The Time Traveler's Wife
by Audrey Niffenegger
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Book Summary Information
Author: Audrey NiffeneggerEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2004-05-27
ISBN: 015602943X
Number of pages: 546
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9780156029438
- Condition: New
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Book Reviews of The Time Traveler's Wife
Book Review: Mesmerizing concept, beautifully crafted story... a must-read
Summary: 5 Stars
The Time Traveler's Wife - immediately, the novel's title establishes an unusual mixture of science fiction and romance. Indeed, everything about this book is unusual; the compelling plot that jumps back and forth through time, the untraditional shift between two narrators, and the unique relationship of two distant but connected lovers place this novel in a category of its own. And these surprising oddities make for a brilliant masterpiece of both science and love, reaching out to a large audience with humane style and an unforgettable story.
Right from the prologue, the wonders of time travel lure the reader into the depths of Niffenegger's fascinating scientific concept, which serves as the foundation of her plotline, narrative style, and lasting effect on her audience. Because Henry Detamble involuntarily travels through time while his wife Clare Abshire lives a normal life, Niffenegger is forced to follow him to the past and future and leave Clare on a strict timeline, leading to a seemingly illogical sequence of events which actually increase the plot's suspense and appeal. Each chapter begins with the date - and the age(s) of the main characters - and the name of the current narrator. Seemingly useless information becomes the lifeline of Niffenegger's plot, as the date reveals the progression of Henry and Clare's relationship, the age(s) reveal Henry's current point of time travel, and the narrator carries a certain amount of knowledge based on past events. Yes, this is quite complicated, but within a few chapters this unusual style of narration ingrains itself into the readers' minds and rivets them to the intricate plot. Niffenegger gracefully dances through time, telling the past, present, and future in an irrational order which inevitably becomes the only way to tell her powerful story. At times the present and future are mysterious and suspenseful without vital information from the past; at times the past is heartwarming and bittersweet without the tragedies of the present; at times the limited future is haunting and exhilarating, as Niffenegger subtly foreshadows significant events to evoke suspense and sympathy. There has never been a story like this one, and there will be no other, for Niffenegger concocts the perfect formula of scientific wonder and enchanting romance with a one-of-a-kind narration.
The characters themselves are beautifully represented and utterly believable - even the time traveler. Of course, the two narrators are the main characters and receive the deepest treatment. Henry Detamble is a man of loss, as everything he holds vanishes from him when he, alone, navigates the mysteries of time. Without material possessions, he clings to love, his only true possession in the form of his family, friends, and of course, Clare. So although Niffenegger attributes Henry with an unpredictable ability which forces him to resort to violence to survive, seemingly rendering him the stereotypical male, Henry's unbounded love removes him from this stereotype and transforms him into an admirable character. Similarly, Clare is the apotheosis of the waiting woman, always left behind by her husband and concerned for his safety, and suffering the greatest pains of a wife. But throughout the story, Niffenegger alters and even swaps these roles, casting away all stereotypes and creating dynamic lovers. In fact, as her plot is centered on the forces of time, Niffenegger's characters are prominent for their change. Since Henry and Clare narrate both at young and old ages, the reader notices subtle differences in colloquialism, sentence structure, and maturity. Henry is at his best when he is thirty and teaching his ten-year-old self how to pickpocket, or when he is forty and evading the attack of a six-year-old Clare. All of Niffenegger's characters, including jealous friends, disbelieving doctors, and grieving fathers, dramatically mature through the pages and add to the charm of the novel, though minor characters lie in the shadows of Henry and Clare when it comes to personality and effect.
Niffenegger's style mimics the train of thought of her narrators, comprising short sentences of concrete descriptions and fluent figurative language interlaced within. Though this makes for an easy read and correctly portrays the minds of Henry and Clare, a more intricate and complex style would provide more depth and satisfaction. But Niffenegger's metaphors, especially her accounts of her characters' dreams, are beautifully constructed to provide insight into the character's subconscious. Niffenegger also adds excerpts from other books and poems to provide more insight into her own themes, deepening the content of her novel. In general her simple style contributes to the lasting effect of her climactic revelations; after one read, certain powerful lines remain ingrained in the reader's mind. On another note, the sexual content of this novel may be too much for young readers; but even this adds to Niffenegger's advocacy of love and passion, those possessions that transcend the boundaries of space and time.
In the end, Niffenegger's peculiar narrative techniques, rounded characters, and simple style contribute to the novel's appeal, but it is her soaring plot, full of heartbreaking tragedies and unbearable joy, that turns this novel into a beautiful memory. Readers who enjoy science will linger on the concept of time travel for ages; readers who enjoy romance will never forget the love of the time traveler and his wife. Henry DeTamble writes to Clare, "Time is nothing"; the same is true for the everlasting impression of The Time Traveler's Wife.
Summary of The Time Traveler's Wife
A dazzling novel in the most untraditional fashion, this is the remarkable story of Henry DeTamble, a dashing, adventuresome librarian who travels involuntarily through time, and Clare Abshire, an artist whose life takes a natural sequential course. Henry and Clare's passionate love affair endures across a sea of time and captures the two lovers in an impossibly romantic trap, and it is Audrey Niffenegger's cinematic storytelling that makes the novel's unconventional chronology so vibrantly triumphant.
An enchanting debut and a spellbinding tale of fate and belief in the bonds of love, The Time Traveler's Wife is destined to captivate readers for years to come.
An enchanting debut and a spellbinding tale of fate and belief in the bonds of love, The Time Traveler's Wife is destined to captivate readers for years to come.
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