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Audrey Niffenegger: The Time Traveler's Wife

Yeah, stef - I should finish the book because I can't read your spoilers. So, I have incomplete knowledge about what you are saying. Problem is, I'm at work, and while I can act like I'm doing something while posting on this forum, I can't exactly pull my book out of my bag and start reading, just now.
As far as beating that guy up - I was sort of appalled that Clare wanted to hurt that punk so badly - I'm not really a vengeful type myself. But it wasn't Henry - he only acquiesced because she asked him to do it - he really didn't want to get involved but he did, only to defend her honor, and not for any personal reason. And then again, they only humiliated the brute, and did not really damage him (other than emotionally) when he was at their mercy, duct taped to a tree.
Robbed her of her life? I don't see it that way at all. She had free will the whole time (or as much free will as one can have in a pre-derterministic setting like a time-travelling story). Clare chose to be with Henry - and was desolate without him. And, she sought him out in her Real Time, as soon as she could. So, I don't agree that Henry robbed her of her life.
 
Hmm, yeah okay. You could hide the book inside some all-important papers, though, Libre. Any old excuse huh? ;)

The beating up the guy was quite unrealistic on both their parts (oh yeah, and travelling in time is normal :rolleyes: ) but yeah, it was Clare's initiation.

I disagree that Clare was able to exercise free will. He turned up to see her when she was six years old, telling her and periodically reinforcing the message that they were together as adults, in her future and his real time. He told her little things like what she liked to eat and drink, and who her friends were, etc... how could she then say "no, I'm in love with Gomez, who is this strange man telling me who I'm meant to be" when it came to the point when it really counted. What young girl doesn't want to believe in the fated happily-ever-after love story? He played on that.
 
I get your point, steff, but I see it more from Henry's POV - that he was an involuntarily being shot from time to time, place to place. He had no ability to change events when he was time travelling - no free will at all. He could only do what he HAD done (or was going to do). All in all, I think he showed remarkable restraint in not capitalizing more, on his knowledge of future events.
Beating up the guy was totally unrealistic - I agree.
That really brings into focus how realistic much of the narrative is (disregarding the main premise of time travel, of course).
What I mean to say is, when people are interacting, speaking lines, I can really visualize it.
A good example is the dinner with Gomez and Charisse, the first time Henry met them (in real time). I loved that scene. It reminded me of the times I met new friends, sometimes the friends of a new girlfriend, for dinner ar their home - and hit it off with them. To me, the dialogue seemed unforced and natural - as most the dialogue in the book.
It also bears mentioning that Clare also hated when Henry would tell her what she would like and dislike in the future. So, I can't really see that as a flaw in the book, only a flaw of Henry's. But again, he mostly resisted telling people stuff when he could have used his knowledge to much greater advantage. But, he didn't - so he couldn't. Another premise of the book.
I underestimated the 20 pages - it was more like 80. I guess it means I can't wait to finish - and I can't, to be honest. So I'm not in total disagreement with you, steffee. It sure has NOT been a page turner.
 
Oh, I thought it was a pageturner. :p

No, but the scenes? Yeah, okay, you're right. I could picture the scene where she bumps into him in the library, and of course, he doesn't know her, and so they go for dinner and she fills him in. I could picture the party, when he waits for her in the car, and even all those times he shoes up. The scene where he beats up Gomez's friend... and you believe the narrator. You believe that he is always sent back or forward in time without any clothes, and even without the fillings in his teeth. You believe that both Clare and Henry were faithful to one another, and you believe that Henry waited until she was eighteen before he slept with her.

So, I guess I agree that the relationship parts are pretty realistically portrayed. And yeah, most of the characters are three dimensional, at least... though I forget their names, but Clare's family were pretty realistic, and Gomez and Charisse (though I felt sorry for them both, and feel Henry is to blame for that), his boss and colleague and his father and neighbour, and the doctor, and
their daughter
.

But, I think had the story begun with them meeting in real time initially, on both parts, I would have liked it more. It might have been a true love story, then, and he still could have gone back to when she was six, and maybe spied on her from afar (er, or maybe not, but you get the gist)... because Niffenegger was able, I think, to depict many different scenes, from the POV of many characters.
 
Well, I've finished it.
I've read your spoilers, steffee, and while what you wrote has some validity, I still come away thinking Henry was a pretty honorable guy. Yes, he changed people's lives by his existance - we all do.
Clare is not the first young widow to spend her life waiting for her true love's return because she was unable to ever love another (if in fact that is what happened - we don't see her between her 30's and her 80's).
Anyway, it was a really good book, I think, but I also agree with you that it is flawed because it depends on my acceptance of Henry's ability to time travel - which I can't accept. For some reason, if an author creates an imaginary setting in which wizards can conjure creatures up and cast spells, and does it convincingly (LOTR, for example) I have no problem accepting it for the purposes of the plot of the book. But Niffenegger, as well as she developed the complex characters and themes, never succeeded in making me accept her basic premise - not even a little.
Oh well - I enjoyed it anyway.
 
direstraits said:
lies, you really did your research. :D

Like Clara, I did think the concept had a lot to offer, and while I thought Niffenegger could have done more, but it was still a good tale. I wasn't bored with Henry and Clare, though. I just hoped more could have happened.

