The Time Traveler's Wife

Julie Diewald finished The Time Traveler's Wife at 2:30 am and I had a gushing email by 2:45 am. I thought I would share her emotional response with you in the hopes that it might persuade you to read the book- at least more than any normal review might. Or, read this if you've already read the book to know that others feel the same way (emotional and confused over the complexities of time travel).

Julie: So I just finished it.

It was an absorbing read and yet one I feared to end. I knew it would rip at my heart. I know it will leave an imprint in my mind for awhile. Tears. My heart aches. A beautiful picture of life with all its bumps and blessings. I enjoyed Clare being an artist and Henry a librarian. It's like our perfect combination of people. When Clare spoke of the creation of art, I understood her completely- as I'm sure you did. The author managed to tie up all the appearances and unknowns in such a complicated weaving of words that I'm satisfied but not. Ooh how could she rip him out of Clare's life? And how could Clare go forward when he is integral to her life? Ahhh. And the last scene- why not tell us more, paint the scene longer? I feel like Clare- waiting for something that has just vanished, unable to recapture. I don't know what to do now. sadness. Thankyou for the book. I enjoyed it. Even after all of these words, part of me feels like I never fully bonded to the characters. Surely to Henry more than Clare. He has a larger amount of book time. Maybe because of the realness of the world. The darkness and the light. Maybe because I have never experienced this kind of love. Or maybe the author has yet to convince me of their truths? I wonder what you thought of the book.

Marika (reply): That is a wonderful email. In all seriousness, I just got teary reading it. What with all the time travel, he never really knows how much life is truly left, and yet he knows the end, whereas Claire knows time, and is stuck there, yet tries to hold on to time which is out of joint.

I think you watch them more than bond. You are inexplicably unable to take your eyes off of them, which is made even more difficult when there are two Henrys or Claire and Henry are separated, or he is with a different her.

There is a trailer now for a movie of the book. I don't think it is the sort of thing that would translate well- I think the movie will just be a shoddy romance, without the true human connection pushed and stretched around time.

On another note, time travel has different rules in every single book, movie, television show,

game, etc. Which is your favorite form? What movie or book has a system in which all the

creator's rules make sense? What examples seem to contradict one another at every turn?