The time travelers wife book summary and study guide. The time travelers wife by audrey niffenegger book analysis. Priestley, man and time love after love the time will come when, with elation, you will greet yourself arriving. While the many iterations and loops here are intricately woven, the plot, proper, is fairly simple. Aug 22, 2011 the time traveler s wife is an undeniably sexy book, so full of love and longing that i felt almost embarrassed reading about such a private relationship in such a public setting. The story is about two people the time traveler henry, and his wife clare.
Miss niffenegger had an idea for a book about a time traveler and his wife. And so, by the time they actually meet in real time when hes 28 and shes 20, she has known him all her life and knows that she ends up marrying him. About the author audrey niffenegger is a professor in the m. Apr 06, 2014 i give the time traveler s wife by audrey niffenegger a 35 stars.
This unique tale of love tests the boundaries and constraints of love, the time travelers wife, is an exceptionally heartwarming and endearing book that portrays the feelings and emotions of both henry and clare throughout their lifetime. The time travelers wife begins with a prologue in which the main characters, henry and clare, introduce the nature of their relationship as a time traveler and a time travelers wife. The advantage is that during his 30s, henry began to timetravel into the childhood of his wife, clare, from ages 6 to 18. Her family moved to evanston, illinois when she was little. This is where clare first meets henry it symbolizes the bond or glue of clares and henrys relationship. The time travelers wife is an inspirational piece of literature. Time travel is what this book is made up of, henry being randomly thrown around to different times of his and clare s lives, never being in complete control of what s going on around him. Her first novel, the time travelers wife, was an international bestseller that received praise from usa today, the washington post, people magazine, and the denver post, among numerous publications. The title the time travelers wife suggests that clare is the main character in the story. The ideal relationship according to the time travelers wife. The excerpt above introduces book 2 of the time travelers wife, which launches us into henry and clares married life and the complications that ensue. Motif is an important aspect of the book that reoccurs often.
He thinks claire should walk away from the relationship, but claire cant because as she states, she has been in love with him her whole life. Audrey niffenegger throws you into a pretty perplexing scenario at the. Mar 02, 2018 the time travelers wife was the first novel i can remember that actively used time travelingbut the book isnt magical realism, not really. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of the time travelers wife by aubrey niffenegger. In brief a dazzling novel in the most untraditional fashion, this is the remarkable story of henry detamble, a dashing, adventuresome librarian who travels involuntarily through time, and clare abshire, an artist whose life takes a natural sequential course. The time travelers wife quotes showing 91120 of 262 now i wonder if it means that the future is a place, or like a place, that i could go to. I am either one sick or one inspired woman or both. The time travelers wife by readbook 12 august 2017 this is the extraordinary love story of clare and henry who met when clare was six and henry was thirtysix, and were married when clare was twentytwo and henry thirty. Pdf the time travelers wife download read online free. Mainstreamed time travel romance, cleverly executed and tastefully furnished if occasionally overwrought. Yet the narration seems to devote equal attention to clare and henry.
The alternating firstperson perspectives set a precedent for the rest of the story, which largely follows the chronology of clares life but also takes us along for some of henrys timetraveling adventures. The story is sometimes told by clare, sometimes by henry. Jul 05, 2003 the time traveler s wife is a controversial novel, and when my book club discussed it, there were burning pitchforks, buckets of hot tar and glasses of wow. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper.
The time travelers wife by audrey niffenegger alibris. Jun 21, 2019 the time travelers wife by audrey niffenegger is one of my favourite books because it is artistic and wellwritten, as it portrays love as one of lifes greatest happiness and tragedies. It is a man versus nature story told with new ideas. In the mean time, here are some book club questions for you to muse over. The time traveler s wife begins with a prologue in which the main characters, henry and clare, introduce the nature of their relationship as a time traveler and a time traveler s wife. As with many timetravel stories, at times it feels as if you need a chart to try to figure out whether the narratives internal logic holds up or notespecially when two different versions of the same character show up. The main focus of the novel is the love story between clare and henry. This is her first novel, which in hardcover was a selection of todays book club. Niffenegger, however, as a modern writer with a modern audience, allows her protagonist to travel through time on the whim of a genetic disorder, perhaps picking this. The time travelers wife is a controversial novel, and when my book club discussed it, there were burning pitchforks, buckets of hot tar and glasses of wow. The alternating firstperson perspectives set a precedent for the rest of the story, which largely follows the chronology of clares life but also takes us along for some of. The book alternates in viewpoints between the two title characters, henry detamble and his wife clare abshire. Another problem is that whenever he arrives at another time, or even returns to the present whenever that may be for him he is naked.
