Clare and henry attempt to live normal lives, pursuing familiar goalssteady jobs, good friends, children of their own. Young henry is now naked and standing in his house, watching himself, his mother, and his father read a book on the couch together. The official facebook page for the time traveler s wife i wouldnt change one second of our life together. The time travelers wife by audrey niffenegger about the book audrey niffeneggers innovative debut,the time travelers wife, is the story of clare, a beautiful art student, and henry, an adventuresome librarian, who have known each other since clare was six and henry was 36, and were married when clare was 23 and henry 31. She first meets him when shes six years old, he first meets her much later in his life. The time travelers wife by audrey niffenegger book club. Clare is in love with a man who frequently disappears into thin air, leaving behind his clothing in a pile on the floor.
The time travelers wife, setting is difficult to put a finger on due to the fact that it can change in blink of an eye. A timetravel love story par excellenceit will be a hardhearted reader who is not moved to tears by the dangers henry and clare ultimately face, and by the authors soaring celebration of the victory of love over time. However, henry time travels and sometimes leaves his wife for days or weeks at a time. Following morning she finds a lipstick in henrys bathroom, and when henry comes in he explains it by saying im not doing that anymoreits in the past something along those lines, not a direct quote. In the movie the time traveler s wife, shortly after henry meets clare for the first time, clare spends the night at henry s.
Henry, the time traveler, is the protagonist, with time itself as the antagonist. Her family moved to evanston, illinois when she was little. Niffenegger, frustrated in love when she began the work, wrote the story as a metaphor for. A chicago librarian has a gene that causes him to involuntarily time travel, creating complications in his marriage. This unique tale of love tests the boundaries and constraints of love, the time traveler s wife, is an. I havent read the book in over a year, so i cant provide you with great detail. Henry suffers from chronodisplacement order, a disease that is constantly whisking him away from his life to deposit him in the past and future without a moment s notice or control. Yet the narration seems to devote equal attention to clare and henry. As genetic oddity henry detamble inadvertently and unwillingly jumps through time, he and the love of his life, claire, create a complicated, asynchronous history.
The time travelers wife by audrey niffenegger, paperback. Though history there have been dozens of mediums used for time travel in literature. Aug, 2009 o n publication in 2003, audrey niffenegger s fantasy romance the time traveler s wife became a us bestselling smash and global book club swoon, and travelling forward in time to 2009, it now. And to be honest, the movie was disappointing and at some point turned boring. The book is much better, themore i read the book then watched the movie. I recently read the time traveler s wife and adored it, then i rewatched the movie, and im torn between the two endings. Read the time traveller s wife, then read it again. Henry suffers from chronodisplacement order, a disease that is constantly whisking him away from his life to deposit him in the past. This unique tale of love tests the boundaries and constraints of love, the time travelers wife, is an exceptionally heartwarming and endearing book that portrays the feelings and emotions of both henry and clare throughout their lifetime. Audrey niffeneggers debut novel, the time travelers wife, is a delightfully difficult book to describe. The time travelers wife is based on the bestselling book about a love that transcends time.
The time travelers wife by audrey niffenegger alibris. Implication of the title the title the time travelers wife suggests that clare is the main character in the story. Sep 09, 2003 mainstreamed time travel romance, cleverly executed and tastefully furnished if occasionally overwrought. The time travelers wife is a 2009 american romantic science fiction drama film based on audrey niffeneggers 2003 novel of the same name.
The time traveler s wife begins with a prologue in which the main characters, henry and clare, introduce the nature of their relationship as a time traveler and a time traveler s wife. The time travelers wife was released for the first time in ebook format on sept. I will never see the movie because the book is better on the moviescreen of my mind than anybody could ever film. The book spoiler for the book the time travelers wife. The author takes on the challenge of writing in an unconventional manner in regards to story development. If you allow yourself to think for one moment of the paradoxes, contradictions and logical difficulties involved, you. The alternating firstperson perspectives set a precedent for the rest of the story, which largely follows the chronology of clare s life but also takes us along. I recently read the time travelers wife and adored it, then i rewatched the movie, and im torn between the two endings. While the many iterations and loops here are intricately woven, the plot, proper, is fairly simple. The time travelers wife by audrey niffenegger 6 oct i read this book back in march 2010 and ill always remember that because i had to carry it under my arm and under my coat and onto a ryanair flight, hoping the stewardesses wouldnt realize it didnt fit in my suitcase and i was over the size limit.
