premise of the book and enjoyed most of the first half, however I got to the end and hadn’t understood the last 150 pages I had read! Maybe it’s just not my style, but I really didn’t understand the time travel elements of the second half of this book, nor did I really understand the ‘point’ the author was trying to make. Lots of comments on heritage, identity and racism… but nothing that really made an impact.
I did enjoy the characters of Graham, Arthur and Maggie. They kept me reading.
I did enjoy the characters of Graham, Arthur and Maggie. They kept me reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence
Moderate: Death, Sexual content
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I don’t know what to think about this book, so I’ve given it a solid middle score. I enjoyed parts of it a lot. After finishing I feel sad and anxious. I know I won’t read it again but I can’t tell if I’m glad that I read it. I found myself impatient to finish and get it over with, so probably not a good sign. A brilliant book, well written, but perhaps too brutal for my tastes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I had complicated feelings about this book. The first 2/3 of the book felt like a total slog, and I couldn't bring myself to care about any of the characters during that time. But it picked up in the final third and managed to tie together all of the pieces that it had spent the first part setting up, even if the ending was a bit confusing.
I also found the sexualization of and obsession with a real person from history (especially one who seemed like just a normal guy, rather than a public figure) to be a bit icky, along with the power imbalance in the relationship in the book. However, I think the book actually grapples with this in some ways.
For a while, I couldn't decide if I liked this book or not, but ultimately it's a fun time travel romance that also explores identity and somehow makes all of that work together. I do feel like it could be polished a little bit more though.
I also found the sexualization of and obsession with a real person from history (especially one who seemed like just a normal guy, rather than a public figure) to be a bit icky, along with the power imbalance in the relationship in the book. However, I think the book actually grapples with this in some ways.
For a while, I couldn't decide if I liked this book or not, but ultimately it's a fun time travel romance that also explores identity and somehow makes all of that work together. I do feel like it could be polished a little bit more though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Sexual content
Moderate: Violence, Murder
Minor: Animal cruelty, Slavery, Cannibalism, War
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It was a very charming read, which sort of punches you in the gut at the end.
I predicted one of the plot twists. Which is always annoying. I felt that the follow-through after that plot twist was slightly weak. Not bad, but just didn’t feel like it hit as hard as it ought to have done.
My god this author is great at writing steamy sex scenes. It was HOT as hell. Kaliane is a person who knows how to have a good time, and I am 100% here for it. Get it girl.
The book pacing was quick at the start, and deeply slow in the middle. Then at the end it was very fast paced. The middle of the book, while delightful, was a tad too slow fpr me. Could probably have used a bit more editing there as I felt at some points the writing was acting as filler. And didnt really add anything to the characters or story or didnt enhance my understanding i to the world.
The characters themselves are beautifully realised. They were all very unique and even their most intricate quirks made them feel so real. We love a LGBTQ moment. Arthur and Margaret are such loveable characters and oh how they PAINEDDD ME.
I really enjoyed the historic Gore excerpts in the book too.
It wasnt as much of a page turner as I hd hoped itd be. For me it was neither much of a romance nor a thriller nor a sci-fi.
Some of the diaglogue was so gorgeous and cinematic, and well placed. At other times, it felt rather floral. For example: Describing the arrival of autumn like a late man into a crowded room was sort of lost on me. But the image of a workday Wednesday is definitely cold flavourless porridge. So it was rather hit and miss.
Yes I think this book could very easily be a TV series, as it lends itself very visually. But I think there would have to be quite a bit of editing to get there. 6 or 8 episodes tops at 45 mins each I think.
I also think the boom tries to demand the reader’s attention to politics and climate emergency. And that seems to be a background motive for a good handful of the modern characters. But with so much going on in the book, it doesn’t have the opportunity to explore that in much depth. The overall message is bleak in that sense, the future is changeable but it will also be terrible.
Slightly confused because there was an anti-establishment thing, but at the end of the book no one actually … deals with that? The institution just continues to exist without much (seeming) impact. Like the institution gets away with it almost?
So overall, I’d recommend it as a fun wee book that plays with historic figures in a really charming way. Some intriguing flavours of sci-fi and thriller, and too see the grey ol modern world through the eyes of a victorian naval lieutenant - how silly and whimsical! A fresh perspective on the mundane. I think, the main reason to read this book is the character building. And - of course - some delicious sex scenes (although you have to get to the last two fifths of the book for that).
3 stars for me, I also don’t think the blurb quite describes the book well enough.
I predicted one of the plot twists. Which is always annoying. I felt that the follow-through after that plot twist was slightly weak. Not bad, but just didn’t feel like it hit as hard as it ought to have done.
My god this author is great at writing steamy sex scenes. It was HOT as hell. Kaliane is a person who knows how to have a good time, and I am 100% here for it. Get it girl.
The book pacing was quick at the start, and deeply slow in the middle. Then at the end it was very fast paced. The middle of the book, while delightful, was a tad too slow fpr me. Could probably have used a bit more editing there as I felt at some points the writing was acting as filler. And didnt really add anything to the characters or story or didnt enhance my understanding i to the world.
