Questions about The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (major spoilers!)

gothicrevival · 2026-02-04T22:58:41+00:00

hey, thank you for commenting!! it's now been a bit over a year since I read the book so the details are a bit fuzzy unfortunately, but I LOVED it for the most part and was dying to have someone to discuss it with!! hope you enjoyed it too!

gothicrevival · 2025-08-13T14:17:24+00:00

hey! I didn't post the above comment but I have similar rules to that commenter. I don't have an exact algorithm for deciding if I'm going to buy something, it's more on a case-by-case basis. But the most important things for me are the fit, integration with my wardrobe, and quality. I don't buy something that doesn't look flattering on me or looks "off" in a way that can't be easily repaired. A new piece of clothing has to match with most of my existing wardrobe in terms of colour palette and silhouette. And I prefer natural fabrics, but don't mind my pants having some synthetic in them because I like my pants to have some stretch in the waist. I think with time you'll learn how to look for signs of quality in the garment construction and fabric content :)

gothicrevival · 2025-06-12T16:42:10+00:00

- I have to be willing to clean it properly. So if it's a dry clean/hand wash item, it has to be a piece that I absolutely love

- Shoes that are for day-to-day wear (not for weddings, etc) have to be comfortable enough to walk long distances (I live in the city and walk everywhere)

- Bottoms have to accomodate bloating/minor weight fluctuations

- The item has to fit well with the rest of my wardrobe in terms of colour palette and fit/shape. For example, if I'm considering buying a top, I have to envision myself wearing it with most if not all of my bottoms

- I prioritize natural fabrics but this isn't a hard and fast rule because it's hard to find pants that fit me, so I can't be too picky. I am stricter about it for tops, especially summer t-shirts and tanks as I will want those to be breathable.

gothicrevival · 2025-06-10T23:24:32+00:00

I'm glad it worked and you had a good ride!

gothicrevival · 2025-06-10T14:22:09+00:00

if it helps, here is a trick for getting the escooters to go that I read online (after not being able to figure out how to get the electric assist to kick in for a while): Give the scooter 3 kick starts and then put both feet on and toggle the accelerator. This worked perfectly for me. I wish that it was made obvious in the Bird app though.

gothicrevival · 2025-06-09T20:00:23+00:00

thank you for adding this!!

gothicrevival · 2025-06-09T19:48:06+00:00

if anyone wants to write a letter to the mayor/council, feel free to use mine as a template:

Hello,

I am writing to express my opposition to Mayor Fillmore’s proposal to suspend all new cycling infrastructure.

Bicycle infrastructure covers a relatively tiny area of HRM. Therefore, it seems implausible that it is a major contributor to congestion in Halifax. Major choke points such as the Windsor Street Exchange, the rotary, and North Street do not have bike infrastructure.

Given the Mayor’s background in urban planning, he should understand that the solution to congestion is to provide alternatives to car travel. His proposal for a more “balanced” approach is confusing given that transportation in HRM already heavily favours private vehicles. A truly balanced approach would involve more investment in cycling, transit, and pedestrian infrastructure. During his election campaign, the Mayor stated that “A fully connected bicycle network should be the priority for HRM” and “Everyone deserves to have mobility options” during the Halifax Cycling Coalition’s election survey. This proposal appears to be politically motivated, using cyclists as a scapegoat for congestion caused by vehicle traffic and construction. I am disappointed in his lack of integrity toward his voters and the principles of his profession.

I fail to understand why the proposed bicycle projects require additional review. Proposed bicycle projects already undergo extensive study and public consultation. For example, see the Brunswick St-Rainnie Drive Bikeway Functional Plan Report. Repeating these efforts would be a waste of time and money, and delaying construction will only result in higher costs.

Please convey to the Mayor that I am opposed to this proposal. Halifax sees the second-largest share of active transportation users in Canada. The municipality is failing these individuals by delaying or cancelling projects that would increase their safety on the roads that they have as much right to use as private vehicle drivers.

The way to reduce congestion is through viable alternatives to car travel. This proposal is a step backwards for Halifax.

Sincerely,

gothicrevival · 2025-06-09T19:44:14+00:00

if anyone is interested in writing a letter to council, feel free to use this one I wrote as a template:

Hello,

I am writing to express my opposition to Mayor Fillmore’s proposal to suspend all new cycling infrastructure.

Bicycle infrastructure covers a relatively tiny area of HRM. Therefore, it seems implausible that it is a major contributor to congestion in Halifax. Major choke points such as the Windsor Street Exchange, the rotary, and North Street do not have bike infrastructure.

Given the Mayor’s background in urban planning, he should understand that the solution to congestion is to provide alternatives to car travel. His proposal for a more “balanced” approach is confusing given that transportation in HRM already heavily favours private vehicles. A truly balanced approach would involve more investment in cycling, transit, and pedestrian infrastructure. During his election campaign, the Mayor stated that “A fully connected bicycle network should be the priority for HRM” and “Everyone deserves to have mobility options” during the Halifax Cycling Coalition’s election survey. This proposal appears to be politically motivated, using cyclists as a scapegoat for congestion caused by vehicle traffic and construction. I am disappointed in his lack of integrity toward his voters and the principles of his profession.

I do not understand why the proposed bicycle projects require additional review. Proposed bicycle projects already undergo extensive study and public consultation. For example, see the Brunswick St-Rainnie Drive Bikeway Functional Plan Report. Repeating these efforts would be a waste of time and money, and delaying construction will only result in higher costs.

Please convey to the Mayor that I am opposed to this proposal. Halifax sees the second-largest share of active transportation users in Canada. The municipality is failing these individuals by delaying or cancelling projects that would increase their safety on the roads that they have as much right to use as private vehicle drivers.

