The Time Traveler's Wife - Book Review

This novel tells the story of Henry de Tamble and his wife, Clare Abshire. Henry has a very rare genetic disorder known as "Chrono-Impairment" that causes him to involuntarily travel through time. He is unable to control when he leaves, where he goes, or how long his trip will last. His destinations are tied to his subconscious, as Henry most often travels to places he has visited (or will eventually visit). Certain things like stress can trigger time travel for Henry.

Clare Abshire is a perfectly normal woman in most respects. She comes from a wealthy family, goes to Catholic school and eventually moves to Chicago to attend college. She studies art, and eventually becomes an artist herself; working with several types of molding paper. Most women do not, however, meet their eventual husbands lurking in the woods behind their childhood homes. Henry time travels into Clare's childhood many, many times, starting when she is six years old and continuing until her eighteenth birthday, when they are separated for two years until they finally meet in real time for both of them. When 20-year-old Clare finds the 28-year-old Henry in the present, he has never seen her before, and she has known him all her life.

If that description sounds confusing, don't let it deter you from reading this book. It is a very original concept and the writing style is definitely creative and turns a confusing plot into a very readable and enjoyable love story. Love stories aren't typically my thing, but this one is excellent - no, it's not a romance novel. The chapters focus on different dates in time (some in the past and some in the future, not in order) and alternate between Henry's point of view and Clare's view.

Surprisingly, even though time doesn't proceed in a linear fashion, the story is easy to follow and makes perfect sense - each change in date is coupled with a readout of Henry and Clare's ages so it's easy to tell if Henry is time traveling or in the present. My only complaint is that the end could have been better, but it doesn't taint the rest of this great book. If you want to read something that is unlike anything you have ever read, I would recommend this novel. I'll bet you will find it as much of a page turner as I did.


Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Would I read it again: No

The Time Traveler's Wife
by Audrey Niffenegger
Hardcover: 518 pages
September 2003