This books was a huge favorite among my fellow employees, particularly those who mostly read mainstream literature. I don't want to fall into a fiction vs literature vs genre discussion, so I'll define what I mean by saying, people who read a lot of quality fiction. The book is still hugely popular on the book club circuit, so a lot of people have read it who would normally be turned off by the time travel concept. I've heard nothing but accolades from readers, and I meet them almost daily.
There was a lot that I liked about "Time Travelers Wife". I thought she did the best take on believable time travel that I've ever read. She made it believable and consistent. I liked the romance of the story. (BTW, when I say romance, I don't always mean Romance as genre romance.)
I have no complaints about the writing, I think she did a brilliant job. I didn't feel confused at all by the time jumping, she kept things very clear for me. But ultimately, the novel disappointed me. I felt let down by it, but it is hard for me to pinpoint why that is.
I did have a problem with the main characters. They were well-written and believable. So believable that I came to form opinions about them. I didn't find them very likable. I also felt like the author put too much emphasis on their physical appearance and how gorgeous they both were. Somehow, that lessened my ability to emphathize with them.
SPOILERS
SKIP IF YOU HAVEN"T READ
THE BOOK
The ending depressed me, although now I have forgotten a good deal of it. Clare spends the rest of her life mourning Henry, my recollection is that her life seems devoid of meaning for decades after he's gone. I did think the tragedy of them having to live with foreknowledge of his death was very gripping. Also well done, how the past came to affect the present.
I also got tired of "I'm going to be miserable unless I have a baby" part of the plot. I don't know why that plotline always makes me hissy, especially when I know women who have been affect by fertility problems and wind up feeling that way. I know it isn't something they can even control, but it still makes me crazy.
I never hesitate to recommend this book, even though it was a 95% winner for me. That's still far above most books, and I am confident that most people won't have the minor issues with it that I had. It is very worth reading, and I am quite interested to see what the author will do next.
Well, she's done this: Three Incestuous Sisters, but even though I know the book is for adults, I have a hard time justifying the purchase of an illustrated book. I'm just weird.
It's funny, I never read their descriptions as both of them being gorgeous. They were gorgeous to each other, perhaps, but then again, I'm desensitized to appearance usually, as that's the kind of thing I grew up reading. And, sadly, most readers expect some level of physical appearance (hair, eyes, etc), even though we all know that's not what defines a character.
The baby thing...it made sense, but I can see where it was dragged out a bit long. Maybe you have a hard time empathizing because you already see it in every day life? Kinda like how I am with reading "battered women" stories: I know too much about the reality of it (not that I am one) to want to read fictional stories about it?
I think the ending was the only letdown. Part of me thought that maybe they'd find a way to capture a past Henry and cure him to keep him in time (after the real Henry died), but that would negate, then the WHOLE STORY. I liked the very end, but I wanted to see what HAPPENED. We didn't get any more than we got in his letter, which was frustrating. And the huge time jump...I just don't think the writer knew what she wanted to do with Clare, other than to point out that she would never love Gomez as Gomez. That was a very weird moment in the book, that end scene with him.
Yes, we have that book (Three Incestuous Sisters) at the store. But since I have two sisters, I find it difficult to get past the title. :)
I guess it is always subjective in the end, how a book will affect us. It has been long enough now that I don't remember many of the details of the book, particularly the ending. I have a terrible habit of trying to finish books late at night, and reading the final passages while I'm almost asleep.
I'm the same way with books. I stayed up to finish TTW and ended up dreaming of various "missing" scenes the book "should've" had. Damn if I can remember them now, though...
There was a lot that I liked about "Time Travelers Wife". I thought she did the best take on believable time travel that I've ever read. She made it believable and consistent. I liked the romance of the story. (BTW, when I say romance, I don't always mean Romance as genre romance.)
I have no complaints about the writing, I think she did a brilliant job. I didn't feel confused at all by the time jumping, she kept things very clear for me. But ultimately, the novel disappointed me. I felt let down by it, but it is hard for me to pinpoint why that is.
I did have a problem with the main characters. They were well-written and believable. So believable that I came to form opinions about them. I didn't find them very likable. I also felt like the author put too much emphasis on their physical appearance and how gorgeous they both were. Somehow, that lessened my ability to emphathize with them.
SPOILERS
SKIP IF YOU HAVEN"T READ
THE BOOK
The ending depressed me, although now I have forgotten a good deal of it. Clare spends the rest of her life mourning Henry, my recollection is that her life seems devoid of meaning for decades after he's gone. I did think the tragedy of them having to live with foreknowledge of his death was very gripping. Also well done, how the past came to affect the present.
I also got tired of "I'm going to be miserable unless I have a baby" part of the plot. I don't know why that plotline always makes me hissy, especially when I know women who have been affect by fertility problems and wind up feeling that way. I know it isn't something they can even control, but it still makes me crazy.
I never hesitate to recommend this book, even though it was a 95% winner for me. That's still far above most books, and I am confident that most people won't have the minor issues with it that I had. It is very worth reading, and I am quite interested to see what the author will do next.
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It's funny, I never read their descriptions as both of them being gorgeous. They were gorgeous to each other, perhaps, but then again, I'm desensitized to appearance usually, as that's the kind of thing I grew up reading. And, sadly, most readers expect some level of physical appearance (hair, eyes, etc), even though we all know that's not what defines a character.
The baby thing...it made sense, but I can see where it was dragged out a bit long. Maybe you have a hard time empathizing because you already see it in every day life? Kinda like how I am with reading "battered women" stories: I know too much about the reality of it (not that I am one) to want to read fictional stories about it?
I think the ending was the only letdown. Part of me thought that maybe they'd find a way to capture a past Henry and cure him to keep him in time (after the real Henry died), but that would negate, then the WHOLE STORY. I liked the very end, but I wanted to see what HAPPENED. We didn't get any more than we got in his letter, which was frustrating. And the huge time jump...I just don't think the writer knew what she wanted to do with Clare, other than to point out that she would never love Gomez as Gomez. That was a very weird moment in the book, that end scene with him.
Reply
I guess it is always subjective in the end, how a book will affect us. It has been long enough now that I don't remember many of the details of the book, particularly the ending. I have a terrible habit of trying to finish books late at night, and reading the final passages while I'm almost asleep.
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