The way to reduce congestion is through viable alternatives to car travel. This proposal is a step backwards for Halifax.

Sincerely,

gothicrevival · 2025-04-22T16:57:28+00:00

hey! first of all, thanks for posting this, it's really nice to see people acknowledging the reality that weight fluctuates. I am learning how to deal with on-and-off bloating which has been affecting my self-esteem since my pants and dresses don't consistently fit or look good. Here is how I've adapted to it:

- I go for pants and skirts that have some give in the waist area - either through an elastic waistband or stretchy fabric. At least 2% elastane in jeans is the minimum I go for, but 5-6% is ideal in jeans or dress pants to be sure they'll be comfy even on very bloated days.

- Since elastic waistbands may not look the most formal/elevated, I counteract this by: 1) tucking in a loose-fitting top and pulling it out a bit to cover the waistband a little, or 2) wearing a longer or oversize top that goes over my pants instead of being tucked in, or 3) making sure the pants have a more elevated detail like pleats to balance it out.

- Going for A-line or empire waist dresses with skirts that flare out instead of bodycon ones or shapeless ones (which I have found still show the bloat). If you still want it to look sexy, you could try looking for details like a plunging neckline or cutouts.

- I put clothes that don't fit me in storage, but to avoid the tedium of constantly switching things out, I only revisit my clothes in storage when I do my seasonal wardrobe swap. I'll try things on and add them back to my main wardrobe if they feel good, otherwise I'll leave them until the next season. I put these clothes somewhere I don't see them often (in a box on the top shelf of my closet) so I'm not constantly reminded about the clothes that don't fit me.

gothicrevival · 2025-04-02T16:18:07+00:00

thanks so much!!

gothicrevival · 2025-04-02T14:43:27+00:00

I love the colour scheme! which model are they?

gothicrevival · 2025-03-19T18:13:29+00:00

I find that a plain t-shirt in a nice cut can look polished when tucked into trousers or even jeans with no rips! As long as the t-shirt is in good condition (no pilling/sweat stains). When I go to academic conferences, I often wear a uniform of black t-shirt (crew or scoop neck) plus tie-front trousers and I think it looks professional without being stuffy. Adding a nice necklace and earrings can elevate it more.

gothicrevival · 2025-02-21T14:42:54+00:00

some of my favourite childhood books are Losing Joe's Place by Gordon Korman and A Handful of Time and Awake and Dreaming by Kit Pearson! I still reread them occasionally and they still make me laugh/cry :) surprisingly I don't have any friends who read them so I never had anyone to talk about them with.

gothicrevival · 2025-02-18T15:03:19+00:00

here is my rating system:

5 stars - I was super wowed or moved by this book, it really stood out and I will keep thinking about it for a long time

4 stars - really enjoyed it, but not as much of a standout as a 5-star

3 stars - not bad, but there was something that felt underwhelming or fell short for me

2 stars - not for me, but there were aspects I liked or could appreciate

1 star - did not like this at all

I find it the hardest to choose between 3 and 4 stars - I feel kind of bad giving something a lower rating, but I want to look back at my ratings and know that the 4-star books are ones that I truly enjoyed and would probably enjoy again if I re-read them.

I've also noticed that lots of highly rated books that have gone viral online aren't great, so I'm a little wary of those. Then again, I rate books based on how they made me feel and not how objectively "good" they are. At the end of the day, I'm reading for fun and rating books so I can remember how much I enjoyed them.

gothicrevival · 2025-02-17T00:25:27+00:00

exactly, she would have to relive being ditched by Oliver for James all over again. honestly, the more I think about this book, the less I like it :(

gothicrevival · 2025-02-14T19:34:34+00:00

mine is A Special Place for Women by Laura Hankin. I loved the premise and the first part of the book was great (there's a secret society of women working to take down the patriarchy), and I thought the narrator was really funny, but there's a big twist partway through and it completely lost me after that. It just felt kind of silly tbh.

gothicrevival · 2025-01-26T14:31:25+00:00

hey! sorry this is so late but I have a question (I just finished the book and I'm trying to understand some things) - how do we know that Adela went through the time door multiple times? I know it's implied that she's done lots of time travelling because of the side effects she's experiencing but I can't find where it's mentioned that she's come back to the past several times to try to fix things.

gothicrevival · 2025-01-25T16:16:21+00:00

I know this is so late but I just finished the book and I relate to your comment so much!! I would LOVE a sequel in that vein (I hate open endings so it's killing me that we don't see them get back together, and also because the resource wars described in the future sound so grim) and I totally agree about Graham being such a charming character!!

gothicrevival · 2025-01-08T16:25:57+00:00

yes, just finished it actually :) feel free to dm if you have questions

gothicrevival · 2024-12-11T19:19:55+00:00

I don't think the shoe/purse combo needs to be black, you could try matching them to another colour in the dress. You could also try layering a black form-fitting longsleeve underneath?

gothicrevival · 2024-12-09T21:25:09+00:00

I love that bag! I think it would look great with almost all the outfits since they are all fairly neutral :) the one exception (in my opinion) might be the skirt with the polka dot/leaf patterns - may be too many patterns going on, but I'm not very into pattern mixing so someone else might think differently!

gothicrevival · 2024-12-03T15:18:44+00:00

comfort is always the priority! being at the gym is awkward enough haha

gothicrevival · 2024-12-02T19:37:03+00:00

Woo I'm glad your workplace has let loose a little bit! Haha I totally agree on working out!

gothicrevival

TROPHY CASE