#kaliane bradley

[spaceshipkat]

oh my goddd i am fucking oBSESSED with this art for the ministry of time seriously i need y'all to please read this book. i need y'all to swoon over graham gore with me. it's not just a gorgeous romance novel, nor just a spy thriller, nor just a fantastic twist on time travel, nor just a way to obsess over the franklin expedition (for all you the terror girlies) but an incredible evisceration of the british empire that follows a British-Cambodian character by a British-Cambodian author. just. GOD. and graham gore is so dreamy. have i said that yet? he’s so dreamy and i adore the narrator (she’s a crunchy character with some incredible flaws and i adore her for them) and it's so good. 5/5 stars. if i could give it more i would. (also contrary to what i'd said before based on what i'd heard, it does end happily imo!)

[tuesdaytothursday]

Oh. So this book’s just gonna fuck me all the way up.

[coldboysbookclub]

Book club announcement

Join us in reading The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (aka the Graham Gore sci-fi romance novel) this summer!

Hosted by @fakrichie and @lonnson

Whether you're an og fan of prestige classic The Terror, love book clubs, always wanted to read a romance novel about Graham Gore, a combination of these, or none of the above — join us in reading The Ministry of Time.

How does the book club work?

We have set up a meeting time availability survey to find a time that works best for everyone who wants to join.

The book comes out May 7th. To give everyone some time to get their hands on a copy, we will kick off the book club in the week of May 20th.

If you want to join our Discord to chat about the book, don't hesitate to reach out to us here, or at @fakrichie or @lonnson, for the invite link!

Due to the adult nature of some scenes in this book, only people over the age of 18 may participate in this event.

Meeting time availability survey

[catmint1]

You can get it right, if you try. You will have hope, and you have been forgiven. Forgiveness, which takes you back to the person you were and lets you reset them. Hope, which exists in a future in which you are new. Forgiveness and hope are miracles. They let you change your life. They are time-travel.

—Kaliane Bradley, The Ministry of Time

[agardenandlibrary]

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

girl, you are unwell about this man

lots of internal conflict regarding being white-passing, being part of the system of oppression.

most of this book is spent chronicling the MC's obsession with historical figure/real person Graham Gore. This may or may not work for you.

It feels like there's lots of plot happening elsewhere that the MC is simply Unaware of.

I wasn't in love with this book. Reflection has only intensified that feeling. It wasn't bad. It just wasn't for me. If you're a fan of RPF or really like the Franklin Expedition, you may like this more than I did.

[chrissyblr]

obsessed

[myriad--starlings]

Oh, England, England! The thing you do best is tell a story about yourself. Graham Gore went to the Arctic believing that a noble death is possible because of all those stories and then he became a story. Oh, England, you wanted to make stories out of me.

— The Ministry of Time, Kaliane Bradley

[haveyoureadthisscifibook]

vote yes if you have finished the entire book.

vote no if you have not finished the entire book.

(faq · submit a book)

[semper-legens]

74. The Ministry of Time, by Kaliane Bradley

Owned?: No, library Page count: 343 My summary: In the near future, the British government are experimenting with time travel. A select group of historical personages have been brought forward to the present, people snatched away at the moment of their historical deaths, and the Ministry is now attempting to resettle them in the 21st century. One of these people is First Lieutenant Graham Gore, lately of Franklin's Lost Expedition, now fish out of water over one hundred and fifty years in his future. A young woman has been assigned to him as a 'bridge', to live with him for a year and help him assimilate. But as time wears on, their relationship starts to get less and less professional…and that's not the worst of it. Not all is well at the Ministry. It seems our duo might soon be in for a nasty surprise… My rating: 4.5/5 My commentary:

Okay. So. Here's the thing. As longtime readers of this blog may know, I have something of a fascination with the history of survival cannibalism. (Bear with me!) As such, the lost Franklin Expedition is definitely on my radar, and as part of that I both read and watched The Terror not too long ago. And then I heard about this book through the grapevine. A book that is, essentially, rpf of Graham Gore, one of the Expedition who died before the survivors set off on their last, fatal journey overland. And, to quote my least favourite New Who Doctor, my whole brain just went 'what the hell'. I was expecting this to be a bit silly, a bit weird, and a bit gratuitous, but honestly I wound up genuinely liking it a whole lot more than I was expecting. Kudos to you, The Ministry of Time. You did good, kid.

Our unnamed protagonist is a woman who is the daughter of a Cambodian refugee, mixed-race, living in London, and working for the government as a translator. She gets involved in the time-travel project without knowing what it is, but seeks to do her best for Gore and the other time-travel refugees all the same. She's an interesting character - I am fascinated by the choice not to give her a name, as well as how slow the relationship between her and Gore was to build. There was obvious attraction between the two of them, but it's not until the final third that they consumate their relationship and lay out what is lying between them. Which I appreciated - it felt a lot more natural than if this man from the 1840s was immediately jumping into bed with the first woman he saw! And it would have been wholly unprofessional and unethical for the narrator to do so. As written, however, we get to see their relationship develop smoothly and naturally over the course of the book before they get together, which is neat. Another thing I really appreciated was the subtle hints of what, in-universe, this book is. I won't spoil the ending, but the narrator is writing this for a purpose, and there are bits of foreshadowing and subtle clues scattered throughout as to what will go down. I guessed a bit of it beforehand, and was very satisfied to see my suppositions ring true.