The characters themselves are beautifully realised. They were all very unique and even their most intricate quirks made them feel so real. We love a LGBTQ moment. Arthur and Margaret are such loveable characters and oh how they PAINEDDD ME.
I really enjoyed the historic Gore excerpts in the book too.
It wasnt as much of a page turner as I hd hoped itd be. For me it was neither much of a romance nor a thriller nor a sci-fi.
Some of the diaglogue was so gorgeous and cinematic, and well placed. At other times, it felt rather floral. For example: Describing the arrival of autumn like a late man into a crowded room was sort of lost on me. But the image of a workday Wednesday is definitely cold flavourless porridge. So it was rather hit and miss.
Yes I think this book could very easily be a TV series, as it lends itself very visually. But I think there would have to be quite a bit of editing to get there. 6 or 8 episodes tops at 45 mins each I think.
I also think the boom tries to demand the reader’s attention to politics and climate emergency. And that seems to be a background motive for a good handful of the modern characters. But with so much going on in the book, it doesn’t have the opportunity to explore that in much depth. The overall message is bleak in that sense, the future is changeable but it will also be terrible.
Slightly confused because there was an anti-establishment thing, but at the end of the book no one actually … deals with that? The institution just continues to exist without much (seeming) impact. Like the institution gets away with it almost?
So overall, I’d recommend it as a fun wee book that plays with historic figures in a really charming way. Some intriguing flavours of sci-fi and thriller, and too see the grey ol modern world through the eyes of a victorian naval lieutenant - how silly and whimsical! A fresh perspective on the mundane. I think, the main reason to read this book is the character building. And - of course - some delicious sex scenes (although you have to get to the last two fifths of the book for that).
3 stars for me, I also don’t think the blurb quite describes the book well enough.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual content, Violence, Cannibalism, War
Minor: Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Alcohol, Colonisation
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I chose this book for a book club, and I was very excited to read it after a friend's recommendations. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting - overall it felt more like a romance in a scifi setting, rather than a scifi book with a romance. But that isn't a complaint! The dialogue was really pithy and funny, I often almost laughed out loud, and I grew to love the characters very deeply. There was more sex than I was expecting as well!
There was a lot of quite revealing and thought provoking discussion of British racism, microaggressions, the immigrant experience, multi-generational trauma, handling conflicting opinions, etc. This isn't a light read, it's got its hard-hitting moments and it kept me guessing. There were a few twists, a couple of which I got shortly before the reveal (very satisfying, the perfect time to get them in my opinion).
The very near future setting allowed some grimly accurate predictions of the climate disaster, which were not much fun! And the modern main action is interspersed with sort of flashbacks to the events of the HMS Terror and HMS Erebus (google them if you don't know). I knew I would find these very unpleasant, because they really push my buttons on the sort of stuff I don't like, but even so, I thought they were really shocking and once I'd finished the book I felt like the unpleasantness hadn't really had a pay off? They were quite at odds with the rest of it and I'm not really sure why they were included in the way they were. I also thought the ending was quite rushed/confusing/unclear, unfortunately. It didn't quite stick the landing. But overall, it was a really gripping, funny, clever, thought-provoking read, and I'm fascinated to see what she does next.
Audiobook notes: the main action is read by Katie Leung, who I've heard before and absolutely love. The HMS Terror bits are read by George Weightman, who I've not come across before but honestly I could listen to him read the phone book, he's delightful. I didn't listen to all that much of the audiobook because I was too impatient to read it, but the bits I tried sounded great, I would recommend.
There was a lot of quite revealing and thought provoking discussion of British racism, microaggressions, the immigrant experience, multi-generational trauma, handling conflicting opinions, etc. This isn't a light read, it's got its hard-hitting moments and it kept me guessing. There were a few twists, a couple of which I got shortly before the reveal (very satisfying, the perfect time to get them in my opinion).
The very near future setting allowed some grimly accurate predictions of the climate disaster, which were not much fun! And the modern main action is interspersed with sort of flashbacks to the events of the HMS Terror and HMS Erebus (google them if you don't know). I knew I would find these very unpleasant, because they really push my buttons on the sort of stuff I don't like, but even so, I thought they were really shocking and once I'd finished the book I felt like the unpleasantness hadn't really had a pay off? They were quite at odds with the rest of it and I'm not really sure why they were included in the way they were. I also thought the ending was quite rushed/confusing/unclear, unfortunately. It didn't quite stick the landing. But overall, it was a really gripping, funny, clever, thought-provoking read, and I'm fascinated to see what she does next.
Audiobook notes: the main action is read by Katie Leung, who I've heard before and absolutely love. The HMS Terror bits are read by George Weightman, who I've not come across before but honestly I could listen to him read the phone book, he's delightful. I didn't listen to all that much of the audiobook because I was too impatient to read it, but the bits I tried sounded great, I would recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Vomit, Cannibalism
Moderate: Racism, Slavery
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Abandonment
Minor: Racism