by Audrey Niffenegger
Yet another book I am the last literate person to read. I ignored this book, thinking I wouldn't like it at all, not my genre, not even remotely interested. ( I am one of the few people who just don't get the Outlander series.) Then my assistant principal, whom I often share books with and trust her book sense, brought it to me and gave it a glowing recommendation, so I read it.
Wow, not at all what I expected. I was prepared for some off the wall, fantasy time traveler saga and this book is certainly not that. It is a passionate love story between two people, one of whom jumps back and forth in time at inconveniet times and how they deal with it.
I love that when they meet in Claire's adult time, Henry doensn't know her and they have to fall in love all over again. I love that eventhough Henry knows what the future holds, he never tells Claire. I also love that Henry disappears at very awkward times - it makes the story very interesting, even if it does get a little predictable. I love how Niffenegger portrays time travel as a burden, when so many of us think it would be fabulous to know the future and visit the past.
Then, there are the parts I didn't like -- not because they were bad or poorly written, but because the brought out such emotion in me, mostly sadness, fear and anger. Claire's struggle with infertiliy, the dangers Henry suffers during his travels, that he knows when and how he is going to die, and that Alba can travel and see Henry, but Claire cannot, that Claire sits and waits for him, day after day.
All the parts, the ones I liked and the ones I did not come together to make one excellent story -- one full of passion, humor, heartache and lonliness. I lived and breathed every word of this book and I was terribly sad when it ended. Niffenegger weaves a complex story that engulfs the reader. I kept expecting a wrinkle in the chronology or an inconsistency in the story because of the jumping back and forth. I was convinced I would be confused at some point by an out of place event or an unexplainable occurance, but that never happened. This is a superbly written novel. The movie based on the book was released in August 2009 and the DVD is scheduled for release in February 2010. Her next book, Her Fearful Symmetry is on my wish list.
Rating - A
I loved this book as well and if I had a rating system I would probably give it an A too. I feel the same way about the parts I did not like - it wasn't because they were bad, but because they brought out emotions in me!
ReplyDeleteI loved this book too, and I agree that many parts were just painful to read.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read this book yet, but it's on my wish list. I saw the movie and enjoyed it, so I think I would like the book too.
ReplyDeleteI recentley read a review about this book and the reviewer didn't like it. One of my best friends read this one too and said it was the mostamzing book ever, I quess i need to read this one for myself to make a decisioon if i like it or not. It does sound very good.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your great review.