Book review: The Time Traveler's Wife
I finished "reading" The Time Traveler's Wife a couple of days ago. "Reading" is in quotes because I listened to it on audio book. I really liked the story... up to a point.
The relationship between Clare and Henry was beautiful, but the descriptions of the sex were vulgar. There were a lot of F-bombs (forgivable - people really do talk like that, though I don't like it) and frequent use of the c-word describing the female genitals. Not even calling anyone that (which would also be forgivable, though I REALLY don't like that word) but using it frequently in the aforementioned sex scenes.
The other thing I had an issue with was the lack of conflict - be it minor conflicts or major story points. There was a little bit of tension, but so little conflict that I felt like the only "bad guy" was Henry's genetics which forced the time traveling.
Without going back and listening to the whole 16 hours again, I couldn't tell you specifically where, but I would almost swear they talk about other "Chrono-Displaced Persons" being known about in the future. I would have liked to see Henry or Alba meet one of those others.
The particular point I started disliking the story was when Henry found out about something in the future, and he made absolutely no move to even attempt changing it. I know... it was already set because he was a firm believer that the past couldn't be changed... but it wasn't his past - it was the future. I don't know about any of you, but I would fight like a madwoman to keep on living because I don't want to die!
I absolutely HATED that Clare so willingly screwed her best friend's husband on his dirty-dish-covered dining room table once Henry had passed. I also hope he quit pining for her once she called out Henry's name in the process.
Good points - the audio book was read by two people, a man and a woman, reading the gender-respective sections. I think they did a fantastic job of it, though there were some words that I had to rewind to hear again because they pronounced them in ways I would consider wrong, although they may very well have been acceptable according to Merriam-Webster or the good ol' OED.
All in all, I'd give this book a C+. Sad, really. I wanted to like it. I still want to see the movie. I think I will watch the movie and see if that changes my perception of the book. It's been known to happen.
I'm almost done with another book I started late last night - Truly, Madly: A Novel. I won it from GoodReads.com. It's an "advance reading copy" and not going on sale until February 2010. I am really enjoying it. If you like the Stephanie Plum books, I think you'd like this as well. Lucy's life isn't as laugh-out-loud hilarious as Stephanie's, but it has a similar feel to the stories. I should have that finished tonight or tomorrow morning and will write about it then.
Until then... good reading to you all!
The relationship between Clare and Henry was beautiful, but the descriptions of the sex were vulgar. There were a lot of F-bombs (forgivable - people really do talk like that, though I don't like it) and frequent use of the c-word describing the female genitals. Not even calling anyone that (which would also be forgivable, though I REALLY don't like that word) but using it frequently in the aforementioned sex scenes.
The other thing I had an issue with was the lack of conflict - be it minor conflicts or major story points. There was a little bit of tension, but so little conflict that I felt like the only "bad guy" was Henry's genetics which forced the time traveling.
Without going back and listening to the whole 16 hours again, I couldn't tell you specifically where, but I would almost swear they talk about other "Chrono-Displaced Persons" being known about in the future. I would have liked to see Henry or Alba meet one of those others.
The particular point I started disliking the story was when Henry found out about something in the future, and he made absolutely no move to even attempt changing it. I know... it was already set because he was a firm believer that the past couldn't be changed... but it wasn't his past - it was the future. I don't know about any of you, but I would fight like a madwoman to keep on living because I don't want to die!
I absolutely HATED that Clare so willingly screwed her best friend's husband on his dirty-dish-covered dining room table once Henry had passed. I also hope he quit pining for her once she called out Henry's name in the process.
Good points - the audio book was read by two people, a man and a woman, reading the gender-respective sections. I think they did a fantastic job of it, though there were some words that I had to rewind to hear again because they pronounced them in ways I would consider wrong, although they may very well have been acceptable according to Merriam-Webster or the good ol' OED.
All in all, I'd give this book a C+. Sad, really. I wanted to like it. I still want to see the movie. I think I will watch the movie and see if that changes my perception of the book. It's been known to happen.
I'm almost done with another book I started late last night - Truly, Madly: A Novel. I won it from GoodReads.com. It's an "advance reading copy" and not going on sale until February 2010. I am really enjoying it. If you like the Stephanie Plum books, I think you'd like this as well. Lucy's life isn't as laugh-out-loud hilarious as Stephanie's, but it has a similar feel to the stories. I should have that finished tonight or tomorrow morning and will write about it then.
Until then... good reading to you all!