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Such a great idea for a story and Niffenegger painted this beautifully. I cried like a baby. Highly recommended. This book was a thrill to read. The many plot lines were captivating and the characters effervescent and charming. However, I think it would have best been left alone, and not made into a movie.
Claire and Henry meet as adults. He recalls first traveling through time to visit Claire when she is six. She develops an eccentric relationship with the time traveling Henry, which to Niffenegger's credit, works and doesn't come off as creepy. Henry seeks out a genetic counselor. The story is told using a journal entry form from Claire and Henry's perspective, which works well.
Her husband, Henry, travels through time. Claire is thirty-eight when he dies.The plot is tight. After seeing their friends, Charisse and Gomez, have children, they try to have one of their own. The pace isn't fast, nor does the story drag. After meeting each other's family, they marry.The couple tries to live as normal a life as they can. Soon, they learn that Alba can time travel, too.Henry's time traveling takes a toll on his body. In a way, Claire embodies a very traditional female role in waiting for Henry, while he has numerous adventures as a time traveler, taking on a more traditional male role.
When they meet, he is twenty-eight.Henry leaves his girlfriend, Ingrid, for Claire. It's easy enough to read, but very direct. Claire is an artist and Henry works in a library. What makes Niffenegger's story a gem, is her creative take on time traveling, making it a genetic condition, thus not conforming to traditional time traveling norms."The Time Traveler's Wife" is an intriguing read that will leave the reader experiencing Henry and Claire's highs and lows right along with them. He gets frostbite on his feet which have to be amputated. Henry, it is revealed, has been time traveling since he was five years old, after a visit to a museum, that had a profound effect on him.
Claire finally gives birth to a girl, Alba, when she is thirty. Her characters are believable. Claire is used to Henry's time traveling and accepts him for what he is. He believes it's a genetic abnormality and he can't control it. Niffenegger writes in a very "up front" style. "The Time Traveler's Wife" is an unconventional romance and an atypical science fiction novel, blending both genres as well as sprinkling in a dab of social commentary to create a very human novel.The novel starts with Claire waiting for Henry, a predominate theme in the book. Then he involuntarily time travels to the past, and since he can't run away, he's shot by deer hunters when Claire is thirteen.
Claire is twenty. Claire has several miscarriages before the doctors realize they have to suppress her immune system to get her to carry to term. If anything, the story lags a little since it blends romance and science fiction without committing to either. Henry and Claire are in love, but it seems a given and not a discovery. Toward the end, Claire sheds her traditional role to become a more modern woman. The novel takes place between 1968 and 2008. Young Claire soon gets used to a man popping out of time to see her.
The reason for his time traveling abilities are given here, which to Niffenegger's credit, is a creative take on the concept. It moves from event to event with concise precision. Claire doesn't know what to make of it, but time marches on in a linear fashion for her, and soon she meets Henry at the library where he works. Book Review for: "The Time Traveler's Wife"Written by: Audrey NiffeneggerISBN: 978-0-15-602943-8Harcourt Publishing536 pages$14.954 StarsNiffenegger weaves a tale of intrigue and love - one that remains strong through decades of uncertainties. Early in the book, there is an unusual scene when Claire is thirteen which her father and brother keep her from Henry. Niffenegger's explanation of Henry's time traveling abilities is plausible, making the story work.
I would recommend for the open minded, hopeless romantic anyday. I see all the critisim & if you are a sincerer reader that can by-pass some ill-language & use your imagination a little, then you will be fine. I loved this book, I felt it was well written & altho confusing at times when following the time travel, the most important questions were answered. I'm not an avid book club reader by any means, but I know a decent writer & book subject & this one has what it takes to keep you interested & involved with the characters. Its a good read & I didn't want to put it down.
I very much enjoyed this book. It is a very quick read and it has you wanting more.
One of my favorites. It is such a good mix of science, fantasy, and love.
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