The Time-Traveler's Wife - SPOILERS

[alootikki]

Inspired by the other thread.....post here if you want to discuss and have already read the book!!





I read the book, and wasn't as blown away as I thought I'd be (after hearing all of the amazing reviews). Plus, I didn't completely "get" the ending - was it just that he was visiting her and she got to see him once more even after his death?

[sheartm7]

I LOVED this book. :) I just finished it last night.

As far as the last scene - I took it to mean that Clare died and was with Henry again. There are lots of different ways to look at it though.

There were a few things I would of liked to have found out:

1) Did the doctor ever get a "cure" for Alba's DNA? If so, did Alba end up using the cure?

2) Did Alba have children? Could they time travel?

3) Remember when Henry brings back the winning lottery ticket? They never flat out say if they cash it or not. But I guess we're supposed to assume they did, since they bought a house?

4) What was the police's reaction to Henry's death? What did Clare tell them?

I'm sure I could think of more. But I still loved the book.

[tenofcups]

As far as the last scene - I took it to mean that Clare died and was with Henry again. There are lots of different ways to look at it though.



I finished it on Monday and it never even occurred to me that she had died! I just took it as him coming back to visit her as he had done at other times in her life. But your interpretation probably makes more sense, given that he hadn't been there to visit her for the 40 years or so. Hmmm...have to go re-read that section!

[sheartm7]

tenofcups, yah I just figured that since he was never able to visit her after he had died, that this meant she had passed on and they could finally be together. Also, something about the description of the room made me think of heaven. The pure whiteness and the bright lights part. Just my interpretation though. :)

[alootikki]

Ahhh....that sort of makes sense to me (like I said - I was just confused by that ending!). But if he was time-traveling to "death", how could he know that would happen? See - this book was just too confusing for me! ;)

[polarama]

I thought it was one of Henry's time travels (when he was younger). For some reason I remember thinking that that was a date he had put down on the list he gave to Clare. So she *knew* when she was 80+ she'd see him again.

[nekopie76]

I just started this book last week and I am loving it! I am only about 1/4 though it.

I can't wait until I can share my thoughts with all of you. :)

[Reenie]

Oh, it was soooooooo good! I think that she was dead, too- wasn't it that he couldn't go into her future, only his? That would clarify the answer to the question. But maybe I'm wrong.

One question I had was: remember when he traveled and was naked in the snow storm in the parking garage? How did he get the money to use the payphone?

[sheartm7]

I thought it was one of Henry's time travels (when he was younger). For some reason I remember thinking that that was a date he had put down on the list he gave to Clare. So she *knew* when she was 80+ she'd see him again.
He mentions it in the letter she reads after he has died. I don't think he gave her the date though, because in the last scene, she mentions how this morning is the same as any other morning. She gets up, has breakfast, and waits for Henry. So I don't think she knew exactly what day he would come. I think the dates were only for Alba.

Reenie, I wondered that also! :)

[LeslieR]

Random thoughts...

it really killed me that Clare's father and brother were responsible for Henry's death
I loved Alba and would have liked to know more about her and what happens to her
Clare was only about 35 when Henry died-she really pissed me off the way she dealt with her grief-I know it can't be easy to lose your "soulmate", but I would hate it if something happened to me and my husband spent the rest of his life alone WAITING to see me again. She did the exact opposite of what Henry asked her to do. Which, I suppose should come as no surprise since that's all she knew-waiting for Henry.
I had some real questions about whether Clare would have still loved Henry and ended up with him had he not visited her as a child and told her the way things were going to work out
Again I have a real issue with her basically spending good portions of her life waiting to see Henry again because he told her her future and basically taught her to believe that no matter what she did, she couldn't change the course of her life
I HATED Gomez-he made me sick.

[MaineBelle]

Ah yes- I am with you LeslieR

Some of my random thoughts..

That is the problem that I had with this book - all the waiting that Claire did. And that is what troubled me with the end - that she was there waiting again. But it didn't even occur to me that this was after she died. Very interesting.


Did anyone else have a problem with Henry's violent tendencies? I really disliked that about him.

Why do you think it was called The Time Traveler's Wife, when it seemed to be equally about the time traveler and his family?

[sheartm7]

Did anyone else have a problem with Henry's violent tendencies? I really disliked that about him.

YES! It makes me think of the scene where he's beating up some guy (a friend of Gomez) because the guy ratted on his clothing. He was being incredibly violent and it was definitely disturbing. I'm trying to think of other times, but I can't remember.

And I agree about the title of the book. It did seem to be equally about Clare and Henry so I wondered about that. It seems like The Time Traveler and his Wife would of been more appropriate.

