The Ministry of Time

Even though I am not generally a fan of the speculative aspects of the science fiction genre, I opted to read THE MINISTRY OF TIME based on a recommendation from someone whose opinion I trust. I'm glad I read it. Author Kaliane Bradley offers a creative story so unique that she is a writer I will keep an eye on in the future.

Let me try to set the scene. Imagine yourself assigned to a top secret project in the British government that is focused on perfecting the art of time travel. A handful of individuals from different periods in the past are brought forward and dropped into today's world. Obviously each needs some handholding through the period of adjustment because so much about our contemporary world needs to be explained. It's a story that's part romance, part suspenseful spy thriller, and part historical novel about the doomed 1845 Arctic exploration led by British Captain John Franklin aboard the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror.

While this may work as a basic description of the book's premise, it does not explain just how much fun this book is to read. Or how clever, fresh, humorous, and distinctive this author's voice is. I have truly never read a book that's anything like this one. Previously known primarily for her award-winning short stories, THE MINISTRY OF TIME is Bradley's debut novel and a New York Times bestseller. No small accomplishment!

All of that said, I did not find the book's execution flawless. While I enjoyed reading it, the pace is a bit uneven and the ending struck me with a conclusion that seemed haphazardly pulled together. At the same time, there's no question that Kaliane Bradley is a talent worth following and I look forward to her further development as an exceptional writer.