Impossible but true, because henry is one of the first people diagnosed with chronodisplacement disorder. The time travelers wife audrey niffenegger 3 the time travelers wife a novel by audrey niffenegger clock time is our bank manager, tax collector, police inspector. A second later, he disappears again and is back at the scene of. Audrey niffenegger is writing a sequel to her bestselling debut novel the time travelers wife vintage. The time traveler s wife by audrey niffenegger book analysis author. Passionately in love, clare and henry vow to hold onto each other and their marriage as they struggle with the effects of chronodisplacement disorder, a condition that casts henry involuntarily into the world of time travel. What speaks for the book as being mainly clares story, however, is that the narration follows her chronological timeline, which is also the readers timeline. The author takes on the challenge of writing in an unconventional manner in regards to story development. Also, young clare is completely clueless of her future with henry when we as readers are completely aware of the given situation. To me, the time travelers wife seems to be niffeneggers fantasy about how two people should fall in love and maintain that love. In the time travelers wife the setting is continuously changing with the constant time travel. Both the time travelers wife by niffenegger and in the time machine by wells present the reader with the idea of time travel despite being written almost 200 years apart.
If you allow yourself to think for one moment of the paradoxes, contradictions and logical difficulties involved, you. This is a bittersweet story between henry and clare, and takes place in chicago, as well as the countryside of illinois. The time travelers wife film analysis according to the. The time travelers wife by audrey niffenegger summary. Young henry is now naked and standing in his house, watching himself, his mother, and his father read a book on the couch together. What speaks for the book as being mainly clare s story, however, is that the narration follows her chronological timeline, which is also the reader s timeline. Mainstreamed timetravel romance, cleverly executed and tastefully furnished if occasionally overwrought. Clare is in love with a man who frequently disappears into thin air, leaving behind his clothing in a pile on the floor. The time travelers wife follows the love story of claire, an art student, and henry, a librarian with the unique ability to unexpectedly travel in time.
Beyond the kudos due for taking on the challenge of writing in a grain not normally visited in modern literature, i applaud the author for succeeding in this quest and. Henry is a timetraveler, and his trips are out of his control. Audrey niffenegger s innovative debut, the time travelers wife, is the story of clare, a beautiful art student, and henry, an adventuresome librarian, who have known each other since clare was six and henry was thirtysix, and were married when clare was twentythree and henry thirtyone. Audrey niffeneger audrey niffenegger was born in 1963 in the idyllic hamlet of south haven, michigan. The time traveler s wife follows the love story of claire, an art student, and henry, a librarian with the unique ability to unexpectedly travel in time. The time traveler s wife is the debut novel of american author audrey niffenegger, published in 2003. The time traveler s wife chronicles the romance between henry, a chicago librarian who vanishes in and out of time, and clare, an artist who first encounters him as a child. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing.
The alternating firstperson perspectives set a precedent for the rest of the story, which largely follows the chronology of clare s life but also takes us along. Jan 06, 2005 the time traveler s wife is an inspirational piece of literature. Aug 12, 2017 the time travelers wife by readbook 12 august 2017 this is the extraordinary love story of clare and henry who met when clare was six and henry was thirtysix, and were married when clare was twentytwo and henry thirty. She originally imagined making it as a graphic novel, but eventually realized that it is very difficult to represent sudden time shifts with still images. Niffenegger wrote it while going through an emotionally distant and complicated relationship. It provides a thorough exploration of the novels plot, characters and main themes, including love, determinism and fantasy.
Jan 30, 2004 the time travelers wife by audrey niffenegger 532pp, jonathan cape. Born in 1975, henry teaches himself the skills he will need to survive as he travels through time, unable to change events he sees those he loves suffer repeatedly. Buy the time travelers wife by audrey niffenegger online at alibris. Henry has a genetic condition that causes him to time travel.
