The Procrastinators Book Club discussion

This is the group thread for The Ministry of Time!

Content Warnings: murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, imprisonment.

This thread is open for discussion beginning June 1st! Please keep in mind that spoilers are allowed (mark as a spoiler) in this thread but only up to the group's current reading place. Do not spoil the book if you've read further than the group. Any extra days of the month can be used to catch up if needed! Page numbers are an approximation based on the hardcover or paperback that is the default on Goodreads.

The Group Read Discussion schedule is as follows:

Week of 06/01
June 01: Chapter One & Chapter I or 35 pages
June 02: Chapter Two & Chapter II or 35 pages

Week of 06/03
June 03: Chapter Three & Chapter III or 35 pages
June 04: Chapter Four & Chapter IV or 35 pages
June 05: Chapter Five & Chapter V or 35 pages
June 06: Chapter Six & Chapter VI or 35 pages
June 07: Chapter Seven & Chapter VII or 35 pages
June 08: Chapter Eight & Chapter VIII or 35 pages
June 09: Chapter Nine & Chapter IX or 35 pages

Week of 06/10
June 10: Chapter Ten & Chapter X or 35 pages


You can read the group book at any time during the month and at your own pace. This is the pace the group will be using, but if you read ahead or will be giving spoilers, please mark them (click the "some html is ok button"). If you have any questions a mod or another member can help you.

Finished chapter 1

(view spoiler)[ I'd forgotten what this book was about when I picked it up. It's certainly off to an interesting start and Gore is adjusting much quicker than anyone seems to be expecting. Then again, as an explorer he's more used to encountering the unexpected. I am surprised that the Ministry is keeping him in the middle of London instead of an environment that would be more familiar to make the adjustment period easier. Also, grabbing someone with a metal net from a portal? Couldn't any one of the psychologists explained that was a recipe for trauma? (hide spoiler)]

I finished chapter 1 too, and this is really promising - might end up being a 5-star read for me.
I agree with a lot of your observations, @Nic....

Just finished Ch One
@Nic I'd forgotten as well and had to go back to read the blurb lol!
(view spoiler)[ I also thought a city like London was not the best choice, wonder why they didn't pick the countryside instead - especially when he was saying there's no space and horizon in London, my first thought was the countrysides of England has all that! I was wondering how they "rescued" the "expats" and when I read that part I was horrified, like yes they're meant to die but you just plucked them out of their environment without they're consent! They're expats but more prisoners. (hide spoiler)]

I am now back to reading this and finished through chapter 5. This is becoming more and more intriguing as I go along.
(view spoiler)[ Even though she doesn't say so, she has definitely fallen for Graham, as has Arthur. Given his inquiries about her culture and family, I think Graham may have a thing for her too. Graham does make for an interesting character, but I think there is something off about him - is he an unwitting pawn for the ministry or does he know something the rest do not. As well as the whole Ministry - something strange is afoot, but the story is giving us clues little bit by little bit rather than have a total revelation early on.
Clues that I have seen through chapter 5/V:
1. the handler Quentin's reaction to Graham's drawing and subsequent paranoia
2. Quentin's "reassignment" and then "defection"
3. the unscanability each of the expats seem to be experiencing
4. Adela - constantly shady, and then she takes over the "handling"
5. the "hereness" and "thereness" the expats are learning to control
I am very interested to see what the mystery and/or conspiracy is.
The themes of colonization and racialized "otherness" gives this book a more serious undertone amongst all the funny bits. And I'm wondering how the greek number chapters with Gore's perspective/memories will end up connecting to the rest of the story (are there additional clues to the Ministry mystery in them, or will there be some event that these chapters will help provide the backdrop to). (hide spoiler)]

And then chapter 6 and 7 happened.... shock and awe.

(view spoiler)[ I guess I was right in my impressions earlier, but still... wow. First, I am happy that Graham and the protagonist got together, albeit quite awkwardly. But I am getting an increasing feeling of foreboding from the way she states things - I think this relationship will not end well.
Second, the plot at the Ministry was surprising. I was suspicious of the Brigadier and I had a feeling that he was an expat, but not the type I expected (I thought he might be the original expat before the 5-6 that they brought back with Graham in it, not an operative from the future). But the assassination of Quentin? And the attempt on Graham and her? Did not see that coming. At least the Ministry is coming clean (maybe?) after that. I wonder what will be next? Somehow I feel this will not be a happy ending for all... (hide spoiler)]

Ch 3
I do like the attempt with the different characters - eg the way Margaret talks.
I wonder how differently this would have read like if we're getting it from the pov of the expats.
also I love the chicken bag, I want one!
the bicycle scene was quite fun, I like watching Graham try and attempt things that he wouldn't have been exposed to but again, I do wonder how he feels about it

Ch IV
I like these little snippets into Graham's past. I wonder what happened here.

@Leslie the clues you picked up on are spot on

Ch 6-7
I wasn't expecting violence but here we are. and it's just like the British to steal what's not theirs and it's put people in danger. although we could see it coming, I was hoping they'd be no romance between the two but it was inevitable. That's cute that Graham has been trying to woo her though.
The ministry and Adela are definitely hiding so much. Even knowing that they had visitors from the future and how the time travel door actually works.

Ch 9
WHAT OMG WHAT YELLS

I've just finished it and maybe because it's a short book, but the last chapter and the ending is so underwhelming. Too little time was spent exploring what it means for the world, for the fmc and for the expats. I'm left deeply unsatisfied.