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Audrey Niffenegger’s wonderfully crafted love story spans the time space continuum. The story could be described as a science fiction novel for the time travel element. But in reality it is such character driven story it has a very literary appeal. The main focus behind the characters is the intertwined lives and the sustaining love of two people. Time travel is the driving force and the constant theme of Henry DeTamble’s life. But the driving force and largest impact on Clare DeTamble’s (nee Absire) is Henry. She met him at the tender age of six; and Henry is 36 during that meeting. He will visit her on occasions he tells her to record based on a list that he memorized from her childhood records. Time never skips around for Clare; she wades through it one second after the next like the rest of us. When they finally meet in real time; Henry is 28 and Clare is 20 and the tables have turned. Clare knows all about Henry, but at this age Henry has never met Clare. There is science behind Henry’s time travel, and though it is not realistic, it is more science then fiction. There is a lot of discussion of the repercussions of playing with events that have already happened and the notion of free will. The characters’ stories and their lives are never overshadowed by the adventures Henry unwillingly finds himself undertaking. Instead, their experience seems enhanced by the backdrop of his jaunts through time and space.
This book is intended for adult audiences. There is both sexual and violent content. The intellectual and ethical debates of the book are best understood by a more mature audience. Time Traveler’s Wife was an international best seller, and is scheduled to be released as a motion picture soon. Because of the themes and the incorporation of lyrics, poetry and prose from other sources, this book could easily be studied in a modern literature class by an academic English program and therefore might be suitable for an undergraduate research collection. However, because of the popularity and quality story this book should be picked up by most North American public libraries, at least in the main branch location. ”
