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The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

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This is the selection for the upcoming March book club. I had originally read TTW several years ago and fell in love with it (oddly enough, before I became a librarian). Henry and Clare have had an unorthodox relationship to say the least. As one might infer from the title, Henry is a time traveler (and a librarian!). Clare met Henry when she was a little girl when he traveled there as a middle aged adult. They meet again when Clare is 20, but Henry has no idea of their relationship, though she has known him all her life. And so, a passionate affair begins between the 2 of them as they struggle to work out a relationship that is plagued by Henry's absences and Clare's former knowledge. It sounds confusing, but things make sense after awhile.


On reading this a second time around, I wasn't as captivated by the romance as I was before - if anything, the book (and Henry/Clare's relationship) seemed more depressing than anything else (I wonder what that says about me?). There's also a whole lot of sex described, which was kind of gratuitous after awhile. The ending is still just as heartbreaking as ever.


At any rate, it's always fun to re-read a good book and see things from a different perspective. I'll be showing clips from the film as well, so it'll be an interesting discussion on the 6th.
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grace crawford said…
I take my hat off to Audrey for creating a very compelling first novel, which I am delighted to say has been a best seller. Certainly a breath of fresh air compared to most writers' offerings.

Highly recommended.
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October 13, 2014 at 9:47 AM
Marlene Detierro said…
This book is thick, with a very complicated story. You will find yourself slightly confused at times, wondering where in life Henry's disorder has placed him. Keep reading. Although it may feel as if you are trying to fit together some strange puzzle of time and places, they do connect, creating a beautiful and absolutley exceptional novel. The prevailing concept that I took with me from reading this book is that love can stand the test of time. In fact, in the case of Henry and Clare, love is absolutely timeless.

Marlene
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November 6, 2015 at 3:23 AM
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