Book Review: The Time Traveler's Wife

Fiction: The Time Traveler's Wife

Author: Audrey Niffenegger

Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Romance

Rating: 10/10

Unconventional, original and undeniably romantic – this story takes you around the bends of time where Clare discovers her soul mate at the age of six, and he (Henry) appearing to already be thirty-six at the time. It all seems rather surreal, though later on we uncover the whirl wind that is their untypical boy meets girl love story.

Niffenegger breaks barriers and boundaries of love in this novel, demonstrating the idea of fate in the most unexpected way. Impossible but true, Henry suffers from a rare condition where his genetic clock periodically resets and he finds himself pulled suddenly into his past or future. Through his misadventures in this unwanted time travelling, he finds himself to stumble upon a six-year old Clare, whom he already knows shall be his future wife. At this young age of pure innocence and naivety, Clare is already convinced that her heart can belong to no one other than Henry. Funny as it may seem, Clare grows up with the assurance of Henry being all she’ll ever want and need, thus it appears that she no longer has anything to worry about because as far as she’s concerned: the future is very well taken care of – it just seems to be a matter of waiting. Always waiting.

Personally, when I stumbled upon this book myself, it was in itself purely unexpected. I was clearing up in my mum’s room, and stashed away in some dusty yellow Selfridges bag was this book. The thick layer of dust over it made me hestitate to pull it out, but I am now glad beyond reason that I had disregarded its condition, for this novel has surely etched itself in my mind and heart. You will find that no matter how imperfect and struggling love can be, a moment’s bliss is worth all of it. An elegy to love and loss, and perhaps the reality of relationships and love itself, it is beautifully written, unmissable and dazzlingly imaginative.

I guess for me, what makes an amazing novel really worthwhile is the impression it leaves on you as a reader. It's safe to say that this novel has impacted me greatly; it offered me heart melting conversations, thought provoking concepts and genuine tears. I was taken away, lost in this story were ‘time is nothing’ – and finding that you can love whenever, wherever, forever. This story gave me hope, entertainment and impossible inspiration.

A must read.

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I have also just recently found out that it has been made into a film and will be released in August here in London, so I'm pretty surprised and truthfully ecstatic about it.

By: Ces

Edited By: Annie