She began to work on the project as a novel, and published the time travelers wife in 2003 with the independent publisher macadam cage. The setting takes place in many different places such as the meadow in south heaven, the field behind clares family home. The time travelers wife book 1, chapter 3, first date. The time travelers wife by audrey niffenegger goodreads. The authors purpose was to write a metaphor of her failed relationship in love. Critical analysis of time travellers wife by audrey niffeneger. It is a love story about a man with a genetic disorder that causes him to time travel unpredictably, and about his wife, an artist, who has to cope with his frequent absences and dangerous experiences. The time travelers wife is a complex, heartstringpulling adaptation of audrey niffeneggers 2003 bestselling novel. About halfway through audrey niffeneggers debut novel, the time travelers wife, you realize youre going to be devastated. Jul 27, 2010 in which matt compares his favorite book of all time to the recent movie version. The time travelers wife by audrey niffenegger is a science fiction love story published by macadamcage in 2003. The time travelers wife is a thoroughly satisfying and thoroughly magnificent story. The warmth of the actors makes it surprisingly tender, considering the premise that is blatantly absurd. May 21, 2014 although her book is about a couple in very strange circumstances one is a time traveler she is also trying to make a statement about the ideal relationship in general.
Why do you think niffenegger used the title the time travelers wife instead of just the time traveler. The time travelers wife quotes by audrey niffenegger. Audrey niffeneggers innovative debut, the time travelers wife, is the story of clare, a beautiful art student, and henry, an adventuresome librarian, who have known each other since clare was six and henry was thirtysix, and were married when clare was twentythree and henry thirtyone. The time traveler s wife critics consensus though it may satisfy fans of the novel, the time traveler s wife s plot contrivances and illogical narrative hamper its big screen effectiveness. Impossible but true, because henry is one of the first people diagnosed with chrono.
The dilemma of henry and clare rachel mcadams becomes, in the time travelers wife, a bittersweet love story. Despite its sciencefiction premise, the novel is more about the love and longing, the joy and melancholy, between starcrossed soul mates. Henry, the time traveler, is the protagonist, with time itself as the antagonist. Although her book is about a couple in very strange circumstances one is a time traveler she is also trying to make a statement about the ideal relationship in general. The time travelers wife quotes by audrey niffeneggerpage 4. Audrey niffenegger throws you into a pretty perplexing scenario at the start of the time travelers wife. I give the time travelers wife by audrey niffenegger a 35 stars. This essay on the time travelers wife film analysis according to the book was written and submitted by user trinity b.
This book is about a time travelers relationship with a woman throughout his life. The book spoiler for the book the time travelers wife. The time travelers wife is a controversial novel, and when my book club discussed it, there were. The time travelers wife by audrey niffenegger books. A very important motif for this book is right in the name the time travelers wife. The title the time traveler s wife suggests that clare is the main character in the story. Introduction the time travelers wife by audrey niffenegger is one of my favourite books because it is artistic and wellwritten, as it portrays love as one of lifes greatest happiness and tragedies. Henry travels back to a time before his mom died and runs into her on the subway. Niffenegger has received residencies from the ragdale foundation and the. Audrey niffenegger is a writer, professor and visual artist. The time travelers wife audrey niffenegger, 2004 houghton mifflin harcourt 546 pp. Henry has a genetic condition that causes him to timetravel. He finds himself in the present and the past with only his naked body.
The time travelers wife was the first novel i can remember that actively used time travelingbut the book isnt magical realism, not really. Nov 22, 2010 the time travelers wife is neither romance, nor science fiction, nor pure fantasy. Aug 14, 2009 the time travelers wife is a complex, heartstringpulling adaptation of audrey niffeneggers 2003 bestselling novel. Sep 09, 2003 mainstreamed time travel romance, cleverly executed and tastefully furnished if occasionally overwrought. The time travelers wife chronicles the romance between henry, a chicago librarian who vanishes in and out of time, and clare, an artist who first encounters him as a child. The time travelers wife is a love story with a difference. Gomez learns that henry is a time traveler by witnessing it firsthand. Time travel is what this book is made up of, henry being randomly thrown around to different times of his and clares lives, never being in complete control of.
The ideal relationship according to the time travelers. Henry suffers from chronodisplacement order, a disease that is constantly whisking him away from his life to deposit him in the past. The time travelers wife by audrey niffenegger book. The time travelers wife quotes showing of 262 dont you think its better to be extremely happy for a short while, even if you lose it, than to be just okay for your whole life. Henry suffers from a rare genetic disorder, chrono.
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