[sheartm7]

Anyone else out there have an opinion? ;) :)

[Marie]

I loved the book. I was sucked in immediately and gave up any disbelief to just go with the hopeless romantic angle of it. I felt the title was because it showed what happened to the Time Traveler's Wife when he was away. We often think of the adventure of time travel but never about those left behind.

I didn't think Claire was dead in the last scene but that she had been waiting that long for one more glipse of her husband.

[KarenS]

I really loved the book. IN fact I just gave my copy to a friend to read on her vacation trip.

I thought it was one of Henry's time travels (when he was younger). For some reason I remember thinking that that was a date he had put down on the list he gave to Clare. So she *knew* when she was 80+ she'd see him again. This is what I thought too, although I think it could be taken the other way - as her joining him in death, too.

Karen

[Katy]

I just finished it and loved it. I don't have any collective thoughts, right now though. Well, aside from that I never thought that she was dead, just that Claire was once again waiting.

[Txfish]

I'm with Marie as to the title -- I did think it was more based on Claire, maybe because I felt that no matter what his life did, it was all based on her life and the normal progression of time.

And I just don't remember enough, and I need to go check it out and read it again -- I just know I absolutely got engrossed in the story and was so touched by it. I had no problem suspending disbelief on this one. And, weirdly, I was glad I didn't have a clue what it was really about before I started reading! I normally like to have a context/synopsis as framework.

[MaineBelle]

This is a little off-topic but, Jennifer Anniston and Brad Pitt have bought the film rights to this book (back when they were still together). They aren't necessarily starring in it, so who do you think should be cast as Claire and Henry.


I don't think Brad Pitt would make a good Henry. He seems to shallow.

Someone mentioned Johnny Depp would make a good Henry because he could look 20 years old, or 45 years old.

[laura]

I had some real questions about whether Clare would have still loved Henry and ended up with him had he not visited her as a child and told her the way things were going to work out


I thought this was sort of the point of the story?

I really hope Brad Pitt does not get involved w/ the film. I do not think he would be good in the role. I also don't like Johnny Depp for it, he seems too creepy to me.

[sheartm7]

Oh, I HOPE Brad Pitt doesn't play Henry. :eek: I can't picture that at all.

[Golightly]

Quote:
I had some real questions about whether Clare would have still loved Henry and ended up with him had he not visited her as a child and told her the way things were going to work out

I thought this was sort of the point of the story?

I think it is...

In my opinion, the underlying theme here is fate and free will. By making Henry able to time-travel and essentially create Clare's reality, does he control her fate? What does that do to a person... if fate is essentially elminated?

Would it all have happened if he didn't tell her anything? What if Clare didn't just resign herself to Henry. What if she exercised her free will and walked away from the whole situation? Would Henry continue to visit her?

I think what made this story so interesting is that it has such a huge "what if" factor that I really had to stretch to wrap my brain around.

[Golightly]

I can't remember what they are right now as I don't have my book in front of me, but there are some interesting book club discussion points in the back, if anyone feels like tackling those.

[espresso]

This is one of my favorite books of all time!

You should listen to the audio version. It's abridged (the only thing I hate about it) but a man reads Henry's part and a woman reads Clare's so I never got lost. I have a long commute so audio books are great for the car!

[kiki61872]

I read the book, and wasn't as blown away as I thought I'd be (after hearing all of the amazing reviews). Plus, I didn't completely "get" the ending - was it just that he was visiting her and she got to see him once more even after his death?




i was expecting more from this book after reading posts about how great it is. i was really disappointed.
guess it just wasnt my cup of tea! glad that others liked it!

[Mellow_Water1]

*BUMP* I started this book in August and only got halfway through before life got in the way and I didn't finish. I started over a few days ago and finished yesterday. I loved it!

I would've liked to know more about why Henry kept traveling to the car accident. Well, I know why, but it didn't seem resolved.

I've been thinking about who should be in the movie.

I don't remember seeing her in anything, but I saw a picture of Alicia Witt and she looks very close to how I pictured Clare as I read:

http://photobucket.com/albums/y43/sunrise519/th_alicia_witt.jpg

[sapphire]

Great book, really enjoyed it but probably not as much as I would have had I not read or heard how good it was. Hope that made sense???

I would love to see Johnny Depp take that part.

I never even considered the fact that Claire could have been dead at the end. I too will have to re-read that. I read it so long ago there is a lot I can't remember.

[espresso]

There's a movie?

[Mellow_Water1]

Yep, and it's supposed to come out this year. Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt bought the rights to it before they split.

[Mellow_Water1]

I was thinking about this book last night, and something doesn't make sense. I don't know if I just forgot a few details or what.

Henry was killed accidently by Clare's father and brother. But could they not see him? I mean, it's clear that other people (besides Clare) can see him when he travels to the past. And obviously he could be heard yelling Clare's name. So why didn't her father and brother help him? I don't get it. Am I missing something? Or am I just supposed to suspend my disbelief here?