Clare meets henry for the first time when she is 6 and he is 36. The title the time traveler s wife suggests that clare is the main character in the story. The book is much better, the characters feel more real. Do you think the ending of the novel is satisfactory. The time travelers wife is the debut novel of american author audrey niffenegger, published in 2003. With eric bana, rachel mcadams, ron livingston, michelle nolden. Audrey niffenegger is writing a sequel to her bestselling debut novel the time travelers wife vintage. It is interesting how the books that defy confinement to a single genre provide the most intriging premises.
The time travelers wife is a houdini box of a novel, filled with spring latches and trap doors. Another problem is that whenever he arrives at another time, or even returns to the present whenever that may be for him he is naked. Audrey niffeneggers innovative debut, the time travelers wife, is the story of clare, a beautiful art student, and henry, an adventuresome librarian, who have known each other since clare was six and henry was thirtysix, and were married when clare was twentythree and henry thirtyone. Time travelers wife sequel from niffenegger the bookseller. This study guide consists of approximately 90 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the time traveler s wife. Eric bana plays henry detamble, a man with a genetic disorder that makes him involuntarily time travel. The time travelers wife rachel mcadams eric bana arliss howard 2009 the unusual genetic makeup of a librarian eric bana causes him to travel back and forth through time, so that he and his beloved rachel mcadams ar. The 2008 movie the time travelers wife featured eric bana and rachel mcadams as henry and clare, newlyweds struggling to deal with his inability to stop disappearing into different times and places without warning. The story is sometimes told by clare, sometimes by henry. Impossible but true, because henry is one of the first people diagnosed with chrono. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.
Please cite examples and compare the time traveler s wife to the ones with which you are familiar. Aug 06, 2009 the time travelers wife is based on the bestselling book about a love that transcends time. We then see the couple move into their apartment in chicago, and living the life of a young married couple. The time travelers wife 2009 official trailer youtube. Unfortunately, in condensing the novel the story loses a lot of its charm and the substance that makes it so good. Although one of my favorite passages in the book was henrys letter, im not sure that i liked that he told her he would see her again and exactly when, although i like the element of hope that it gave her. The film version of the time travelers wife is visually stunning and a wonderful adaptation. Jun 20, 2009 i havent read the book in over a year, so i cant provide you with great detail. Mainstreamed timetravel romance, cleverly executed and tastefully furnished if occasionally overwrought.
The time travelers wife is neither romance, nor science fiction, nor pure fantasy. Henry meets clare for the first time when he is 28 and she is. The real book ending of audrey niffeneggers the time traveler s wife 2003. Buy the time travelers wife by audrey niffenegger online at alibris. The official facebook page for the time travelers wife i wouldnt change one second of our life together. The time travelers wife was the ending of the book or the. Henry is a timetraveler, and his trips are out of his control.
Ask anything you want to know, or answer other peoples questions. The time travelers wife depicts the effects of time travel on henry and clares marriage and their passionate love for each other, as the story unfolds from both points of view. Although one of my favorite passages in the book was henry s letter, im not sure that i liked that he told her he would see her again and exactly when, although i like the element of hope that it gave her. While being somewhat poignant and touching, the time travelers wife is a largely contrived affair that telegraphs the emotional beats from miles away, robbing it of a great deal of the impact it otherwise could have had. Sep 24, 20 the time travelers wife was released for the first time in ebook format on sept. Born in 1975, henry teaches himself the skills he will need to survive as he travels through time, unable to change events he sees those he loves. Jan 06, 2005 the time traveler s wife is an inspirational piece of literature. Questions and answers for the time travelers wife 2009. Following morning she finds a lipstick in henry s bathroom, and when henry comes in he explains it by saying im not doing that anymoreit s in the past something along those lines, not a direct quote. Dec 04, 2012 the film version of the time travelers wife is visually stunning and a wonderful adaptation. Clare rachel mcadams has been in love with henry eric bana her entire life. Henry has a genetic condition that causes him to time travel. Theres a sad part near the end, but at the very end its happy because the last scene gives you hope about what could happen after the movies over. The time travelers wife is an inspirational piece of literature.
