Scan barcode
lenorayoder's review against another edition
emotional
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Better than I thought it would be, but not as good as I hoped it would be once I got into it. It's very interesting to read a fucked up relationship develop from the perspective of the people in it. They do love each other, but they're also overly dependent, unhealthy, and don't communicate well. They are the only people who understand each other, but it is because they have both engineered it to be so. On some level they both know the relationship is doomed, but they don't want to be without each other.
I found the way the author handled time travel interesting, especially the implications of Clare'sdeja vu moments, and the sketch with the trimmed date . The underlying terror that Henry almost constantly feels permeates the book, and one of the unvoiced stumbling blocks of their relationship is that Clare never really seems to understand that fear - evidenced by the fact that she so desires to have a child that will likely have the same terrible condition . The way Niffenegger's chosen to depict this story and time travel unfortunately means that the reader never really gets to sit with these characters, and by the end of the book I still felt like I didn't really know them, just their relationship. I wish the book was more narrow in scope, or gave us more insight into what Clare and Henry are like apart. The Time Traveler's Wife is a compelling title, but the book is not about Clare, it's entirely about Clare and Henry's relationship with everything else serving as set dressing.
Overall enjoyed and would recommend. Sometimes the descriptions and references get a little self-indulgent and pretentious, but seeing this complex relationship evolve from the perspective of two incredibly biased narrators was always interesting and page-turning. Also,fuck you Gomez. Cherisse, why the fuck did you marry that man, let alone have kids with him. Yikes . I had to list so many content warnings and I didn't even get them all.
I found the way the author handled time travel interesting, especially the implications of Clare's
Overall enjoyed and would recommend. Sometimes the descriptions and references get a little self-indulgent and pretentious, but seeing this complex relationship evolve from the perspective of two incredibly biased narrators was always interesting and page-turning. Also,
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
Minor: Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
datskira's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
So disappointed after loving the movie. Way too much filler content and cringe moments/smut.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Medical content, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Medical content
Minor: Blood
hjb_128's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cancer, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Infertility, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Racism
leer_amor's review against another edition
3.0
I feel very conflicted reviewing this book. There are a lot of parts of this book that I really liked, and the vibe was immaculate. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that there are some parts of this book that are wildly inappropriate. And that there’s some actual grooming in this book that is awful. This might be considered a spoiler so here’s your warning, this book is about a man named Henry who can time travel. He doesn’t have any control over when or where he travels to and when he time travels he always arrives naked. He often visits the childhood of his future wife Clare. So he’s basically having a relationship with her when she’s in her teens. And I know in the future they’re married but it just seems awful to me that he’s having this relationship with her when she’s younger. It quite literally is grooming. I think this book has not aged well. It was quite a success when it was first published and they made a movie or show about it, but the series was also canceled because of concerns of grooming. So yeah… I just think here are better time travel books out there… Interesting premise but poor execution.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Miscarriage, and Pedophilia
spectacles_and_books's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This broke me, in the best way. And I will never watch an adaptation, because this was perfect.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Drug use, Infertility, Sexual content, Blood, Car accident, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual assault
nienora's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
There's no reason for this to be as long as it is. Seriously, it could've ended like three times and it just continued on. Especially last part is just repeated scene for five times.
Henry and Claire are so annoyingly rich, and it shows in the way they talk and act. Sooo pretentious and annoying, they're horrible people.
Also, Claire is Catholic and it gets mentioned all the time. Abortus not being an option is said more than once. I can't decide is it trying to be critical of Catholic values or supports them.
Their relationship relies on you just accepting that they're destined for each other and love each other. Their whole 'chemistry' is that they grope each other any chance they get. They speak for barely 2 minutes and someone's hand wanders under shirt... I mean, they were fine when Claire is young but as soon as they meet up in present timeline it's just sex.
I know people say that Henry groomed Claire, but if anything, they groomed each other equally. Everything gets convoluted and mixed up when there's time travel involved. It asks is there a choice and free will or is everything already predestined to happen, so it will, undoubtedly, happen.
