A review by marywahlmeierbracciano
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

adventurous challenging emotional funny fast-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

5.0

I adore this book.  A British-Cambodian government translator finds herself working as a sort of mentor to a historical time traveler as part of an experimental program.  Her subject—Graham Gore—would have died amid a doomed Arctic expedition from which no man returned had he not been pulled from the year 1847.  She befriends him, along with a ragtag crew of other “expats,” while keeping secret most details about her job, which, unbeknownst to her, has been plagued by corruption from the start.  

This book explores what happens when what you thought was right turns out to be very wrong, and Bradley accomplishes this in a way that is funny, surprising, and profoundly moving.  The slow burn love story crackles with chemistry which surpasses anything I’ve read before, and, most importantly, humanizes the beloved.  The Ministry of Time is counted among my few most favorite books.
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