Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #430 in Books
• Published on: 2004-05-27
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 560 pages

From Publishers Weekly
This clever and inventive tale works on three levels: as an intriguing science fiction concept, a realistic character study and a touching love story. Henry De Tamble is a Chicago librarian with "Chrono Displacement" disorder; at random times, he suddenly disappears without warning and finds himself in the past or future, usually at a time or place of importance in his life. This leads to some wonderful paradoxes. From his point of view, he first met his wife, Clare, when he was 28 and she was 20. She ran up to him exclaiming that she'd known him all her life. He, however, had never seen her before. But when he reaches his 40s, already married to Clare, he suddenly finds himself time travelling to Clare's childhood and meeting her as a 6-year-old. The book alternates between Henry and Clare's points of view, and so does the narration. Reed ably expresses the longing of the one always left behind, the frustrations of their unusual lifestyle, and above all, her overriding love for Henry. Likewise, Burns evokes the fear of a man who never knows where or when he'll turn up, and his gratitude at having Clare, whose love is his anchor. The expressive, evocative performances of both actors convey the protagonists' intense relationship, their personal quirks and their reminiscences, making this a fascinating audio.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From AudioFile
Although the title suggests that this is science fiction, Niffenegger's charming, emotionally charged novel is much more a love story. Told alternately from the viewpoints of time traveler Henry and his wife, Clare, it's highly enjoyable on audio. Readers Christopher Burns and Maggi-Meg Reed blend their respective chapters seamlessly. Each reader characterizes all roles within a chapter, and the depictions mesh beautifully. Both narrators characterize Korean friend Kimmy in a charmingly amusing voice and lend a light mood to the couple's daughter, Alba. Burns portrays the emotional chaos of Henry's life so genuinely as to cast the listener directly into his pain and joy. The abridged recording leaves one longing for more. J.J.B. 2004 Audie Award Finalist © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

From Booklist
On the surface, Henry and Clare Detamble are a normal couple living in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. Henry works at the Newberry Library and Clare creates abstract paper art, but the cruel reality is that Henry is a prisoner of time. It sweeps him back and forth at its leisure, from the present to the past, with no regard for where he is or what he is doing. It drops him naked and vulnerable into another decade, wearing an age-appropriate face. In fact, it's not unusual for Henry to run into the other Henry and help him out of a jam. Sound unusual? Imagine Clare Detamble's astonishment at seeing Henry dropped stark naked into her parents' meadow when she was only six. Though, of course, until she came of age, Henry was always the perfect gentleman and gave young Clare nothing but his friendship as he dropped in and out of her life. It's no wonder that the film rights to this hip and urban love story have been acquired. Elsa Gaztambide
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Customer Reviews

Forgivingly flawed
Sweet and well written. Easy to read. Loved the characters.
There are certainly flaws, but I easily forgave them because I was so engrossed by the story. Like many other reviewers, I was sad it ended and could not stop thinking about it for days after.

emotional roller coaster
I may be too old for romances (I'm more in love with grandchildren than lost loves these days} but I read this book upon a recommendation from a friend and I appreciated the emotional power of this book. It reminds us of love found and lost over a life time. I would recommend it to anyone with an open heart. It is very moving.

The most moving book I've read in a long time
I'll say it up front; the book is not perfect. There are a few moments of deus ex machina that stretch credibility - even for a time travel story - and a few sections where I wondered just where the author was going with the story. However, in spite of its flaws, I finished this more moved by anything I've read in a very long time. I fell in love with Henry and Clare early on, as the author's delicate prose sucked me in. I thought at first the 1st person/present tense, switching back and forth between the two characters, would be distracting, but it took no time at all to forget that was what she was even doing. Her voices at Clare's different ages were clear and distinct, and while I sometimes lost track of all the Henrys, I wasn't that bothered by it since frankly, Clare did, too.

I was entranced by the first two-thirds of the book, but the last third came with an ever-impending sense of doom, as the ending hinted at came barreling closer and closer. I read faster and faster, desperate to get to the full disclosure. I can't say that I regret it, either, in spite of the heartbreaking last few chapters. A keeper for my shelves, most definitely.