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

Harry Potter has Jumped the Shark

(tags book, fiction, fantasy, English)

I finished Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix on Saturday. I feel that HP jumped the shark in this book, though I will continue to read this series. Even though this book is about 800+ pages, it still doesn't feel long enough to explain the parts I'm interested in.

I went to Kobe Random Walk and I hefted the next book in the series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, but because I already bought another piece of entertainment that day I put it back on the shelf. They were having a sale on the hardbacks which worked out to be around 2100 yen, but I rather get the 1700 yen paperback to match my set and also to be able to bring it with me. Actually I don't want to buy the hardback of the last book, so I suppose I have to wait for the paperback coming in a few months?

SPOILERS

I wished Harry spent more time with Cho, actually, but given the time that the author spends on the two, its obvious she's just a side character. They kiss but it just seems so vague that there's no lasting emotion. She doesn't take part in the action either, so how could Cho be in touch with Harry's feelings. And what about Harry and Hermione and Ron? It's a love triangle waiting to burst. Maybe next book.

It feels like the author brings out Dumbledore whenever she wants to show her cards. The author has a habit of pulling hidden plots at the end and telling you I told you so. Actually in this book I could anticipate some of the story, such as Dumbledore keeping Harry at arms length. Also Snape is becoming more human to me, while Harry's beloved father is revealed to be a cruel person. The Sirius and Harry relationship was one where the two think of the relationship differently: Sirius sees Harry as more like a friend than a son, and Harry wants Sirius to be his father figure.

I found it unbelievable that people would deny or refute the truth for so long. Umbridge seems to me the right hand of Lord Voldermort but there seems to be no relation at all. And Harry's temper seems to be getting out of hand, but then again he is 16 years old.

END SPOILERS