Henry and Claire are so annoyingly rich, and it shows in the way they talk and act. Sooo pretentious and annoying, they're horrible people.
Also, Claire is Catholic and it gets mentioned all the time. Abortus not being an option is said more than once. I can't decide is it trying to be critical of Catholic values or supports them.
Their relationship relies on you just accepting that they're destined for each other and love each other. Their whole 'chemistry' is that they grope each other any chance they get. They speak for barely 2 minutes and someone's hand wanders under shirt... I mean, they were fine when Claire is young but as soon as they meet up in present timeline it's just sex.
I know people say that Henry groomed Claire, but if anything, they groomed each other equally. Everything gets convoluted and mixed up when there's time travel involved. It asks is there a choice and free will or is everything already predestined to happen, so it will, undoubtedly, happen.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Miscarriage and Abortion
Minor: Alcoholism and Classism
agw622's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is such a captivating book. The time traveling is well handled. The overlaps are used to add suspense especially at the end. It can be quite intense and sad at places. While not a happy read, it's an amazing read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Miscarriage, Self harm, Suicide, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcoholism, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Sexual content
valeria_balzan's review against another edition
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This book was alright. It had an awesome setup but I think it was missing some plot. I understand the book mostly centers about Claire and Henry and their "love story" but I did not care about them or the other characters at all (or what happened to them, for that matter.)
I feel like the author had great opportunities to push the limits of time travelling and how it can impact a person's Henry's life but he is just boring and hates this ability.
I feel like the author had great opportunities to push the limits of time travelling and how it can impact a person's Henry's life but he is just boring and hates this ability.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Blood and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Mental illness and Abandonment
naledi's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
[spoilers]
The Time Traveler's Wife is a beautifully written romance. At first glance, Henry being a time traveler seems almost cool, but as the book progresses, one realises that it is the tragedy of his romance with Clare. He is always leaving and she is always waiting. Henry's life is an incredibly sad tale - he sometimes knows the future and visits the past but in even the most tragic circumstances, cannot interfere. In this way, he is a slave to inevitability and Niffenger beautifully articulates the pain of this, especially as his death approaches. Henry knows his death is coming, down to the day, and he must suffer it still because that is his fate. I admire that Niffenger did not make Henry above his humanness and expressed that as his death approached he was afraid, he didn't want to go. It is made very clear that his time-traveling abilities are no gift, but rather a prison.
Not a lot of attention is given to Clare as an individual, she is written as an accessory to Henry, having few thoughts that do not pertain to him. Even when he is gone, she is always anticipating his return. The only part of the book that felt like this is about Clare, was the miscarriages, but even still, very little air time is given to how she feels about them, and how she dealt with the loss. More could have been said. She also does not have a social life, and even when she is working, she is thinking of him. Although Charisse is her friend, there is no scene with just them two, as there is with Henry & Gomez for example. It is sad to witness that Clare is always waiting for Henry, and the worst of it is when she is 82, waiting for him still. Henry lives his life, only meeting Clare at 28. But Clare's life has been a game of waiting and that is all she has ever known, all she ever will know. The present life she lives with Henry is hardly equatable to the waiting she does and this causes one to feel incredible sympathy for Clare, because who is she outside of being the time traveler's wife?
Criticisms:
This book had the potential to be a 5, but I felt a great deal of unease in the parts where Clare is between 6-18 and Henry is visiting her from his late 30s and early 40s. What is more disturbing is that although he is old, he still looks at her longingly. There is a part where she is 12, and he is about 42, and he considers kissing her, and reconciles with himself that 12 is too young. Furthermore, I lack understanding of his actions because he was already living his adult life with Clare, he had no reason to lust for a child, he could kiss his wife when he went back home. I also did not like how Niffenger wrote the characters of color. Nell, the cook for Clare's family, speaks in broken English and not only was this stereotypical, but it was unnecessary and unproductive to the overall plot.