This book could have died so quickly if Gore was mischaracterised, so I am happy to report that he is utterly charming and very plausible. While not understanding the 21st century, particularly not initially, he isn't shown to be a lost little lamb, he was a middle-aged man with experience of sailing to unfamiliar places and surviving there. Thought we don't know much about Gore the real person, the author's afterword lays out why she characterised him the way that she did - the smoking habit comes from a description of him, there's evidence that he was a pretty good shot, that sort of thing. He's very real. While he displays era-appropriate bigotry, he learns and grows the more he is exposed to the modern world, though there are some sensibilities he never loses. He's got a sense of humour, he makes friends with other 'expats', he is self-depreciating and proper and exasperated and loyal. He's a very credible person, and the author shows him off so well that, like the narrator, you can't help but fall a little in love with him.

I also really liked the other 'expats' that we see - Arthur, a man brought forward from 1916 who is a flaming fruit, and Maggie, a woman from the 1600s who adapts to the future the best and also is a giant lesbian. See! Complicated portraits of people from the past! (It's also hinted that, while Gore claims no experience with women, he may have had some experience with men, being a Navy type.) The Ministry actually has some trouble with Maggie, because she's running riot, downloading Tinder and Lex and having a wild old time. I love her to pieces. (And I also liked that our protagonist displays some attraction to her, as well!) Arthur is also very adorable in that older gay man kind of way. Every character in this book felt like a full person, with thoughts and opinions and a life outside of the purview of the narrative, which is always good to see. They were very memorable, and very entertaining.

And all in all, this book just had so much charm. The premise itself is interesting in a soft sci-fi sort of way, very clearly skipping over the complicated physics of time travel in order to get to the sociological meat inherent there. Seeing these people adapt to modern society in their various different ways is interesting in the variety - some characters are more conservative in their outlook, others more open-minded, different people struggle with different things, that sort of thing. I liked that the emphasis was less on the romantic/sexual relationship between our protagonists (though, of course, that was there) and more just on the relationships that develop between bridges and expats, and between different eras of expat. And the larger plot with the Ministry and the protagonist's shady boss balanced out the more character-driven drama brilliantly. Again, I won't spoil the ending, but I liked that the book did not have a straightforward happy ending, though it was bittersweet and still somewhat hopeful. That felt more true than the alternative, and I really admire the choice that led to it.

Next up, back to Outlander, as Claire and Jamie make their way in an America teetering on the brink…

[spaceshipkat]

and

and

random lines from one chapter of the ministry of time that continue to absolutely devastate me

[perllet]

A slight girl sat at the back of the cafe, a smudge against the white linoleum. She was examining a guide book intently, hair falling over her face as she bent over the table, a black apostrophe on a white page. Commander Graham Gore had been sat across the street, on the fading bench, for over ten minutes, watching her. Muscles tensing to stand, (to - what? Enter the cafe, or go home?), before they relaxed, and he continued to watch, letting the roach burn out between his scarred fingers before he tucked another cigarette between his teeth. She was poring over the old travel-book, with a photograph tucked between her fingers, her attention sliding between the two. The waitress had approached twice with the jug of filter coffee, before withdrawing, scowling at the lack of response.

He couldn’t tell what he felt exactly regarding the ferocity at which she was clearly trying to identify his whereabouts - that blasted photo, sent at a moment of weakness, or a moment of courage. She was a picture of everything that he adored and hated in her, a ferocious, calculating, clever little alley cat, who would find a way to track their exact footprints through the wilderness once she decided she would. She was also a woman who was, ultimately, ruled by her devotion, which meant that if she had followed him all the way to the small town they had chosen for its links to Anchorage and the fact that its people all seemed to be living in the past, then he was included within that small bubble of devotion. All her love and devotion, he still hadn’t decided what to make of it.

On Erebus, and before, at Navarino, even on the Beagle, he believed the decisions he made were a product of pure logic, boiled and skimmed of any foolish fear or apprehension. These last few months, however…He had begun to see the traces of feeling, of his heart, in every decision he made now. If he didn’t stop to listen to what that peculiar, disembodied voice advised him, he would never have left the safe house in London. It used to be that logic saved his life. Now, he wasn’t sure if it was working for or against him. Like now. The muscles of his legs pulled taut, again, as he considered his options. He could be back at the cabin, bags packed, Maggie roused from her appalling nap schedule, and into the wild of this sparse state before she had even taken the first sip of her cold coffee.

It was this image that made him stand. And all questions of logic and devotion drained away as he stepped into the cafe, moving towards the table at the far end of the window. Unlike the waitress, his presence made her shoulders come up to her ears, and she raised her head slowly, already knowing.

Their gazes caught on a live wire. His arms were crossed, his face void of emotion - it was his last defence. Her expression was the opposite, so many thoughts passing over the ghostly little face that he had equally no clue what she was imagining. She swallowed, and tucked the photograph into the Alaska: Lost Steps guide, folding her hands primly over them both. For a second, the roles were switched - she was the mouse pinned under his feline claw.

“Hello, little cat.”

[a/n: I am devastated at finishing ministry of time and I need something anything to fill this void. it was just perfect]

[coldboysbookclub]

First meeting announcement

It's finally time to kick off the book club! Out first meeting will happen on Sunday, 26 May at 9 p.m. CET / 3 p.m. EST in our Discord group 🥳

If you haven't joined our chat yet, just reach out to us @fakrichie or @lonnson for the invite link.

We'll be discussing the first four chapters at our first meeting.

We're planning on reading four chapters per week, so we can have weekly chats and finish the book in about a month.

Everyone can read at their own speed! If you want to read ahead of the schedule, be mindful not to talk spoilers.

You can absolutely join the discussion even if you haven't read the book yet! Come hang out (if you don't mind spoilers!)

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to us!

[catmint1]

I thought I was doing something constructive, escaping exploitation by becoming exceptional. In fact, what I was doing was squeezing my eyes shut and singing la la la at the gathering darkness, as if the gathering darkness cared that I couldn't see it.

—Kaliane Bradley, The Ministry of Time

[agardenandlibrary]

Also I have never been this obsessed with a random historical figure, which I feel removes from my experience while reading

[odileodette]

so my reserved copy of the ministry of time by kaliane bradley came into the library today, i’m 16 pages in but i can already tell i’m gonna become insufferable about it

[mercerislandbooks]

Our Favorite Fiction of 2024

Although there is still a month and a bit of 2024 to go, and it's entirely possible that one of us will find another novel we absolutely adore, we wanted to give you, our lovely customers, a peek at the collection of fiction we couldn't stop talking about this year. Our staff is a varied lot with diverse tastes (luckily our customers are just as delightfully quirky) and we hope there's something for everyone in this round-up of titles.

Cindy, Laurie, Nancy AND Caitlin all loved Liz Moore's The God of the Woods, with its historical setting, secrets galore, and rich people doing very bad things. If you're in the mood for a thriller set in the '70's this will satisfy.

As for Table for Two, by Amor Towles, Brad says that the concluding 200-page novella of this short story collection is "worth the price of admission", continuing the story of Rules of Civility. He was also charmed to discover the only published mystery of famed Winnie-the-Pooh author A. A. Milne. The Red House Mystery is for those of you longing for a perfect locked room whodunnit from the Golden Age of Mysteries.

For a contemporary thriller, Cindy highly recommends Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera, saying, "Lucy Chase, exonerated in the murder of her best friend, is mortified when a popular (and handsome) true crime podcaster opens a new investigation that thrusts her into national and community scrutiny all over again. Moving back and forth between the events that led to the crime and this new investigation, old friendships and relationships are reconsidered. Let the neighborly finger-pointing begin! Again."

Or, if a week on Cape Cod with your adult kids AND your aging parents in the height of summer sounds appealing (or at the least, amusing to read about), Laurie and I both loved Sandwich by Catherine Newman. Funny, poignant, and perfect for book clubs, this is a short book that packs a punch.

My personal top read of 2024 is The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley. Try this smart and thought-provoking debut if you like time travel, handsome Arctic explorers, and shady government shenanigans.

One of Caitlin's favorites from this year is Small Rain, by Garth Greenwell, a book she calls, "Magnificent! A tender novel about healing, care-giving, and poetry." She also loved Us Fools, by Nora Lange, a heartbreaking yet humorous story about two sisters growing up in the Midwest during the 1980's farm crisis. And check out the testimonials at the front for Caitlin's quote!

Nancy and Caitlin can't stop talking about Fire Exit by Morgan Talty. Caitlin says, "A long kept family secret, inheritance, guilt and mental illness combine into one outstanding novel." While Nancy adds, "I can't say enough good things about this book and author. Incredible writing!"

Becca and I got to buddy read and write a blog about The Spellshop, the coziest of cozy fantasies. This one is for readers who want a warm hug of book with a dollop of whimsy. Warning, it will make you crave toast and jam.

And (in my opinion) our favorite fiction isn't complete without an exceptional romance. Ready or Not, by Cara Bastone was a fantastic, surprise pregnancy, friends-to-love romance. I absolutely loved these characters and all their emotions. Plus, the audiobook is one of the best I've listened to this year.

Check out the link to see our complete list and, as always, we're happy to give you even more recommendations!

2024: Our Favorite Fiction

Up next, our Favorite Nonfiction of 2024!

-- Lori