The Time Traveler's Wife (Melissa Oslin)

The Time Travelers Wife,
published by MacAdam/Cage,
536 pages

I found the book at the bookstore because I knew the movie was out and I wanted to read the book first.

In the book The Time Travelers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, The two protagonists of the story are Clare Abshire and Henry DeTamble. In the story Care is a small child when she is visited by an older man in the meadow behind her house. This man tells her that in the future they are together and that he travels through time. When Clare and Henry finally meet in the present time they immediately fall in love. The only problem in the relationship is that Henry time travels at any moment. The book describes the troubles they encounter due to the time traveling. It’s hard for them being in a relationship when Henry is constantly coming and going, but it shows how love is timeless.

The audience for this book would have to be directed towards young adults because there is a lot of sexual content in it.

Audrey Niffenegger writing style is very unique. Each chapter switches around to different times in Clare’s and Henry’s lives and in the chapters there is a point of view from each character. The author also uses a lot of foreshadowing, keeping you interested in finding out what will actually happen next. “Clare has been in a strange mood all week. She’s distracted.” (378)
“It’s dark now and I am very tired. I love you, always. Time is nothing.” (521) Henry says this to Clare in a letter to her after he dies. This stands out because the whole story is about there struggle with time. It shows how love can outlast time.
“I go to sleep alone, and wake up alone. I take walks. I work until I’m tired. I watch the wind play with the trash that’s been under the snow all winter. Everything seems simple until you think about it. Why is love intensified by absence?Long ago, men went to sea, and women waited for them, standing on the edge of the water, scanning the horizon for the tiny ship. Now I wait for Henry. He vanishes unwillingly, without warning. I wait for him. Each moment that I wait feels like a year, an eternity. Each moment is as slow and transparent as glass.” (155) Being away from someone makes you almost love them more because you’re not reminded of their flaws, but you only remember why you love them. Loneliness is sad and really makes you think about the people you love.
“I feel like we are on a roller coaster,’ but then I am asleep and I forget to ask her, in the morning, what she means.” (456) This is said in the book and they never actually tell you what it means. I think it would be interesting to have known what Clare actually meant when she said this. I really liked this book and its interpretation of love. It showed the special bond between people even when they have a big obstacle to overcome. The book really spoke to me how Clare was willing to deal with limited time with Henry because she loved him. The message the book was really positive in showing that there is someone out there for everyone and you must have patience.