This is one of those books that everyone was raving about, but I hadn’t gotten around to reading it. I’m glad I did, because it’s one of the best I’ve read this year. I admit I got bogged down a bit in the beginning, but once it started building momentum, I was hooked. Sci-fi, espionage, time-travel, romance, and so very funny.

A civil servant signs on to a top-secret project: the Ministry of Time is dabbling in time travel. They have brought a group of “expats” from various points in the past into modern-day London. For the next year, she will be a “bridge” for her expat, helping him acclimate. She will also be watching for any signs of deterioration; one of the goals of the project is to determine whether humans can survive time travel.

One of my favorite things about the book is her expat: Commander Graham Gore, who died on Sir John Franklin’s expedition to the Arctic. I love that particular story (check out my review of The Terror) and that really drew me in. I really felt sorry for poor Graham – he doesn’t know how the expedition ended, and finding out is pretty traumatic for him. And considering that he died in 1847, he is a little scandalized to find himself living with a very modern single woman.

From the small moments, explaining dating apps and microwave ovens, to the larger purpose behind the project, Bradley’s writing is so engaging! I loved her descriptions – read them aloud to my partner – and found myself reminded of Douglas Adams. (And I mean that as a compliment.) The ending was oddly hopeful and I found myself pondering the possible timelines and scenarios for days afterward.

My copy of The Ministry of Time came from the Akron Public Library.