Closing thoughts :
Reading this book it is hard to determine whether these two characters even chose each other at all. Henry appears from the future when Clare is young and most impressionable and announces himself as her husband, and that is decided. Equally, when Henry is 28, Clare meets Henry and announces herself as his future lover. We don't see a time of Henry actually getting to know Clare, and their biggest bond is that she knows he's a traveler and he is comforted by this. He dumps Ingrid, not because he really was over her or that he liked Clare more, but because Clare showed up from his future-past. And so it is clear that a great question this book confronts is that of autonomy, of free will. Who chooses, what is decided, and do we have a say in any of it?
The Time Traveler's Wife is a beautiful story that I recommend to anyone who would not be triggered by the aforementioned criticisms.
The Time Traveler's Wife is a beautifully written romance. At first glance, Henry being a time traveler seems almost cool, but as the book progresses, one realises that it is the tragedy of his romance with Clare. He is always leaving and she is always waiting. Henry's life is an incredibly sad tale - he sometimes knows the future and visits the past but in even the most tragic circumstances, cannot interfere. In this way, he is a slave to inevitability and Niffenger beautifully articulates the pain of this, especially as his death approaches. Henry knows his death is coming, down to the day, and he must suffer it still because that is his fate. I admire that Niffenger did not make Henry above his humanness and expressed that as his death approached he was afraid, he didn't want to go. It is made very clear that his time-traveling abilities are no gift, but rather a prison.
Not a lot of attention is given to Clare as an individual, she is written as an accessory to Henry, having few thoughts that do not pertain to him. Even when he is gone, she is always anticipating his return. The only part of the book that felt like this is about Clare, was the miscarriages, but even still, very little air time is given to how she feels about them, and how she dealt with the loss. More could have been said. She also does not have a social life, and even when she is working, she is thinking of him. Although Charisse is her friend, there is no scene with just them two, as there is with Henry & Gomez for example. It is sad to witness that Clare is always waiting for Henry, and the worst of it is when she is 82, waiting for him still. Henry lives his life, only meeting Clare at 28. But Clare's life has been a game of waiting and that is all she has ever known, all she ever will know. The present life she lives with Henry is hardly equatable to the waiting she does and this causes one to feel incredible sympathy for Clare, because who is she outside of being the time traveler's wife?
Criticisms:
This book had the potential to be a 5, but I felt a great deal of unease in the parts where Clare is between 6-18 and Henry is visiting her from his late 30s and early 40s. What is more disturbing is that although he is old, he still looks at her longingly. There is a part where she is 12, and he is about 42, and he considers kissing her, and reconciles with himself that 12 is too young. Furthermore, I lack understanding of his actions because he was already living his adult life with Clare, he had no reason to lust for a child, he could kiss his wife when he went back home. I also did not like how Niffenger wrote the characters of color. Nell, the cook for Clare's family, speaks in broken English and not only was this stereotypical, but it was unnecessary and unproductive to the overall plot.
Closing thoughts :
Reading this book it is hard to determine whether these two characters even chose each other at all. Henry appears from the future when Clare is young and most impressionable and announces himself as her husband, and that is decided. Equally, when Henry is 28, Clare meets Henry and announces herself as his future lover. We don't see a time of Henry actually getting to know Clare, and their biggest bond is that she knows he's a traveler and he is comforted by this. He dumps Ingrid, not because he really was over her or that he liked Clare more, but because Clare showed up from his future-past. And so it is clear that a great question this book confronts is that of autonomy, of free will. Who chooses, what is decided, and do we have a say in any of it?
The Time Traveler's Wife is a beautiful story that I recommend to anyone who would not be triggered by the aforementioned criticisms.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Miscarriage
passionatereader78's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Wonderfully written book! I enjoyed this exploration of time travel. I loved the relationship between Claire and Henry. There is so much heat in theses pages! I love the way the story was easy to follow. The time jumps were uncomplicated and I could follow the plot. I loved everything about this book!
This is Henry and Claire's beautifully complicated love story!
This is Henry and Claire's beautifully complicated love story!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Infertility, Sexual content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Self harm, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol