Introduction
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley is a genre-defying debut that blends romance, espionage, and a touch of comedic flair. In a near-future government project investigating time travel, a civil servant becomes the bridge between modernity and the past, tasked with aiding Commander Graham Gore, a historical figure resurrected from the doomed 1845 Arctic expedition. As their relationship deepens amidst clashing eras and cultural shocks, the bridge must navigate the Ministry’s secretive agenda and grapple with the profound implications of their bond. With wit and originality, this novel explores love, power, and the timeless quest for change.
The Ministry of Time Synopsis
In the near future, a civil servant is offered the salary of her dreams and is, shortly afterward, told what project she’ll be working on. A recently established government ministry is gathering “expats” from across history to establish whether time travel is feasible—for the body, but also for the fabric of space-time.
She is tasked with working as a “bridge”: living with, assisting, and monitoring the expat known as “1847” or Commander Graham Gore. As far as history is concerned, Commander Gore died on Sir John Franklin’s doomed 1845 expedition to the Arctic, so he’s a little disoriented to be living with an unmarried woman who regularly shows her calves, surrounded by outlandish concepts such as “washing machines,” “Spotify,” and “the collapse of the British Empire.” But with an appetite for discovery, a seven-a-day cigarette habit, and the support of a charming and chaotic cast of fellow expats, he soon adjusts.
Over the next year, what the bridge initially thought would be, at best, a horrifically uncomfortable roommate dynamic, evolves into something much deeper. By the time the true shape of the Ministry’s project comes to light, the bridge has fallen haphazardly, fervently in love, with consequences she never could have imagined. Forced to confront the choices that brought them together, the bridge must finally reckon with how—and whether she believes—what she does next can change the future.
An exquisitely original and feverishly fun fusion of genres and ideas, The Ministry of Time asks: What does it mean to defy history, when history is living in your house? Kaliane Bradley’s answer is a blazing, unforgettable testament to what we owe each other in a changing world.
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More About the Novel
| Author: | Kaliane Bradley |
| Publisher: | Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster |
| Genre: | Romance |
| Mode: | Complete |
Themes Explored In The Novel
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley explores several intriguing themes:
- Time Travel and Historical Revision: Central to the plot is the exploration of time travel, not just as a fantastical concept, but as a means of altering the fabric of history and the present. The protagonist’s interaction with historical figures, like Commander Graham Gore, challenges how time and history are understood and how the past informs the present.
- Love Across Time: The evolving relationship between the civil servant (the bridge) and Gore introduces a powerful exploration of love, particularly love that transcends time. Their growing affection questions what it means to form a bond in a world where time itself is in flux.
- Identity and Change: The novel delves into identity, especially through Gore’s disorientation in the modern world. His character’s adaptation to new times and technology highlights the fluidity of personal and historical identities when faced with transformation.
- Power and Control: The Ministry itself serves as a metaphor for institutions of power and control, questioning how power structures can manipulate and shape history and individuals. The government’s secretive motives raise questions about ethics and the price of knowledge.
- Human Connections and Sacrifices: Themes of sacrifice, moral choices, and the costs of relationships are also key. As the bridge becomes more deeply involved with Gore, she faces difficult decisions about the future and what sacrifices might be necessary for love or greater change.
This blend of genres and themes presents a nuanced exploration of how personal connections, history, and the fabric of time itself are intertwined.
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