Scan barcode
A review by readingspells
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book has set on my shelf for around 15 years. I have come close to un-hauling it a few times but something always stopped me and I would pop it back on the shelf.
This year I wrote myself 12 reading challenges. One of them was to read a book published in the year of my daughters birth (2003). When I was looking for potential candidates this popped up on the list of books published in that year and I knew it was meant to be.
Oddly I am glad I waited all that time to read it. I have a feeling 15 years ago I might have DNF it as the beginning is a little confusing and the time travel element probably would have had me dismissing it as silly. (I had not really discovered my love of magical realism back then) but now, today, this book... *happy sigh
Is it perfect? Nope, there are definitely some descriptions of food or places that ramble on a bit, Clare is oddly not easy to connect with at first and Henry is more fleeting in the early parts of the book. There is also some repetition but when I mentioned to my husband (who has read it) he was like, press on. Trust the process. And that is my advice to you if you have not read it because the author took me on a journey and I am totally in awe of what she managed to do with this book.
I can't begin to imagine the plotting it must have taken to weave this story together. To make it linear whilst also jumping back in time and on some rare occasions, forward too. Henry slowly emerges into the story I found myself caring deeply about him. He seemed to fragile and lost and scared and yet he constantly tried to make it OK for everyone else. As for the ending, tears were shed.
“I love you, always. Time is nothing.
Henry”
CW: Graphic miscarriage descriptions, graphic car accident, amputation.
This year I wrote myself 12 reading challenges. One of them was to read a book published in the year of my daughters birth (2003). When I was looking for potential candidates this popped up on the list of books published in that year and I knew it was meant to be.
Oddly I am glad I waited all that time to read it. I have a feeling 15 years ago I might have DNF it as the beginning is a little confusing and the time travel element probably would have had me dismissing it as silly. (I had not really discovered my love of magical realism back then) but now, today, this book... *happy sigh
Is it perfect? Nope, there are definitely some descriptions of food or places that ramble on a bit, Clare is oddly not easy to connect with at first and Henry is more fleeting in the early parts of the book. There is also some repetition but when I mentioned to my husband (who has read it) he was like, press on. Trust the process. And that is my advice to you if you have not read it because the author took me on a journey and I am totally in awe of what she managed to do with this book.
I can't begin to imagine the plotting it must have taken to weave this story together. To make it linear whilst also jumping back in time and on some rare occasions, forward too. Henry slowly emerges into the story I found myself caring deeply about him. He seemed to fragile and lost and scared and yet he constantly tried to make it OK for everyone else. As for the ending, tears were shed.
“I love you, always. Time is nothing.
Henry”
CW: Graphic miscarriage descriptions, graphic car accident, amputation.