Journal Entry 1 by turbobarge from Cairo - Maadi, Cairo Governorate Egypt on Tuesday, August 30, 2005

This extraordinary, magical novel is the story of Clare and Henry who have known each other since Clare was six and Henry was thirty-six, and were married when Clare was twenty-two and Henry thirty. Impossible but true, because Henry is one of the first people diagnosed with Chrono-Displacement Disorder: periodically his genetic clock resets and he finds himself pulled suddenly into his past or future. His disappearances are spontaneous and his experiences are alternately harrowing and amusing. The Time Traveler's Wife depicts the effects of time travel on Henry and Clare's passionate love for each other with grace and humour. Their struggle to lead normal lives in the face of a force they can neither prevent nor control is intensely moving and entirely unforgettable.


I wasn't expecting to like this book. My mother read it before me and explained the concept and I didn't really get how Henry time-travelled. I originally imagined that it was some sort of psychiatric thing- that he *thought* he was somewhere in his past or future and while he was travelling, he was unrechable to anyone in the present. When I found out that he actually, *physically* time travelled, I wasn't convinced. I like my novels to be believable, and I just couldn't imagine that anyone could make this believable. How wrong I was! Right from te start of this novel, I was just made to believe and accept Henry's time-travelling as fact. Maybe because we were seeing it partly from the point of view of 6-year old Clare, who automatically believed it herself.
Surprisingly, the time travelling theme seems secondary to Clare and Henry's love story. And I'm a sucker for a love story, particularly a doomed/tragic one, and this was perfect.

 

Journal Entry 2 by turbobarge from Cairo - Maadi, Cairo Governorate Egypt on Friday, September 02, 2005

UK bookring, list now closed.

The order:

1- TheWhiteLion -London
2- Cambridgelass -Cambridge
3- Sweetf -Bridgwater
4- MeGeerts -Edinburgh
5- IzzyLizzy -Middlesbrough
6- Quizgirl -Chesterfield
7- Pam99 -Glasgow
8-Turbobarge -host <---------It's back with me!

After huge delays (Sorry- my bad) this bookring has now been started. Posted to TheWhiteLion on Thursday 6th October 

Journal Entry 3 by TheWhiteLion from London , Greater London United Kingdom on Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Have received the book and am looking forward to reading it. Will post another comment before I send it off to the next particpant in the ring. Thanks for the postcard! 

Journal Entry 4 by TheWhiteLion from London , Greater London United Kingdom on Tuesday, November 01, 2005

Wow. What a story.

Thank you to turbobarge for organising this bookring and letting me read one of the best books I have read in many years. I probably wouldn't have read this book if it wasn't for bookcrossing.com, and now I am so in love with it that I will have to get my own copy for my permanent collection. I couldn't stop thinking about this fascinating, humorous, intriguing, and sad story and the unusual life Henry and Clare was leading. I loved the time travelling concept, and this book makes it utterly believable. Far from being a work of science fiction, The Time Traveler's Wife is a gripping heart-warming love story between Clare and Henry that really transcends time and space. It's something we'd all love to have in our lives.

My friends are already utterly exhausted from me relaying the story to them over and over. While I was reading the book, I was severely tempted to stop people in the street and thrust a copy of the book into their hands. But don't just take my word for it - on a recent discussion forum for The Time Traveler's Wife, other readers said,

"I absolutely loved it!",
"thought it was absolutely brilliant",
"I just didn't want it to be finished",
"totally gripping and believable!",
"I read it through twice in 2 weeks and still think that I can get more out of it. Please read!!",
and, perhaps most telling of all, "i finished it, handed it to my esteemed spouse and told him i didn't think i could remain married to him if he didn't read it".

Sent to Cambridgelass on 1 Nov.
 

Journal Entry 5 by cambridgelass from Cambridge, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Friday, November 04, 2005

I really enjoyed this book. It kept you intrigued the entire way through. I found myself warming to henry more than claire, i found her a slightly cold character. At times the plot got confusing but it was good because it reflected how confused the characters were about it aswell.

Great read, have pmed the next person on the list

Rating system out of 5, 3 being enjoyable 

Journal Entry 6 by cambridgelass at -- Controlled Release in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, November 22, 2005

Released 6 yrs ago (11/22/2005 UTC) at -- Controlled Release in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

released to the next person on the bookring. 

Journal Entry 7 by sweetf from Bridgwater, Somerset United Kingdom on Thursday, November 24, 2005

I really enjoyed this book and I am glad I found the time to read it as I was thinking about sending it on to the next person after having it for two weeks and not starting it.

From the very beginning this book engages you completely and I never found myself questioning the fact that Henry could time travel. The relationship between Henry and Claire I thought could be problematic, expecially when she was growing up but it dealt with convincingly.

All in all it was a good read and I would recommend it to friends and family.

Will pm the next person on the list. 

Journal Entry 8 by MeGeerts from Amsterdam, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Monday, December 26, 2005

Arrived in the post.
I'll get to it as soon as I can! 

Journal Entry 9 by MeGeerts from Amsterdam, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Monday, January 02, 2006

Wow
Really wow
This is one of the best and most original books I've read in a long time.
This book starts as a wonderful journey of discovery of life, love, past & future. It pulls you in, till gradually, confusion turns to understanding and then to an oppressing dread as, like the characters, you feel trapped in the inevitability of time and events.
I couldn't put it down. I'll have to get a copy for myself now to read it again.

[EDIT: Send out 05/01/06 to the next one...] 

Journal Entry 10 by IzzyLizzy on Thursday, February 16, 2006

I absolutely loved this book! I was prepared for a disappointment because I had been looking forward to reading it so much, but it surpassed all my expectations. To begin with (and at any point if you start thinking about it too much), the way the time travelling fits into the story is quite confusing, but the characters are portrayed so well that it's easy to get past the confusion. It's a completely unique love story, and I've certainly never read another book like it. I liked the way it was written, felt all kinds of emotions at different parts of the story, and even the ending finished the story nicely, even if it was not how you would expect it to end. I can't find a single criticism - very readable, not a boring moment, I couldn't put it down.


I'm so sorry for the delay in posting a journal entry about this book. I'm completely unable to access the bookcrossing website from my own computer (I have no idea why) and rarely get the chance to use the internet elsewhere. Anyway, I have quizgirl's address now, so it'll be on it's way to her soon. Thanks for letting me read this - I'm sure it won't be too long before I go out and buy my own copy!

 

Journal Entry 11 by quizgirl from Chesterfield, Derbyshire United Kingdom on Friday, March 03, 2006

This arrived a couple of days ago.
At first I thought "Oh no, its got over 500 pages, I'll never get through it". But I started reading, and now I'm on page 66, and it's sort of reeled me in and the pages seem to be turning themselves. 

Journal Entry 12 by quizgirl from Chesterfield, Derbyshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Actually finished this several weeks ago but only just got round to journalling, many apologies.
I was a bit daunted by its length at first, but persevered and quite enjoyed it in the end. A very unusual story.

Off back home now to turbobarge 

Journal Entry 13 by turbobarge from Cairo - Maadi, Cairo Governorate Egypt on Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Yay! This bookring has arrived back to me. The first of my four (so far) to do so.
Thanks for playing everyone, hope you enjoyed it.