In the movie the time travelers wife, shortly after henry meets clare for the first time, clare spends the night at henrys. Henry has a genetic condition that causes him to timetravel. It is gorgeous and perfect and sad and joyous every time. The sequel is one of two books the author is currently working on, she revealed on. The time traveler s wife is a 2009 american romantic science fiction drama film based on audrey niffenegger s 2003 novel of the same name. In the film, eric bana and rachel mcadams play henry and clare, a loving couple whose relationship has been complicated tremendously by the fact that henry is a time traveler prone to. In brief a dazzling novel in the most untraditional fashion, this is the remarkable story of henry detamble, a dashing, adventuresome librarian who travels involuntarily through time, and clare abshire, an artist whose life takes a natural sequential course. Niffenegger, frustrated in love when she began the work, wrote the. Aug 30, 2009 eric banas character doesnt get brain cancer. The time travelers wife depicts the effects of time travel on henry and clares marriage and their passionate love for each other as the story unfolds from both points of view. The time traveler s wife is the debut novel of american author audrey niffenegger, published in 2003. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. The main setting, you could say is chicago, illinois.
Reading guide for the time travelers wife by audrey. Audrey niffeneggers muchpraised bestseller the time travelers wife hardly seemed like a good contender for adaptation to film. The time travelers wife audrey niffenegger, 2004 houghton mifflin harcourt 546 pp. The alternating firstperson perspectives set a precedent for the rest of the story, which largely follows the chronology of clares life but also takes us along for some of. The book is told from both henry and clares perspectives.
A long time ago a friend loved this book so much she bought it for me too. In the mean time, here are some book club questions for you to muse over. It is a man versus nature story told with new ideas. And even though henry is dead, his past is still time traveling into the future. The timetravel jump cuts make the film all the more befuddling, and although henrys supposed to morph in age from one time period to the next, all that ever seems to change is how many wrinkles he sports and how gray his hair gets. Clare and henry attempt to live normal lives, pursuing familiar goals steady jobs, good friends, children of their own.
I dont want to spoil it for you so thats as good as i can do for you. What speaks for the book as being mainly clares story, however, is that the narration follows her chronological timeline, which is also the readers timeline. It is a love story about a man with a genetic disorder that causes him to time travel unpredictably, and about his wife, an artist, who has to cope with his frequent absences and dangerous experiences. The time travelers wife was the ending of the book or. The new ending of the film version of the time traveler s wife is very different from the one initially intended to close out the bigscreen adaptation of the audrey niffenegger novel, which opens aug. Reading guide for the time travelers wife by audrey niffenegger. O n publication in 2003, audrey niffeneggers fantasy romance the time travelers wife became a us bestselling smash and global book club swoon, and travelling forward in time to 2009, it now. Please cite examples and compare the time travelers wife to the ones with which you are familiar. The time travelers wife begins with a prologue in which the main characters, henry and clare, introduce the nature of their relationship as a time traveler and a time travelers wife. Why do you think niffenegger used the title the time travelers wife instead of just the time traveler. The time traveler s wife rachel mcadams eric bana arliss howard 2009 the unusual genetic makeup of a librarian eric bana causes him to travel back and forth through time, so that he and his beloved rachel mcadams ar. The book is told from both henry and clare s perspectives. So, he can time traveled to a time after his own death.
Jan 30, 2004 the time travelers wife by audrey niffenegger 532pp, jonathan cape. The title the time travelers wife suggests that clare is the main character in the story. The warmth of the actors makes it surprisingly tender, considering the premise that is blatantly absurd. Beyond the kudos due for taking on the challenge of writing in a grain not normally visited in modern literature, i applaud the author for succeeding in this quest and. While it does cut a lot of the novel, obviously for time reasons, everything that is left in is a close match to the book. The dilemma of henry and clare rachel mcadams becomes, in the time travelers wife, a bittersweet love story.