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Jane's Great Re-read: The Time Traveler's Wife – Review

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*Wipes eyes and blows nose*
Hello gang, well yes just finished the Time Traveler’s Wife again and I can report it still shreds me into tiny pieces.
When I was 25 this book meant everything I was in a very volatile stage of my life and it gave me comfort and helped me come to terms with lots of life stuff and help me cry. I have not and will not see the film because I am not prepared to tarnish my vision of the novel. For those reasons it was a very important book and has been a permanent addition to my list of favourites.
Coming back to it, was strange, my memory lets me down more than I realised and my more settled, more mature mind reading this thinks that there are times when Henry and Clare are jerks and I don’t remember feeling that way. Also the nature of the relationship when I examine it is somewhat squicky.
What I loved this time round was the foreshadowing which is done by a deftness of touch. There are a few lines which seem to be throwaway take on a huge significance on this reading. So much so that I imagined them as being printed in the book as red. I found the middle section with the babies to be much more traumatic this time. When I was younger babies were something for later. Now with so many friends having their own youngling related drama it hits closer to home and I am apparently much more susceptible to leaky eyes than I was back then.
The experience of reading this was one of read, read quicker absorb as quickly as possible and that hasn’t changed. The horrid realisation of what is going to happen and to see it unfold from different perspectives each a layer to the whole.
This book still gets to me. I am still a mess at the end. It doesn’t have the same power that it did, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a powerful novel and it still makes me pause consider my own life and what that means. I am an emo.
ttwttwrear

Jane Hanmer

Born in deepest darkest Shropshire. Currently living in Durrey. A reader of books, a watcher of theatre and film, a player of board games. Intersectional Feminist Pronouns: She/her

4 Comments

  • midnightoleander

    I understand what you are saying about watching the film, have had a few opportunities but declined watching because I really felt it would be doing things in the wrong order to watch the film before reading the book. I’ve decided to finally get my copy of the Time Traveler’s Wife (thanks to your review!) and get on with it. Thanks for taking time to talk about something so dear to your heart – can’t wait to read it. BTW…so far the book that always leaves me a mess is The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. I cry every time!

    • Jane Hanmer

      Jane Hanmer

      Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. I’m so pleased you’ve been persuaded to pick this book up and give it a go. I’d love to know how you got on with it.

  • Lifewithcassandra

    Lovely post , I’m planning to read this book as soon as I finish Gillian flynns Gone girl. I can’t wait .

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