St Florence > Home > Clubs & Societies > Book Club > Previously Discussed > The Time Traveler's Wife
| June
2005 |
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| The
Time Traveler's Wife
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| by Audrey Niffenegger | ||
| This extraordinary, magical novel is the story of Clare and Henry who have known each other since Clare was six and Henry was thirty-six, and were married when Clare was twenty-two and Henry thirty. Impossible but true, because Henry is one of the first people diagnosed with Chrono-Displacement Disorder: periodically his genetic clock resets and he finds himself pulled suddenly into his past or future. His disappearances are spontaneous and his experiences are alternately harrowing and amusing. The Time Traveler's Wife depicts the effects of time travel on Henry and Clare's passionate love for each other with grace and humour. Their struggle to lead normal lives in the face of a force they can neither prevent nor control is intensely moving and entirely unforgettable.
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Find
an extract from this book in the FILES section of SFBC
ONLINE |
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| Discussed
at Rock House on 30 June 2005 |
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As
the opinion of the Club fell into two distinct groups – the
ayes and the nays – it was easier for two people to write
the review. |
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| Angela |
Gay |
| I felt the time travel theme, whilst initially interesting, began to pall after a while. Poor old Henry seemed to be forever vanishing into thin air, leaving behind a pile of clothes, only to reappear in another time & place completely naked. The love story between Clare and Henry was rather sweet and there was no doubt that she was his anchor in life. However, whilst turning the pages, I was always waiting for the novel to 'take off' which I'm afraid it did not do for me. | The book tells the story of the developing relationship between Henry and Clare, their love and marriage. Not a simple process as Henry is a Time Traveller. The book also travels backwards and forwards through time and so it is sometimes not easy to follow the stages of the relationship and the relative ages of characters. The occasional use of four letter words is disconcerting and seems to spoil the mood rather than enhance the story line. However the ayes found the book interesting and would recommend to anyone that enjoys fantasy fiction. |
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| When I saw this book advertised last winter, I just had to get it - my favourite subjects, time travel, and love. But what a disappointment of a book. I became increasingly bored by the prose, confused and just couldn't feel any sympathy for the characters. Maybe I'll try it again now that "Richard and Judy" have been raving about it - or maybe I just can't muster the energy. Beverley | I couldn't put the book down & have forced my book discussion group to read it for Feb. Most of them don't like sci fi, so it was a hard sell. Hope they like it as much as I did!!! Linda Musall |
| Sometimes a bit too sentimental, sometimes a bit too commercial, but gosh what a great story has this writer managed to invent- powerful imaginative and tragic, an unforgettable tale about the strenght of love (life) and the greatest pain of all: its loss and death. Anna | The best best best book I have read in years, and trust me, I read around 50 a year. Please, grab your girlfriends, have a book club get together, get a bottle of wine, and discuss this book together. The time of your life. Debbie |
| This was a compulsory 'Book Club' read - I found it annoying, frustrating and thoroughly depressing - it was a total mission to stay focused on such a pointless and going nowhere read - fairyland without a decent fairytale. Jacquie | A gripping love story, made all the more emotional by the shortness of time and the problems tthey have to surmount. A book that I want to have there, that I can dip into again and again. Andrea Niffenberger is so clever in the way she is able to bring it all together, highlighting the difficulties we can experience ourselves with time passing as we look back on our lives.Clare was complete because of her relationship with Henry despite all the difficulties that his "illness" created. The best book I have read this year. Tash Hurst |
| oh sigh... This book was truely amazing. It was such a powerful novel with the characters turing into your bestfriends. I read and reread this book before passing it off to some of my closest friends. It was the perfect 'new love story.' also viewed as an allegory it can be seen in a whole new light. The only thing that has bothered me is the casting choices for the movie. Lain | |
| an amazing book that made me laught out loud and cry so hard. don't miss it! Norma | |
| This book is simply wonderful! I don't like to re read books but I would this one again and again! Lisa | |
| I found this book to be both thought provoking and entertaining, two things which are incredibley hard to make synonimous. I have an eye for the details and subtleties of a love story and therefore, found great relief in Niffeneggers ability to by pass the urge of flowery romantics. Her visuals were quite stern, the image of Clare wrapping her legs and arms around Henry, as if she was trying to anchor him to her and the imagery of him disappearing as they kissed, breathtaking. Poor Clare, always waiting for him, even when he is there she is still expecting him to disappear. I can't say enough good about his book, and whatever flaws it holds are completely secondary to this brilliant commentary on love. The twist of Henry's disease, instead of being an annoying destraction, serves to magnify their love story. Well done. I really hope that the producers who purchased this story do it justice in movie form. Jennifer Nye | |
| I have never read a book that good that I didn't force a friend to read it as soon as I was done. I have to go back and reread now!! I definitely can see this as a movie. Amy Evans | |
| An amazing read, it's hard to know who I felt sorrier for, Henry who at least had the experiences which although harrowing at times were always an adventure or Clare who had to wait and had waited since she was six years old. I loved the twist of their daughter although the difficulties getting her reduced me to tears. This book is so well written it was a pleasure to read and one I know I will go back to. Carol Hare | |
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Look
up the song "100 Years" by Five for Fighting. It is the
perfect companion for "The Time Traveler's Wife". Anne
Allan |
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