ds
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i quite agree! i couldn't pinpoint what i felt was missing, just felt it wasn't complete and that is really what it is - it wasn't complete!

i wanted to know more about the development of the relationship and timeline between henry and his daughter. i felt it was like falling off a cliff and then landing on fluff with the epilogue, too. it could have been a better ending.

overall, though, i really enjoyed this book - its ups and downs. i hated the political crap thrown in, especially since going in that direction just made them hypocrits in the end, or maybe that was the point. i didn't mind the social scenes, though, as it was reminiscent of my teenage years! :eek: lol

and last, but not least, i did have trouble with the miscarriage scenes - they hit too close to home, but that is evidence of either personal experience or great research. she really captured the emotion of it.

i have to say, that after reading something about the ending and thinking of what i said, i think that
the death and the finality of everything just kind of stopping then was real, as death is like that - it can, at times, just be so abrupt and final when it happens unexpectedly and so young. although it wasn't unexpected for him, the situation was abrupt and very emotionally surprising and shocking just like as if they didn't know it was going to happen. i think she wrote that part very well.

oh, and i wanted to know if the
doctor ever found a cure or a treatment for the daughter
 
to me, though, steffee, i don't think he interfered as much as you refer, because he didn't let her know they were together until she was much older and already had feelings for him. it was like he said anyways, it didn't matter if he came back and had an influence because that was the way it was going to happen anyways. he doesn't have control over where and when he goes so he has to do the best he can with what he has. he didn't even tell her his last name or any of his information so that she could find him and make it more final and real for herself.
 
I finished this book just last week, couldn't put it down and didn't want it to end either. I loved the way it was woven together, especially when things from Clare's past cropped up in Henry's present. Very clever.
 
This is one overrated piece of trash. I couldn't even read past page 3. Stephen King's worst (Lisey's Story, Insomnia, From a Buick 8, Colorado Kid) is Audrey's best debut, sequel, or any other stories she plans to write. :mad:

I found Annie Sebold's "Lovely Bone" to be a masterpiece (even if I only read the first few chapters) compared to this crap.
 
eyez0nme said:
This is one overrated piece of trash. I couldn't even read past page 3. Stephen King's worst (Lisey's Story, Insomnia, From a Buick 8, Colorado Kid) is Audrey's best debut, sequel, or any other stories she plans to write. :mad:

I found Annie Sebold's "Lovely Bone" to be a masterpiece (even if I only read the first few chapters) compared to this crap.
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Incredible insight! Best literary review ever!
 
eyez0nme said:
This is one overrated piece of trash. I couldn't even read past page 3. Stephen King's worst (Lisey's Story, Insomnia, From a Buick 8, Colorado Kid) is Audrey's best debut, sequel, or any other stories she plans to write. :mad:

I found Annie Sebold's "Lovely Bone" to be a masterpiece (even if I only read the first few chapters) compared to this crap.
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Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones, was completely unlike this book.
 
God, I love this story! For me, it's most of all about love, without time limits, and true love is just like this, I think.
 
I finished this not so long ago, and thought it was certainly interesting although I didn't like it as much as I had expected to - I had very high hopes for it though.

I don't believe that Henry had deliberately influenced Claire's life in the way that has been suggested, simply because the book was partially written from his point of view and surely if he'd been trying to steer (groom?) her, it would have been obvious from his thoughts?

It was also a bit of a shame that the end that is clearly suggested during the narrative is exactly what happens, no twist or surprise there. Also, the book should have ended a couple of pages before it did, it rambles on at the end telling us nothing new.

Personally, I thought that the writer had made Henry and Claire too pretentious and there was waaaay too much unlikely sex going on and the crude language used at times seemed to jar with the love story... but that's probably just me being prudish :)
 
Bovine_Belle said:
Personally, I thought that the writer had made Henry and Claire too pretentious and there was waaaay too much unlikely sex going on and the crude language used at times seemed to jar with the love story... but that's probably just me being prudish :)
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I agree about the language and their pretentiousness (although the way they are written from a political standpoint, it is true to form IMHO), although you would be surprised about some people's sex drive! ;)
 
In my opinion, the book had an A-w-e-s-o-m-e beginning I Agree with Gracie61 too!
I also thought the the ending was predictable and the story went boring at the end. Some Minor details were added to fill pages that didn't mean anything. Its like Audrey wrote and wrote to fill pages instead of tell a story and then suddenly she Jumped to the ending!! All in all it was a Good read! It would make a good movie since in movies they skip crappy details ^^,
 
I was turned off by the scene with Clare and Gomez. To me it just didn't seem to be significant to the story. I just don't like that part.
 
I have passed by this book so many times, picking it up and leaving it down.
Hasn't come home, yet.
 
Yes, there is a movie coming out with Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana. I haven't found a release date.

Try going to imdb.com and looking up the movie info.

I loved the novel. The ending stayed with me for days and days. I think the book is more about two lovers who are together, but can never be completely together...which could be symbolic of most relationships. How close can you really be with someone else?
 
The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger

I started reading this a few days ago and am almost at the end, I have about 50 pages left and it doesn't sound like it's going to end well. Please tell me it does end well! Did anyone else find the ending to this book disappointing??

Torey
 
I really, really enjoyed this book - one of those stories where the characters stay with you long after you've finished reading.

Booklover Book Reviews
 
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