[Sonicstef]

I think they kill Henry accidently in the woods/dark so its hard to see...then when he gets shot he time travels back to the present and dies there. So Im guessing Claires brother/father never saw him...they may not have realizedthey even hit something. Its been a few months since I finished the book so maybe Im remembering it incorrectly?

[Mellow_Water1]

Thank you! :) That makes complete sense. I forgot about the fact that Henry traveled to the present before he died.

[kugrrly]

just wanted to bump this up. I am finally getting around to reading it. I am halfway through right now.

[scarlett]

I just finished this book last night (I read it in two days because I couldn't put it down). I really enjoyed it. I kind of want to read it again, but in a more Henry order.

It was facinating how time travel, fate and free will were portrayed. Henry couldn't prevent his death in 2006 because it had already happened in 1984. And I think that the reason that Henry travelled to young Clare is because he met her in 1991 and married her. But Clare married him because she met him when she was 6 and eventually knew she'd marry him. It's such a crazy circle.

I don't think Clare was dead at the end, but I do think that after she saw Henry that one last time she did die, maybe with Henry there. I too was a little annoyed that Clare was waiting for him at the end. But, the story did skip a lot of time from when Clare was 37 to when she was 82, so we don't really know if she spent all that time waiting or just after she moved to the house in the final scene. I like to think that she eventually went on with her life, made more art, dealt with Alba's comings and goings (more waiting, this time for Alba). Then finally when she was old, she started to wait for Henry again.

I would have liked to know more about what happened with Alba and what happened in the final scene between Clare and Henry.

[MrsD108]

I would love to get this book but can someone tell me who the author is please.

[KarenS]

It's funny that this thread should come up now, since I reread the book this past week. :)

After rereading it, I honestly don't think Clare is dead at the end.

Karen

[Asha]

Henry was killed accidently by Clare's father and brother. But could they not see him? I mean, it's clear that other people (besides Clare) can see him when he travels to the past. And obviously he could be heard yelling Clare's name. So why didn't her father and brother help him? I don't get it. Am I missing something? Or am I just supposed to suspend my disbelief here?

just finished the book, and i know it was awhile that this was addressed, but i thought i'd tackle it. i do believe that her father and brother did see henry. remember that her father and brother clearly recognized henry when they officially met him for the first time. i know in the scene henry describes it as them hunting, but i think they may have purposefully killed him because when they met him for the first time they have a look of disgust on their faces not a horrified look on their faces like if you probably would have if you meet someone who you have accidentally killed. i don't think they could have helped him even if they had wanted to because he probably time traveled back before they could have helped him. also, her father and brother are never really portrayed as likeable characters. them shooting and killing him goes along with fate bc so many times henry almost gets killed and he miraculously time travels back to real time just in time to save himself.

[scarlett]

i do believe that her father and brother did see henry. remember that her father and brother clearly recognized henry when they officially met him for the first time. i know in the scene henry describes it as them hunting, but i think they may have purposefully killed him I'm pretty sure that Henry was at the shooting twice. The first time was when Clare saw him talking to her father and brother. This is when Henry realized how he was going to die. He even saw it happen. The second time was after his feet had been amputated and he could not run, so when he appeared in the clearing naked he was mistaken for a deer and shot. When he was shot, the first Henry probably distracted the father and brother long enough for second Henry to time travel back to the present to die. I don't think the father and brother ever knew what they had shot.

[KarenS]

I'm pretty sure that Henry was at the shooting twice. The first time was when Clare saw him talking to her father and brother. This is when Henry realized how he was going to die. He even saw it happen. The second time was after his feet had been amputated and he could not run, so when he appeared in the clearing naked he was mistaken for a deer and shot. When he was shot, the first Henry probably distracted the father and brother long enough for second Henry to time travel back to the present to die. I don't think the father and brother ever knew what they had shot.Yes, I was just going to type the same thing. :) I definitely think he was there twice - because when Clare saw him talking to her father and brother he was *standing* ... which he obviously couldn't have done the night/day he was shot because he had no feet.

Karen

[maniach]

MrsD: The author is Audrey Niffenegger...

[maniach]

I think my biggest problem with the book was that you couldn't change anything... like you don't have freewill or something. Henry could have done all kinds of things in his past that would have changed his future. Maybe she was implying that by changing the past you might change the path from past to present, but you couldn't change the inevitable conclusion. I'm sure this has already been discussed, but I find it hard to read all the posts (anyone else have this problem?), lol.

