Did anyone else have a hard time reading The Time Traveler's Wife?

[Verity]

I'm sure this book has been discussed here before, but without the search feature, it's hard to find a thread on it.

I'm a little over halfway through the book. I've almost put it down a couple of times already, but I'm trying to slog through since I'm reading it for a book club. I am having a hard time developing much sympathy for the characters and wrapping my brain around the "two Henrys at once" concept. I just can't suspend disbelief to that extent.

Did anyone else have a hard time with this book?

[ankh]

Ugh, I have tried to start this book for the last few nights, finallly I gave it a go and couldn't do it. I think the whole concept freaks me out and I have no patience for all the to-ing and fro-ing(If they are proper words)No, you are not alone

[Hatteras Gal]

I had a hard time with it and had to constantly stop and really think about what was going on so I wouldn't be completely confused. My sister was completely confused even when she stopped to think about it. :

[Hazelnut]

Yeah I disliked the characters and got tired of the back and forth, but by the end I got a little more into it. I'd say it's worth finishing, but I wasn't the biggest fan in the world.

[Alkenny]

It was hard for me to trudge through it too. I thought it was good, though not the best read I've had, but still worth it. It was just very HARD.

[Celery]

I really liked it

I had to go back and reread the first quarter after I got halfway through and really figured out what was happenning.

****SPOILER******

I hated the vasectomy bit, though. As if! 'we're infertile, let's get a vasectomy"

[Beeblebrox]

I really enjoyed the book. I read it about two or three years ago. In fact, I recently was trying to find my copy and can't seem to locate it and I'm pretty bummed. I enjoyed the concept and how everything was interwoven. It forced me to think about things I had read in the beginning of the book and how it applies later. So, from me it gets a .

[ZenMamaJen]

I really like it, too. It took me awhile to get into the swing of it, but I really loved it!

[bobica]

i found it difficult at first but then got in the groove. i wound up loving it. dh is reading it now & wants to turn it into a film

[Verity]

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!















I finished it today. It did pick up in the last third, and I was interested to see how the author killed Henry off. Still, I was amazed at how little sympathy I developed for the characters. Based on what I'd heard about the story, I thought I'd be sobbing by the end of the book. It usually doesn't take much to make me cry! Here, nothing. It was interesting, at times, but not emotionally engaging. There were so many short episodes and so much switching of times and dates that it read more like a (very, very long ) magazine article than a novel.

I think my inability to buy the author's version of time travel made the book much less enjoyable for me. Something about scenes in which two Henrys or two Albas are talking (or doing other things ;-) ) together just made me shake my head in disbelief. And the way Clare got pregnant with Alba made me

And if I have to read the "guy in love with his best friend's wife" storyline one more time, I'll have to someone!

Oddly enough, I think it would make a great movie!

[lisac77]

I loved this book. It's my kind of book though... I'm one who reads about time travel for fun.

[pamamidwife]

I loved it. I thought at first, it took some getting used to, but it really made both characters so much more deep.

[lisalou]

I liked most of the book except for the end. It just really disappointed me.

[Beeblebrox]

Originally Posted by lisalou

I liked most of the book except for the end. It just really disappointed me.

What did you find disappointing?

[Hazelnut]

Yeah I thought the ending was pretty good. I thought she got a little TOO into the location details, and while it was very fun for me since I live in Chicago, it got kind of funny in the detail- almost guidebook like.

[lisalou]

Originally Posted by Snooter

What did you find disappointing?

I guess I sort of realized I didn't like either of the main characters. I also had the feeling that the author said, "Oh I have X number of pages already? I'd better wrap this up." And the kid, well it just sort of felt like a kid introduced in a sitcom. You get the comedic pregnancy laughs and some precocious scenes but really it's usually a sign the show has jumped the shark.

[Beeblebrox]

Originally Posted by lisalou

I guess I sort of realized I didn't like either of the main characters. I also had the feeling that the author said, "Oh I have X number of pages already? I'd better wrap this up." And the kid, well it just sort of felt like a kid introduced in a sitcom. You get the comedic pregnancy laughs and some precocious scenes but really it's usually a sign the show has jumped the shark.

Very interesting. Thank you for sharing .

[Verity]

Yes, yes--way too much location detail!

I didn't really care for the ending, either. It reminded me of The Notebook, which I didn't read, but found exceedingly corny in movie form.

[Verity]

Well, even though it wasn't one of my favorite books, TTW apparently inspired one of my most interesting dreams! It involved men from my past and present, and my dad (who passed away in 1988). Time travel was not a huge element in the dream, but it was there. (The Dad in my dream was a very young one that I know only from photos.)

I'd read the book again, or something like it, if I could keep having dreams that are that fascinating!

[GoldBerry]

Originally Posted by Verity

I'm a little over halfway through the book. I've almost put it down a couple of times already, but I'm trying to slog through since I'm reading it for a book club. I am having a hard time developing much sympathy for the characters...

Did anyone else have a hard time with this book?

Yes, this sounds like my experience. My personal rule is that if I'm not enjoying a book after a while, I stop reading it. I have no regrets as there are always more good books waiting.

I know others who like the book- maybe I will try it another time. For me, a book that doesn't work may be just right later.