"When she asks where these expats come from, she is told: History. The interviewer adds, casually, We have time travel. Listeners concerned about the practicalities of this time-hopping tale will be reassured by our protagonist's observation that contemplating the physics leads to a crock of shit, so it is best not dwelled upon."
"Her job, then, is to act as minder or bridge to individuals removed from their eras and bounced into the present. Kaliane Bradley's debut novel straddles sci-fi and romance as it grapples with the climate crisis, colonialism and forced migration, and uncovers the strangeness of our world as seen from the past."
"Here, Gore is catapulted into a brave new world of modern plumbing, online streaming and where the British white male no longer rules the waves. The narrator is actor Katie Leung, who strikes a smart balance between comedy and seriousness."
The Ministry of Time follows a British Cambodian civil servant who accepts a position managing expats from history itself. The British government has developed time travel technology and now requires staff to support historical figures transported to the present. The protagonist's role involves acting as a bridge between these displaced individuals and modern society. The novel blends science fiction and romance while addressing climate crisis, colonialism, and forced migration. Commander Graham Gore, a real naval officer from the 1845 Franklin expedition, serves as a key character experiencing modern plumbing, streaming technology, and a world where British male dominance no longer prevails. The audiobook features narrators Katie Leung and George Weightman, balancing comedy with serious themes.
#time-travel-science-fiction #historical-displacement #climate-crisis-and-colonialism #audiobook-narration #contemporary-social-issues
Read at www.theguardian.com
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