Welcome to . . . Read With Us Discussion Day
Bonny and Carole and I are posting discussion question(s) today for our latest RWU book . . . The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley. Join the discussion by commenting on our blogs.
We’re trying something new this time around . . . by suggesting an order for you to to consider our questions. Start here with my question. Then move on to Carole’s question. And, finally, move on to Bonny’s question.
Let’s begin!
First, we’d like to know what you thought about the book. Did you like it? Hate it? Feel kinda . . . meh? AND most importantly, we’d like you to tell us why you felt that way. What was it about the book – specifically – that made you like it. Or dislike it.
I can’t wait to hear what you thought about the book.
(Then move on to Carole’s blog next . . . for her question.)
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Don’t forget: We’ll be discussing the book on Zoom tonight – 7:00 pm Eastern Time. There’s still time for you to join us! Just let me know of your interest either with a comment or by sending me an email (see sidebar, above) — and I’ll send a Zoom invitation.
PS – If you are planning to join us on the Zoom, but haven’t received an invitation from me (I sent them Monday evening), please let me know so I can get the Zoom link to you today.
I decided to start things off by letting you know what I thought of the book. I liked it. I didn’t love it or think it was the best book I read this year or anything, but I did find it interesting and compelling enough to read it twice! (In fact, the second reading made me understand things better, and like the book more.)
I’m generally not a fan of time travel stories, and The Ministry of Time didn’t do anything to change that assessment. I find them confusing and my mind just gets tired trying to figure out who. . . is when . . . y’know? So I could have done without the time travel. But I was initrigued by time traveling “expats” and the concept of “refugees” from another time. I really liked the colonization thread through the story. And I really liked the narrator and Gore, as a couple, and Arthur and Margaret as their friends. I thought the “assimilation” of living in (relatively) current day was done brilliantly.
There is so much to talk about with this book!
I loved it — except for the ending. I thought the writing was great and the story was really inventive, but I thought things fell apart at the end. It all felt very rushed and not consistent with the rest of the book, and I didn’t think the future version of the narrator was at all realistic or consistent with the present version.
I did not care for it… also why are time travel books always connected to a strange romance novel. I thought the start was great! But I think this book tried to be too many things. (Honestly, I should have seen that one twist coming, but I did not.) And I agree with Sarah, the ending did feel rushed and yes, the “future narrator” was not at all consistent with the “present narrator”. For me this book did not work… but perhaps my expectations having watched The Terror (and tremendously enjoyed it!)
I liked the book, thought it had an interesting premise, but didn’t love it. Time travel just makes things “messy” in a novel and I can’t help but question the mechanics of it. I’m intrigued that Kat actually watched The Terror and enjoyed it so that’s more to talk about tonight!
I did not love the book. I thought the premise had potential though time travel stories can have a huge cringe factor to them. This one wasn’t so bad in that respect. I thought the expats were well developed and the ways they handled adapting to the present made sense. The relationship between the four central characters makes sense, in the way Kym noted.
I had a really hard time accepting the incompetence of the ministry and the leadership we were shown. I feel like the story fell apart in the second half of the book. Most “rules” of time travel don’t allow future and present selves to exist in the same space and time. It causes too many problems with the “physics” of time travel.
Overall the book reminded me of the Loki series on Disney+. It started out really well and then got lost in the ripple effect caused by the disruptions to time made by the travelers.
Surprising myself, I really liked the book! Except, like Sarah – and Kat – mentioned, the ending which I felt was rushed and not consistent with the balance of the book – almost like the author got tired and said “ok, time to wrap this up quickly.” As Kym mentioned, I liked the narrator and Gore and Arthur and Margaret. I did not like the narrator’s future self and she did not seem to fit in well in my opinion. I laughed at some of the expats getting accustomed to present day things (computers, Spotify, washing machines, etc.). I’ve actually recommended it to a couple of people I think will enjoy it.
I don’t usually like time travel books, but I did like this one, but didn’t love it. What I did like was how the time travelers were portrayed as “expats” and “refugees” and how the author used that to show the challenges faced by the refugees in our time as they try to assimilate to a new culture. Our small town is one of the areas where a few hundred Haitian refugees have been placed (they are here on a protective status) , so I have some knowledge of the challenges they face. I also liked some of the characters-the narrator & Gore, Margaret, & Arthur.
What I didn’t like was the ending, it was rushed and just too crazy! I’m sorry I will miss the discussion tonight, I’m sure it will be a good one!
OK, I am going to be efficient and just leave you my goodreads review.
This is an ingenious and provocative plot with an incredible arc that satisfies all my book desires in one very slick volume. I already know I am going back to it sometime in the near future after I have had time to think about it. The prose is seductive and beautiful and begs to be read again. The characters are fully developed and mainly likeable except in the caricatures of evil, which is very effective in creating happy storytelling with a moral center. And although this is a tragedy in so many realms, this is happy storytelling about the true nature of life and the wisdom of accepting it and continuing to seek joy. I loved every minute of it.
I liked it, didn’t love it. I did find myself googling a lot of the historical things and that was fascinating. Also hated the ending.
I have now read it twice, the first time with my eyes and the second with my ears – mostly, I did have to finish it this afternoon with the actual book which I borrowed from work. Anyway. I didn’t love it the first time and liked it much better the 2nd time. I was really moved by the love story of the narrator and Gore, which didn’t happen the first time. And I liked picking up on things Adela said and did the 2nd time now that I knew who she was. I know a lot of people have remarked that the ending felt rushed but I think that actually leant itself nicely to the pacing of the plot. Things were heating up and coming to a crisis for the ex Pats and bridges and I think the author did a good job of capturing their feelings with the frenzied pace of the end.
It was meh. I thought it had great promise that never quite delivered.
I liked it. I’m not a fan of time travel but I really enjoyed this more than I expected to.