TheIndianBookworm

Kaliane Bradley’s The Ministry of Time is a masterful blend of genres, offering time-travel romance, spy intrigue, and witty workplace comedy all wrapped in a sharp exploration of power and love. With its inventive premise and glowing accolades, including a Goodreads Choice Award for Science Fiction and praise from former President Barack Obama, I was eager to dive into this much-talked-about debut.

While I found the story captivating, I can’t help but feel that my experience would have been better had I read the book rather than listened to it as an audiobook. The narration, while engaging, didn’t quite allow me to linger on the novel’s rich descriptions or fully absorb the complex dynamics between the characters. Bradley’s intricate prose and clever humor seemed better suited to the page, where the pacing could be savored at my own rhythm.

That said, the story itself is full of charm and originality. The protagonist’s awkward and often hilarious dynamic with Commander Graham Gore—a historical figure plucked from 1847—provides endless entertainment. Bradley’s ability to balance humor with deeply emotional moments, particularly as the romance unfolds and the Ministry’s true intentions come to light, is remarkable. The plot’s twists and turns kept me hooked, even if some of the more nuanced themes about history and agency were harder to fully appreciate in audio format.

Overall, The Ministry of Time is a dazzling and imaginative debut that’s worth the read—or the listen, if audiobooks are your preference. Just be prepared to miss some of the finer details in the audio version. I plan to revisit this one in print, and I suspect it will only enhance my appreciation for Bradley’s sharp, genre-defying storytelling.