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A review by okiecozyreader
The Time Keepers by Alyson Richman
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
The Time Keepers tells the story of several families:
- Jack - a vietnam veteran who is working in a clock repair shop called Golden Hours
- Tom and Grace and their two daughters - Tom’s father founded the clock shop. Grace is an immigrant who has a tragic story of her own.
- Anh and her nephew Bảo - who escaped southern Vietnam when their families were destroyed bc they were seen as traitors
Along the way, we get to know several people in Jack’s service - his girlfriend, mother, Vietnam marines, hospital workers
- and Tom and Grace’s life - friends who are not sincere, and boys that are up to trouble.
Grace finds Bảo on a street corner and develops a friendship with his aunt. From there the story begins to weave.
Rickman writes in the author’s note:
“The Time Keepers is foremost a novel about time, memory, and healing. I have intentionally chosen to switch between past and present tense in different passages of the book in order to highlight how we mentally process pain, trauma, and love.”
The last few Vietnam War books I have read, have all carried a theme about how veterans came back from the war and were not just disregarded but treated horribly. This one shows many facets of the war, and the effects of the war on many families.
But it also shows how Jack has tried to heal his life through his work on the clocks. I loved all the characters, but especially Jack towards the end of the book.
“She (Grace) lost her sister at a young age, so maybe I’m drawn to her because she embodies the Golden family philosophy that you have to find a way to move forward.” Ch 9
“Sundials can measure the hours in the day and reservoirs every drop of water. But no one has ever invented an instrument to quantify love.” Ch 25
“Time must move forward.” It really was the only way to survive.” Ch 40
“Jack had developed a weakness for broken things. Over time, he’d come to learn that there were two types of people in the world: those who threw things away once they stopped working, and those who tried to salvage them. “ ch 48
“And even when a watch didn’t work as it should, there was the expectation that it could still be resurrected with the proper care. But could a life be as well?” Ch 54
Loved hearing about her research in this interview: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DCP8FY_yfrX/?igsh=MWluY3E5MW02bnhsMQ==
- Jack - a vietnam veteran who is working in a clock repair shop called Golden Hours
- Tom and Grace and their two daughters - Tom’s father founded the clock shop. Grace is an immigrant who has a tragic story of her own.
- Anh and her nephew Bảo - who escaped southern Vietnam when their families were destroyed bc they were seen as traitors
Along the way, we get to know several people in Jack’s service - his girlfriend, mother, Vietnam marines, hospital workers
- and Tom and Grace’s life - friends who are not sincere, and boys that are up to trouble.
Grace finds Bảo on a street corner and develops a friendship with his aunt. From there the story begins to weave.
Rickman writes in the author’s note:
“The Time Keepers is foremost a novel about time, memory, and healing. I have intentionally chosen to switch between past and present tense in different passages of the book in order to highlight how we mentally process pain, trauma, and love.”
The last few Vietnam War books I have read, have all carried a theme about how veterans came back from the war and were not just disregarded but treated horribly. This one shows many facets of the war, and the effects of the war on many families.
But it also shows how Jack has tried to heal his life through his work on the clocks. I loved all the characters, but especially Jack towards the end of the book.
“She (Grace) lost her sister at a young age, so maybe I’m drawn to her because she embodies the Golden family philosophy that you have to find a way to move forward.” Ch 9
“Sundials can measure the hours in the day and reservoirs every drop of water. But no one has ever invented an instrument to quantify love.” Ch 25
“Time must move forward.” It really was the only way to survive.” Ch 40
“Jack had developed a weakness for broken things. Over time, he’d come to learn that there were two types of people in the world: those who threw things away once they stopped working, and those who tried to salvage them. “ ch 48
“And even when a watch didn’t work as it should, there was the expectation that it could still be resurrected with the proper care. But could a life be as well?” Ch 54
Loved hearing about her research in this interview: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DCP8FY_yfrX/?igsh=MWluY3E5MW02bnhsMQ==
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Medical trauma, and War