First Impression |Synopsis | Book Review | Characters | Favorite Quotes | Discussion Questions | Book Details
Star Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 - 4 stars (see my rating system)
Genre: Science Fiction, Romance
Items beyond the synopsis contain spoilers.
In The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley, a British civil servant is offered her dream salary, only to discover the unusual task ahead of her: assisting a secretive government project experimenting with time travel. The Ministry has rescued “expats” from history—individuals who would have otherwise to have died within their timelines in the past—to test whether both the human body and the fabric of space-time can withstand time travel.
Her role as a “bridge” requires her to monitor and support Commander Graham Gore, a naval officer who, according to history, perished in the 1845 Arctic expedition led by Sir John Franklin. Gore finds himself bewildered by modern conveniences like washing machines and Google, as well as major historical events like World War II, Hiroshima, and Aushwitchz. Despite his initial struggles to adapt, his explorer’s mindset—and a steady chain-smoking habit—help him settle in, aided by a cast of lively and unpredictable historical expats.
Initially, the bridge sees her assignment as an awkward and purely professional arrangement. But over the course of a year, their unlikely companionship deepens into a fervent and complicated love. When the Ministry’s true motives come to light, she’s forced to confront profound moral and emotional dilemmas about the choices that brought them together, her responsibility to the past and future, and the lasting impact of what she does next.
I’ll be honest - I’m not quite sure if I read a science fiction novel, a workplace romance, a thriller, a spy novel, or a romance. This book has a little bit of everything wrapped up in a single novel. I picked this up as I’m on a current mission to read all of the 2024 Good Readers Favorite Books winners. Ministry of Time won the award for best Science Fiction book so please keep in mind I’m picking up a few books that I may not normally pick up!
Time travel novels are always fascinating because there are so many different theories about how it may work. I appreciated that The Ministry of Time didn’t get too caught up in the mechanics of time travel, instead prioritizing plot and character development. This gives it a lighter sci-fi touch compared to something by Andy Weir or Blake Crouch, making it an easier, faster read—though it does require some suspension of disbelief (and suspension of plot holes).
One of the highlights for me was the characters and their interactions with the modern world. Maggie’s discovery of online dating was especially entertaining. However, for the first half of the novel, I found myself wondering, Where is this going? since the main conflict doesn’t fully take shape until about halfway through the book..
The ending of The Ministry of Time is intentionally left open, inviting readers to interpret its meaning in their own way. It’s the kind of conclusion that encourages revisiting earlier passages to piece together what the author may have intended, while also leaving space for personal interpretation. Below is my interpretation:
The story operates across multiple timelines (think branching theory/ multiverse from Loki!).
Despite this, Adela’s meddling, coupled with the protagonist’s choice to tell Graham about the Holocaust instead of 9/11, has altered the course of history, creating a new branch in the timeline. While it’s unclear if these changes are enough to save the world, there is now hope.
The ending adds a metafictional twist: the narrative reveals itself as a warning from one version of the protagonist to another across timelines. This “you” is attempting to change history by documenting the past failures in meticulous detail, ensuring the past version of the narrator can avoid repeating them. The final lines underscore the thought provoking and self-aware nature of the story:
“This is how you change history. As far as you know—or as far as the you that is me knows—the time door is broken. You may never receive this document, which tells you what you will become if you follow this version of yourself. But if this falls into your hands, then I want you to know how it happens, step by step, so that you can change it. I exist at the beginning and end of this account, which is a kind of time travel, but I hope you’ll find a way to contain me.”
The ending is both haunting and hopeful, leaving readers to contemplate the power of self-awareness and the potential for change, even across timelines.
Overall I enjoyed this book, it was a quick and easy read with a thought provoking ending! I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed something similar to Atlas Cloud or Time Traveler’s wife.
“Life is a series of slamming doors. We make irrevocable decisions every day. A twelve-second delay, a slip of the tongue, and suddenly your life is on a new road."
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