David asked:

Clare and Henry (from Henry's perspective) when he is 28 (library). Are we to assume, even through Henry has been time traveling since he was age 5, that he hasn't traveled into a future where he and Clare are together, up to this point? It seems odd that Henry only 'meets' her at this age and in 28 years he hasn't traveled to a future point where he would realize he has met and been married to her.

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10 years ago
3 answers

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Kirsten Lorenzen It's mentioned that Henry very rarely travels to the future, he is usually drawn to places that he is familiar with and has some type of connection with. For example, Henry travels to the clearing in the meadow tons of times AFTER he has met Clare, but has never traveled to the clearing before he met Clare. He is drawn to the meadow only after he has developed a connection with it. This is likely the reason for never seeing Clare before he met her in any of his very rare future travels, because he has not yet developed a connection with her that might draw him to her at that point in the future.

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Keguri I have had the exact same thought, but the fundamental answer is: it wouldn't be a story otherwise. Basically half the book is Henry knowing what's going to happen, and the other half Clare knowing what is going to happen. It is a fundamental piece of the story.
One could pin it to serendipity and fate, or "Henry wasn't meant to know".

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