Comments on: The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

By: Lisa

Lisa — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 08:10:57 +0000

Thanks for that, Simon. Interesting what you said about the sex scenes. I can’t imagine the film cutting that element, as it’s only through sex that Henry remains ‘grounded’ (hmm) and nothing sells like sex, eh. That wasn’t my favourite element of the book - seemed a bit clumsily-written to me.

By: Simon T

Simon T — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:47:37 +0000

I commented a while ago… now I’ve read it… and I loved it! See my blog today for more thoughts….

By: tasha

tasha — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:10:36 +0000

hey, has anyone been on http://www.pollthepeople.com ??? you enter your top 5 books and compare them with others’, compiling a definitive global list of top books.
amongst a very eclectic list of the top books of all time, Audrey niffenegger ranks highly - good to see something other than Harry Potter!
i’m working for the site this summer and i just got niffenegger’s top five books which will be on the site soon so check up in a day or two!

By: Caroline

Caroline — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:50:22 +0000

Oh me too! Loathed it actually and finding all these other non-fans exist is quite wonderful…

By: Catherine Czerkawska

Catherine Czerkawska — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 16:01:49 +0000

This was one of those books I thought everyone else loved, but couldn’t finish. Just got so far through it and then lost the will to go on. So it’s reassuring to find I’m not alone. And I’m generally put off by over specific descriptions of beautiful heroines so that may have something to do with it - especially when they look at themselves in a mirror, and describe themselves to themselves for our benefit… yeuch. Well they never think, Christ, I’ve got a spot developing or where did those bloody wrinkles come from, do they, oh no. They think ‘my mouth is too big to be really beautiful’, and you just know the writer has Julia Roberts in mind for the movie. A few more warty heroines would be excellent, I agree.
When I was analysing why I couldn’t finish this book, I just felt as if it was too clever for its own good, but I didn’t hate it as much as some so I may give it another go!

By: poppy

poppy — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 15:50:16 +0000

Oh, I loved it too!!

“I do think the idea of exploring relationships of different age-gaps and power relations is interesting, mind you. But is it actually doing that?”

- I thought it did that really rather well, actually.

By: Nik

Nik — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 12:14:09 +0000

I absolutely loved it.

Nik

By: marygm

marygm — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 06:00:32 +0000

The thing about this book is that readers tend to feel strongly about it and that has to be a Good Thing. Much better than a book people are indifferent to. So well done to Audrey Niffenegger for that.

By: kirstyjane

kirstyjane — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 22:17:35 +0000

Ah well, you see! You can just call me Kirsty, by the way. I changed my display name as there’s another Kirsty who comments.

I’d be back in France in a heartbeat. Of course, now I realise why I felt so comfortable there…

By: Jackie

Jackie — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 21:55:53 +0000

My local book group recently read this book & I quite liked it. All the jumping around in time was a bit confusing, but I really liked the characters & the story. It was a relationship that was extremely unconventional, but showed a love that rose above age & circumstances, each accepting the other’s oddness & making them all the more fond. There was plenty of symbolism & art to add layers to the story, which I appreciated.
As for the “sex with himself” bit, that only lasts a paragraph or two, much more has been written here about it than appears in the book. It’s just a blip, not a major plot point. There’s so much more to the book than that.