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A Tale for the Time Being
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A Tale for the Time Being Discussion (September/October 2013)
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Taylor
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Sep 19, 2013 11:24AM
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Folks I've just finished this book and I felt compelled to post here about it.I really enjoyed the book overall, I found Naos story to be excellent but I also enjoyed Ruths story too.
But I found myself more interested in Ruths story simply because I was hoping it would reveal some answers to the mystery of Nao, what happened to her - if she was alive/dead etc.
And here is where I am left disappointed. I finished this book with a real sense of disappointment and no sense of closure. I feel like I have missed something really obvious - like the author was offering some clue as what happened (using Quantum mechanics).
But I feel like the use of Quantum mechanics was not correctly used as an explanation, the author may have well replaced Quantum mechanics with a magic wand and the effect would be the same.
Could someone please offer me an explanation of what exactly happened here, I don't think I have ever been so frustrated when finishing a book.
Me to author: "So Ruth, how exactly did the book end up on the shores of British Columbia, and could you please explain why the words at the end of the book were missing, then not missing?"
Author: "Wizards did it"
Thats kinda how I feel. I'm not sure if you can place spoilers in this thread - if you can I might update with some specific questions.
Could be that I have no imagination to work out what happened - but either I missed the clues to fill in the gaps. If so, hopefully someone here with a better imagination than me can do the job for me.
Just got my copy of this. It's not short and I'm a slow reader, so it will be awhile before I can comment, but I hope to get in on the tail end of the discussion!
I just finished this and wooo! I really loved it. Steven, I too was a little mystified by the ending lacking solid closure for Nao and her father, and the quantum mechanics was an interesting way for Ozeki to wrap up the story of Ruth. I think her intention is for the reader to imagine their own explanation for the ending - and for the whole relation between Ruth and Nao. Was Ruth really reading a diary from the past of Nao? Or was she helping to write Nao's life from a parallel world? Towards the end her actions were impacting Nao in ways Ruth couldn't explain, and I think this is why Ozeki plants the seeds about quantum mechanics. It's a neat concept, I liked how the story unfolded, and how Ruth and Nao interacted with each other in ways you wouldn't think possible. It was a bit of a mind bender, I thought the creativity was excellent. What specific questions did you have? Now that the reading period is over for this book I think it's safe to let fly.
I just finished the book and my theory is that Ruth wrote Naokos story. I think she is, as it is often mentioned in the book, having signs of a deteriorating mind. Ruth explains, how sometimes she gets so involved in the stories she writes, she does not even remember having written complete scenes of the book. That is why the last pages were missing for a time, bcause she had not written them yet. I think the dream was a memory of her thoughts how to continue Naokos story. Reaching the end of the book it is more often pointed out how Ruth is forgetting things. And the very last sentence also supports this theory. Nao knew Ruth had a cat and knew how the cat smelled because she created Naoko. Oliver and the others in the island don’t want to hurt Ruth and go along with her story. What I have not figured out yet is how the secret diary of Naos uncle could b French…..
What do you think about this theory?
I have to admit I bailed on this book around page 200. I felt the author was condescending to her readers--when she taught us how to meditate it was the last straw--and took Literature as Tourism to a ridiculous extreme. Having said that, I'll add that some of the content fascinated me, and I was frustrated that the author didn't have a better editors.
bibi I like your theory a lot! makes sense to me. A lot of references to Ruth's mother being forgetful, and it seems Ruth may have suffered from the same condition? so it seems plausible she may have forgotten writing the latter part of Naos story..
Steven wrote: "bibi I like your theory a lot! makes sense to me. A lot of references to Ruth's mother being forgetful, and it seems Ruth may have suffered from the same condition? so it seems plausible she may ..."Hi Steven, I am glad you like my theory! I am still wondering about the french though...
Bibi I like your theory too :)
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I love the opening page, and just when I'm loving it, the narrator comes in and says what a stupid beginning that was. Way to trip one up there!
I love the chilling feeling when you begin to realize what Nao's long term plans are and the fear that she's already succeeded.
I love the way Ruth Ozeki has put herself into this as a character.
Alexa wrote: "Here I am, finally getting to this book only two years late! But it is so wonderful, and I'm only a few pages in and I just need to burble about how much I'm loving it!I love the opening page, an..."
This is one of my favourite books.
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In this book I was never sure who was real? Is it Ruth or Nao ? Both could be creating the other ? Or maybe Quantom Mechanics does explain it and there is some magical comnection between a girl and a woman over time and space that should not but does exist. They are Time Beings just not stuck in linear time.
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