Reviews tagging 'Murder'

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

176 reviews

adventurous dark hopeful inspiring mysterious tense slow-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: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark emotional sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

This was a very fun read, and a surprising companion to The Terror show on Netflix that I was not expecting. As a friend of mine said, this book is several genres in one - sci fi, romance, thriller, sort of historical fiction. The writing is beautiful, if a bit prosaic at times, and the cast of characters was fun. 

If you’re into “time travel theories,” you may enjoy the explanation of how it works at the end — a new concept for me. I rather liked the conceits attached with this premise, but don’t want to mention it here as it edges on spoilers. 

I would say this read is more fun and interesting than profound, which is why I hated the ending — the last two paragraphs really should have been left off, or done differently. It did not need a saccharine moral message to tie it off, but the sentiment was nice. 

My biggest issue with the book is the same as with many modern novels - all the women in it are at odds with each other, except for one eccentric that gets along with everyone. Why women always have to be at each other’s throats in media is frankly just tiresome and boring, given how common it is. I would have appreciated more the balance toward more women main characters if they all didn’t immediately hate something about the other. 

That said, the character definitions were one of best parts of the novel. Each character was unique, clearly defined, and consistent. Some might find them a little over done, but something about that really fit the tone of the book for me. The characters were larger than life, outside of time. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging emotional hopeful mysterious tense 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: No

While this book does have some fun stuff, especially as friendships develop, it is one of those books that’s a little bleak/cynical in outlook. The very end has a hopeful tone, which saved it for me, but the bulk was a bit harder to get through, which is why it has a slightly lower rating from me. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious 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: Yes

Loved this charming romance meets adventure - less sci-fi (a good thing) than advertised and more a reflection on humanity through all ages. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous challenging emotional mysterious tense 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: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous emotional tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark funny mysterious reflective slow-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: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-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

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark emotional funny informative mysterious reflective sad tense 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: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings