Bookshelf: The Ministry of Time
Genre-bending at its best
Last month I read The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley.
It’s a rare genre-bending novel that effortlessly blends literary fiction, science fiction, history, and sharp social commentary.
From the very first page, I was hooked by Bradley’s witty, insightful voice. The book is, filled with lines like, ‘He looked oddly formal, as if he was the sole person in serif font,’ and ‘An underrated symptom of inherited trauma is how socially awkward it is to live with.’
Unlike many fast-paced sci-fi novels with short, snappy chapters, The Ministry of Time unfolds in ten long, immersive chapters. The unnamed protagonist—a British Cambodian woman —works as a“bridge” for the Ministry of Time, tasked with helping a 19th-century naval officer, Lieutenant Graham Gore, adjust to modern London.
From the ill-fated HMS Terror, Gore, a real historical figure, is thrust into modern London. The story is full of humor, culture clashes, and a great romance. Warmth and wit beautifully characterize the well-written relationship between the two leads. Some of my favourite lines:
‘If you ever fall in love, you’ll be a person who was in love for the rest of your life.’
‘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.’
Bradley’s writing is lyrical and precise, and it’s no surprise to learn she’s an editor at Penguin Classics. Every sentence feels deliberate, every observation razor-sharp.
In an interview with the Guardian, Bradley revealed she drew inspiration from the Prime series The Terror (which I also binged during the pandemic). The show, a supernatural horror based on the real-life Franklin Expedition, explores the crew’s descent into starvation, madness, and even cannibalism.
While The Ministry of Time doesn’t delve into horror, it borrows the historical tragedy of Gore’s fate and reimagines it through a sci-fi lens. Instead of supernatural forces, Bradley introduces a mysterious “time door” that pulls people from the past into the present—no explanations, no convoluted time-travel mechanics. As someone who’sattempted to write time-travel fiction, I found this approach brilliant. The protagonist, like the reader, doesn’t understand how the time door works—it simply *exists*, and the story unfolds from there.
Bradley also shared she’s a Terry Pratchett fan which shines through in her dialogue’s playful banter, something often missing in sci-fi. The novel refuses to be boxed into one genre—it’s part historical fiction, part sci-fi, part romance, and part social critique, all woven together seamlessly. It’s no wonder the book was longlisted for the Women’s Prize and became a Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller.
The Ministry of Time is intelligent, moving, and deeply original. If you love smart, genre-bending fiction with rich characters and razor-sharp prose, this is your next read.
Have you read it, if so, what did you think?