A review by serendipitysbooks
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • 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

3.75

 The Ministry of Time is a sci-fi rom-com with a crucial time travel plotline. The basic premise is a new technology that enables "expats" to be gathered from history and brought into modern-day society. At the centre of this novel is an unnamed civil servant who works as a "bridge" living with an expat, in this case Commander Graham Gore from 1847, monitoring him and helping him adjust. I initially found the plot cute and enjoyed reading about his adjustment to contemporary society and the budding romance that developed between the two. But then the action picked up, the plot became more and more convoluted, the time travel dynamics more integral to plot developments. And I found myself getting lost, too caught up trying to understand and keep track of all the details and the logic behind them. I also wondered why this book was on a longlist devoted to novels that explore the climate crisis. The reason did become clear in a late plot twist that left me torn - effective or too little too late? I came to the conclusion that sci-fi, particularly if it involves time travel, may not be the best genre for me when it comes to climate fiction. But for other readers, it will be perfect, so I'm glad this book is out there. The climate crisis is one of the most pressing issues of our time, and the more ways there are for people to explore and engage with it, the better. 
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