I’m a sucker for time travel stories, and this is by far the best I’ve read. Not only are the complexities and paradoxes of time travel fully and thoughtfully explored, but the overall framework is lovely and compelling. The book follows the intertwined lives of Henry and Clare, lovers dealing with more difficulties than your average relationship. Henry suffers from Chrono-Displacement Disorder, and finds himself bouncing around time without control. He meets Clare for her first time when she is six, while he is in his 40s and married to her future self. Through his repeated visits, Clare gets to know and love Henry as she grows up. When she finally meets him in the present (when she is 20 and he is 28), Henry knows nothing of her existence. Got that? Such brain-twisting plot elements are handled in clever and surprising ways, keeping the reader riveted rather than hopelessly lost. Symbolism abounds, and Niffenegger muses heavily on religion, fate, love and death, but the realistic characters and their reactions to such fantastic scenarios keep the story anchored and believable. The Time Traveler’s Wife is quite touching, and ultimately a reminder not to take your life and love for granted.

There are no comments yet. You could be the first!