I know “they” say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but there’s also a reason so many artists, graphic designers, and creative professionals invest in getting them right – they’re a drawcard to the contents, a reader’s first point of call with the work. For that reason, I resisted picking up this book, despite the interesting things I’d heard about it, which suggested I’d really enjoy it (time travel – tick! History – tick! Romance – tick! Speculative fiction – tick!). But the cover simply didn’t “grab” me. So, I didn’t. My loss, as it turns out.
Over Xmas New Year, I downloaded it on my Kindle and read it and loved it.
It basically tells the story of a young British-Cambodian woman who works for the mysterious “Ministry” as a “bridge” for “expatriates”, helping them acclimatise to their new lives in the UK and the culture shock their relocation may have caused. The only thing is, these people are from different periods across time.
And so we basically follow, from a first-person PoV, our “bridge” and her relationship with her “expat”, Commander Graham Gore, who has been whisked to safety by the Ministry, avoiding the certain death of his compatriots who were part of Sir John Franklin’s disastrous Arctic expedition in the mid 1800s.
Nicknamed “1847”, Graham is measured and calm considering the circumstances he finds himself in and over a period of a few months, we see the relationship between 1847 and his bridge develop. We’re also introduced to the other four expats – Arthur, “1916” and the delightful Margaret, who was snatched from the 1600s (her use of language is marvellous).
But as one would assume, removing people from their time is not easy on anyone and there’s a reason the Ministry have done this… a reason that puts the lives of not just the expats, but their bridges at risk – in the present and indeed, the future…
This was such an original and refreshing book in so many ways. Sure, it was a bit thin with explanations as to why specific people were chosen and sometimes the world-building was a bit obscure, but it dealt with a range of themes from identity, cultural roots, refugees, racism, sexism, homophobia and so much more. There were times the novel was laugh out loud funny as the inevitable cultural mistakes and misunderstandings occurred – these expats are, after all, out of time and, in some instances, place. The satire is rich in parts too and the wit excellent (looking at Margaret here). There’s a certain joy to seeing our world through history’s eyes. This doesn’t distract from the darker elements at play, but rather emphasises them, demonstrating how much history writes the present and future.
So, unlike me, don’t be put off by the cover. This is a terrific read that requires (like all novels really) to suspend your disbelief and enter the world of the Ministry and enjoy the time you spend there.