Redheard by the Side of the Road by Anne Tyler

 

Thought this was going to be about a redhead, but as the cover shows, a fire hydrant is the only redhead (so far).

Also, predictable Tyler story, comfortable, well-worn, quiet insights. Least amount of plot ever.

Effortless to read. Lesser work.

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

 

Okay time travel book, if a little bit overblown prose style. The 1840s-era Arctic exploring ships details are the most vivid.

The Ministry of Time is set in near future UK.  A time travel "door" has been discovered time travel, and the Ministry performs experiments on its effects on humans, by taking historical figures from the verge of death and bringing them to the present.

The narrator's voice and POV are a little melodramatic. She falls in love with her historic figure, Graham, Arctic sailor who is hot and also Victorian-repressed.

The two gay characters are most interesting - Maggie from the 1600s who speaks in a delightful Shakespearean patois, and Arthur, rescued from the trenches of WWI (I think).