The Time Travelers Wife - Audrey Niffenegger. Latest Read.

[cah-ching]

Just to let you know, I've just finished The Time Traveler's Wife for the second time and have started the much delayed Anna Karenina.

Looking forward to discussing the former - ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT BOOK!

 

[c2b]

I was bored stupid with this book. I had heard such good things about it. Not a book that did it for me I'm afraid.

 

[matty]

Oh dear Laura, that is bad!
I haven't finished it due to desperate gallivanting lately and then too tired!
But I do really like it and find it soooooooo sad too...Look forward to the discussion.
Have lovely weekends all you book clubbers!
Matty

 

[DQ]

When we talking about it then?

 

[Cheb]

Whoops, sorry I forgot we were supposed to discuss our book yesterday!

Thought the following questions might be a good way to get us all talking. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.


Caution! It is likely that the following reading guide will reveal, or at least allude to, key plot details. Therefore, if you haven’t yet read this book, but are planning on doing so, you may wish to proceed with caution to avoid spoiling your later enjoyment.

Discussion Questions from the Publisher

1. In The Time Traveler's Wife, the characters meet each other at various times during their lifetime. How does the author keep all the timelines in order and "on time"?
2. Although Henry does the time traveling, Clare is equally impacted. How does she cope with his journeys and does she ultimately accept them?
3. How does the writer introduce the reader to the concept of time travel as a realistic occurrence? Does she succeed?
4. Henry's life is disrupted on multiple levels by spontaneous time travel. How does his career as a librarian offset his tumultuous disappearances? Why does that job appeal to Henry?
5. Henry and Clare know each other for years before they fall in love as adults. How does Clare cope with the knowledge that at a young age she knows that Henry is the man she will eventually marry?
6. The Time Traveler's Wife is ultimately an enduring love story. What trials and tribulations do Henry and Clare face that are the same as or different from other "normal" relationships?
7. How does their desire for a child affect their relationship?
8. The book is told from both Henry and Clare's perspectives. What does this add to the story?
9. Do you think the ending of the novel is satisfactory?
10. Though history there have been dozens of mediums used for time travel in literature. Please cite examples and compare The Time Traveler's Wife to the ones with which you are familiar.

 

[Shazza]

Well have just got to page 25 and its getting interesting now - starting to make sense.

however after i finsh not sure i could contribute to such an intelligent discussion, takes me back to eng lit classes at school.

proabably why i like to read trashy novels.

will probabaly finish the book next week

 

[DQ]

Hey I can talk trash with the best of 'em - you know me!!

 

[matty]

Hi Cheb, will soon throw in my piece! Sorry to be late, but not finished reading it yet, will do so over the weekend.
Matty

 

[matty]

1. In The Time Traveler's Wife, the characters meet each other at various times during their lifetime. How does the author keep all the timelines in order and "on time"?

Hello Cheb and everyone, dissapointed that we don't seem to have got any discussion going on the Time Travellers Wife, but here is my bit anyway, I just finished it at the weekend.
I think it was very difficult to keep order on the story and I found it confusing especially when there were two Henrys present!

1. Although Henry does the time traveling, Clare is equally impacted. How does she cope with his journeys and does she ultimately accept them?

I think the effect on Clare is huge, she loves Henry so much, but she can't really share his life, and the worry of it for her when he is gone is devastating. She does I think accept them and gets on with her life when he is gone too, but she is always missing him.

1. How does the writer introduce the reader to the concept of time travel as a realistic occurrence? Does she succeed?

Well now, I am not sure I could find it believable, but I did enjoy reading about it anyway, and mostly I felt how bloody scary it was for Henry to be dropped just about anywhere and have to fend for himself. Escaping the cops was the funniest bit, the disappearing act could be useful at times.
I did however find it impossible to believe that he could hold down a job with his condition.

1. Henry's life is disrupted on multiple levels by spontaneous time travel. How does his career as a librarian offset his tumultuous disappearances? Why does that job appeal to Henry?

Henry is apparently brilliant at his job and is very well educated and intelligent, it is only his brilliance at his job that saves him from being fired and the fact that a good friend there covers for him. I think the job appeals to him because of all the ages covered in books and his time travelling takes him to so many times and places.

1. Henry and Clare know each other for years before they fall in love as adults. How does Clare cope with the knowledge that at a young age she knows that Henry is the man she will eventually marry?

I think she copes very well with this, is there not a great security in knowing who you will marry from a young age?especially as she loves Henry so much even as a child.

1. The Time Traveler's Wife is ultimately an enduring love story. What trials and tribulations do Henry and Clare face that are the same as or different from other "normal" relationships?

I think it is an incredible love story, the author conveys so many poignant moments...one in the bookshop when Clare is reading and Henry looks at her with so much love and he wants to touch her so much, and she has also glanced at him thinking the same thing, I just felt they were mad about one another!
Yeah, the baby bit was just like any couple who can't have babies and suffer numerous miscarraiges, and this is a very difficult time for them. Clare is very storng I think. And they survive this. Henry is like any man in this situation, he hates seeing her suffer, wants to give her what she wants, wants to help, is hurt when she pushes him away...

1. How does their desire for a child affect their relationship?

This is hard on the relationship, but ultimately it strengthened it I think, they both realised that they love each other no matter what and Clare comes to the realisation that she wants Henry regardless of a baby.

1. The book is told from both Henry and Clare's perspectives. What does this add to the story?

This is a good idea, really vital to get both sides as it effects them both so much

1. Do you think the ending of the novel is satisfactory?

Yeah, cried buckets! but thought it was about right really, it was never going to be happy ever after.
And also I knew Clare would never fall for anyone else the same as Henry, their bond was so great.

1. Though history there have been dozens of mediums used for time travel in literature. Please cite examples and compare The Time Traveler's Wife to the ones with which you are familiar

Don't know anything about this I am afraid!

So please do tell me what you all thought, it doesn't have to be in this format at all, just talk about the book generally if you like. I want to know what you thought!
Love Matty

 

[Cheb]

Hi

I enjoyed the book but did find it a bit slow to begin with (or I'm a bit slow?) cos I didn't really get to grips with it. Once I got my head around the concept I really got into it though I did have to keep turning back the pages to check the dates. I am easily confused, so this was really stretching things for me

Don't think it was plausible but I did find it believable within the concept of storytelling, if that makes sense.

I think that Clare may have had as tough if not even tougher time than Henry, a 'normal' life was an impossibilty for them both.

All in all, I liked this one and would recommend it to others.

 

[jemz29]

This is actually one of my all time faves! was happily surprised to see it here.

Ending is so sad, it made me cry in the hairdressers lol!

 

[That's_So_Fetch]

I read this last winter i think and i loved it. It was abit confusing to keep up with at first but when you get into it you cant put it down. I also cried at the ending, i prefer happily ever afters but like someone mentioned before, i dont think there was ever going to be a happliy ever after to this story.

 

[Jill1962]

I read this and thogt it ws brillaint

 

[redfluffmonster]

god I loved this book - my all-time fave read!!!

 

[cah-ching]

god I loved this book - my all-time fave read!!!

I'm so pleased!!! It's on my Top 5 list of favourite reads ever, also.

 

[jules]

I loved this book, could not put it down. Brilliant concept.

 

[Delli]

have to agree with the above comments! loved this book and read it within a few days. loved the concept about time travel and how they managed to make their relationship work around it.