[KarenS]

I think my biggest problem with the book was that you couldn't change anything... But see ... that was the whole point of the book. At least, IMO. That being a time traveller gave you no advantage really. You knew what was going to happen (sometimes) but you couldn't change anything. Henry knew he was going to die and he had to prepare for it and prepare Clare for it without ever actually being specific about it. The whole emotional struggle behind that - behind knowing and having the moral dilemma of telling or not, knowing and not wanting to know, and so forth - is the crux of the struggle of the novel.

karen

[schmeevee]

just finished reading TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE. Before reading it, I had my hesitations because of the whole science-fantasy/time travel thing. So needless to say, my feelings for the book were accurate - I have to say, because I I didn't like it as much as many others did. I guess that's why I have never read/seen Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter. hehe To each his/her own, right? Anyway, for me, this book gets 3/5 stars.

the different dates and the different ages and trying to figure out when was when and where and why i think killed it for me. it was too much quantum leap/back to the future-ish for me.

[MattsBug]

I read this book a few months ago.... it was... weird (for lack of a better word). There was too much going on, and I found it hard to really get lost in the book because I kept having to figure out who was how old when and where haha. Definitely interesting and a new idea for a story, but I didn't love it.

[Tanya]

I just finished this, and I loved it. I really don't think Clare was dead in the last scene, either. And yes, we knew for a fact that Henry was at his own death, with the earlier scene where he thought he saw a deer? tail (his stumps)? and then there was a shot and all that was left was a lot of blood. Hence why Clare could see him talking to her dad and brother and why they were so confused meeting him in the future since he was this bizarre guy who just appeared in the forest when they were hunting at the same time as the strange disappearing "animal" they shot. They had no idea they shot a person, and they definitely didn't shoot him on purpose.

I would love to know how they explained his shooting death to the police in the present time, though. Maybe since it was New Year's and there were fireworks we were to think they could have blamed it on that?

Also, Ingrid. No one has mentioned her. I didn't realize that Ingrid knew during their relationship he was a time traveler until he appeared to her on her death day. I just assumed she thought he was an undependable guy. When did we learn that?

Her sleeping with Gomez after Henry's death. I think someone mentioned disliking her at the end and I'm assuming this is why. I felt the same way. I know it was because she was attempting to "channel" Henry, and it was heavily foreshadowed (but not because of the time traveling), so I expected it, but still. I think the foreshadowing w/o time travel was also quite present, and an interesting twist to what we expected, such as losing his feet (his greatest fear, mentioned a bit previously) and getting stuck in the "cage".

Lastly, I think when reading this book it is very important to pay attention to the ages of Henry and Clare, and to know how the author notes when he is traveling or not. I think this is what causes much frustration with the book. It might even be helpful to note important dates on a separate paper because I found myself going back a few times (Henry's age at his last visit--43, Ingrid's suicide date--Jan 2, 1994, etc.) and that would have been helpful. The thing that bothered me the most was the fact that we knew Henry would die at age 43 before the first quarter of the book was over. I realize that was her point, but I would have enjoyed a bit more suspense with regards to that. Oh, and I truly believe Henry and Clare would have ended up together whether or not he visited her in her childhood, but the Catch-22 there is to me one of the most compelling themes of the book.

[KellyM]

Also, Ingrid. No one has mentioned her. I didn't realize that Ingrid knew during their relationship he was a time traveler until he appeared to her on her death day. I just assumed she thought he was an undependable guy. When did we learn that?
Bumping this since I just finished reading the book. I think Ingrid did know. Remember towards the end of the book when Ingrid and Henry were drunk and were looking for their car and Alba shows up? Henry doesn't realize Alba is his daughter, but Ingrid said something (sorry, forget what it is) that made me believe she knew it was his daughter.

How did Claire and Celia become such friends? Was that touched upon in the book?

I wish the author would have spent more time writing about Gomez and Charisse's relationship.

And Henry 41 saw Henry 43 die in the meadow. I was under the impression that Henry 43 disappeard before the brother and father saw they killed someone.

[Tanya]

Bumping this since I just finished reading the book. I think Ingrid did know. Remember towards the end of the book when Ingrid and Henry were drunk and were looking for their car and Alba shows up? Henry doesn't realize Alba is his daughter, but Ingrid said something (sorry, forget what it is) that made me believe she knew it was his daughter.

How did Claire and Celia become such friends? Was that touched upon in the book?

I wish the author would have spent more time writing about Gomez and Charisse's relationship.

And Henry 41 saw Henry 43 die in the meadow. I was under the impression that Henry 43 disappeard before the brother and father saw they killed someone.

Hey, somebody responded! Yeah, I do remember that scene witht Ingrid and Alba, you're right. Also, it doesn't explicitly mention it, but I'm pretty sure they saw Henry 43 in the meadow for a split second. Otherwise how could we explain their strangeness when the meet Henry for the first time?

ETA: Clare and Celia become friends basically out of circumstance. They just started hanging out becuase they were both jealous of Henry and Ingrid's relationship. I agree their friendship was a bit strange, but I think that was the whole point.