From the Bookshelf of The Insecure Writer's Support Group Book Club…

The Time Traveler's Wife

Audrey Niffenegger

Start date: October 1, 2017

Finish date: December 1, 2017

Why we're reading this: This book received the most votes for a book that demonstrates a good use of structure.
[close] This book received the most votes for a book that demonstrates a good use of structure.

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Dec 21, 2017 Toi Thomas rated it liked it

Shelves: rated, fantasy, reviewed, adult, sci-fi, romance

I’m glad I finally read this book and will recommend it to anyone who likes mature time travel stories, but I’ll admit that I was disappointed that I didn’t like it more. I wanted to fall in love with this book, but I couldn’t quite get there.

As the title suggests, there’s a woman married to a time traveler and this is their story, but of course it’s not that simple. This story is told from dual perspectives, which I usually love, and while it did work with this story, I felt it could have been I’m glad I finally read this book and will recommend it to anyone who likes mature time travel stories, but I’ll admit that I was disappointed that I didn’t like it more. I wanted to fall in love with this book, but I couldn’t quite get there.

As the title suggests, there’s a woman married to a time traveler and this is their story, but of course it’s not that simple. This story is told from dual perspectives, which I usually love, and while it did work with this story, I felt it could have been done better. The way the time travel was depicted in this story, almost made the dual perspectives seem infinite. The perspectives were offered by the main two characters Henry and Clare, but they were offered at different points and ages in their lives. Sometimes their own perspectives weren’t consistent since the way they viewed and experienced the world changed as they aged.

There were so many parts of this story I loved; most of them deal directly with the function and handling of Henry’s time traveling, which could often be quite dangerous. Whenever the story focused on the relationship between Henry and Clare, meeting at varying ages throughout time, I struggled to keep an interest. Their love story, for whatever reason, just didn’t appeal to me, though I realize the importance of it to the overall story. I think it all boils down to the fact that I didn’t like them that much; I couldn’t relate to them.

When Clare was younger, her innocence was sweet, but it somehow failed to endear me to her. As she grew older and began to see the world like Henry, as much as she could, I liked her less and less. I really liked young Henry, but then he grew up. It wasn’t until they began trying for Alba that I began to relate to Clare and Henry more. I think Alba was the best part of this story and the best instances of Henry’s time travel.

I think I also had some issues with some of the language and violence in the book, which I could put up with if I really enjoy the story, but being on the fence, these things just didn’t add anything special to me.

Again, I can’t quite explain why I didn’t love this book. I think part of it has to do with the sense of “no hope” I felt the story displayed. Yes, Henry and Clare were, triumphantly, able to find a way to make their relationship work, but it all seemed so hopeless. Perhaps I’ll read this again down the road and see it differently, perhaps not. In any case, it’s worth reading for those who are curious.

Recommended to adult fans of time travel and fans of general fiction. You don’t have to like science fiction to read this story. It’s not a technical story. ...more

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Sep 01, 2017 Roland Clarke rated it it was amazing

This was a novel that I meant to read years ago. Thanks then to the IWSG Reader's Club for selecting it to read.

Emotional and satisfying read with a fascinating plotline as the characters meet down a clever timeline or two. As the blurb says, it's about "Clare, a beautiful art student, and Henry, an adventuresome librarian, who have known each other since Clare was six and Henry was thirty-six, and were married when Clare was twenty-three and Henry thirty-one. "

Yet there is so much more, from th ...more

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Nov 17, 2017 Louise rated it it was amazing

I thought I was about to read a science fiction book and stumbled into a brilliant and poignant love story written in intelligent and lyrical prose. I absolutely loved it and will read it again.

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