Finished The Time Traveller's Wife (book)

(tags book, fiction, science fiction, romance)

Just like one of the breathless recommendations written at the front of the book, The Time Traveller's Wife had me questioning the linearity of love. The constant jumping from time to time and viewpoint was like switching channels on the TV, random and totally unexpected. I am glad that the viewpoints are from both main characters, instead of just the time traveller's wife.

The first few pages show a Clare that knows Henry like a long-lost friend/lover but Henry doesn't know her is predictable, but the author adds zest to the scene by having her shout out and jump like she's won the lottery. Its zany and fresh but at the same time, the story has weight. I cringed and I wept as the characters experienced loss.

But ultimately we are not blessed/cursed with the unexpected, spontaneous time travelling, and we have to live love in the only possible progression we know.

From a technical point of view, I'm glad that the author didn't try to explain the time travelling too much. Its in his genes, but he's not doing Marty McFly. It was pretty funny of Henry being naked all the time. Henry is a practical man, eschewing stuff he knows he can't take with him the next time time snatches him away. He does have a lot of books, which let's the author's literary competence shine through. I must admit I tend to gloss and skip over anything that looks like a poem. I guess it needs to be a song in order to be palatable for me.

SPOILERS

I don't think it was fair that Henry visits Clare well into the future. I mean, she should be able to live without Henry but this gives her a false hope. But he knows this too and writes it in the letter. It's 50 years since he died so she could have remarried.

Anyways, how do you end a lifetime relationship?

END SPOILERS