I finally finished my latest Imaginary Book Club selection, The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. It was recommended by Christy although I have to admit several other people said they loved it, too. The book is about a guy that time travels and the woman that waits around for him while he does. Chick spends a lot of time waiting. He visits her as a kid so gets used to waiting on him from an early age. Most chicks don't wait this much. Except maybe that chick in Cold Mountain who was prepared to wait for Jude Law forever after one kiss and no letters from him for years. But I digress.
The plot of The Time Traveler's Wife is incredibly creative. Let's just get that out of the way first thing. Because it's complicated. All that time traveling and seeing people he knows at different times in his life and just keeping track of when the action in the book is taking place at any given time is complicated. Much love and respect for Audrey Niffenegger for thinking all that up and keeping it straight. Impressive.
Second, the book takes awhile to get into. All that time traveling Audrey Niffenegger gets much love for thinking up makes it sort of hard to immediately catch on to. I didn't get caught up in "I have to finish this chapter so I can find out what happens" until 300 pages in. That's a long time for me without really feeling involved.
Overall, I'd say it's good. But it's not my favorite. I think I sort of resented all that time the wife had to spend waiting. I appreciate time alone. I appreciate letting your husband have his own space and do his own things. But I couldn't play a waiting game my whole life. The uncertainty of not knowing when he'll be there would drive me nuts. I don't think I'd worry about him so much as drive myself crazy wondering. Wondering where he is and if he's okay and when he'll be back and if I should wait to go to the grocery store because maybe he'll be back and I don't want to miss him and Gee, this party is fun and all but it'd be so much better if my husband hadn't gone to the bathroom and never come back.
I'm not suited for that life. I know that about myself. Not being able to count on him would be unbelievably hard. I found it desperately uncomfortable to think about what it would be like to be her. And I didn't understand why she didn't want to adopt. Pregnancy is very special. But you can choose to love a child too. And that's just as special in its own way. I believe that.
The Imaginary Book Club is going to read The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls next. I'm excited because everyone says it's really good. I think I even saw the author on Oprah. Which technically means nothing whatsoever as far as the quality of the book itself but whatever.
Before I start that book I'm going to finish the 2nd half of It's All Too Much by Peter Walsh from that TLC show Clean Sweep. It's a how to guide for de-cluttering your life. I'm currently on page 91 wherein he is explaining why the sky won't fall if I get rid of the two boxes of beanie babies my husband's been trying to convince me to part with for four years. I'm not saying I'm convinced. I'm just saying I'm entertaining the subject. Although now that I've publicly confessed to two boxes of beanie babies in my garage perhaps shame alone will drive me to finally part with them.
11 comments:
You never know when you can use it. It will be worth something in the future. You spent a fortune on it and now you are just going to throw it away? Every time you see it you recall all the good times. Opening up the boxes is like having Christmas everyday. Is that enough lines to let you keep your beanie babies? Cause you know that as soon as you throw them away, you are going to need them. LOL
I have to finish the Peter Walsh book as well. I do not have two boxes of beanie babies, but I do have a planet of the Apes Figurine, R. Lee Ermey doll and various other "treasures" that should be removed from our home, so no need to feel embarassed.
Happy New Year!
I keep seeing The Glass Castle on the shelf at Target, but I haven't read it yet. But the author being on Oprah is a good enough reason for me!
I have the Glass Castle in my to read pile. Maybe I'll dive into it next. After my Imaginary Book club finishes up Hey Nostradamus by Douglas Coupland which is about 10 kinds of fabulous so far.
I liked the Time Traveler's Wife. I wondered at the time if I could wait like that. Maybe. Maybe not. But since Mr. Hot has been retired for 11 years and I'm never, ever alone (except when I travel to Chicago once/month), it does sound good sometimes. [wink]
SO I have totally been stalking your blog waiting for this review. I admit I was sad that you didn't share the Time Travel love that I did. But enjoyed your review, and I agree that it made me uncomfortable too, but in a stay awake thinking about it kind of way.
The Glass Castle is next on my list as well. Well actually, Odd Thomas was supposed to be but there have been technical difficulties so not sure if that will work out. I know...technical difficulties with a book, what is this world coming to?
I didn't even know Peter Walsh had a book, but unfortunately for me my house is not a mess because I have a hording habit, it's a mess because I am too lazy to clean it. I wonder if there is a book for that. Called "Get of your lazy bum already" or something like that.
Happy New Year, friend. Hope it's a good one for you.
carosgram - Aren't you sweet to try to help save the babies! Opening the box is a sales pitch to save them all by itself. They're so cute. Who wouldn't love them? Except my husband I guess.
anne - Thanks! That Peter Walsh book has been so inspiring to me. I don't know if the book itself is just great or if I'm just reading it at the right time when I'm prepared to make a change. But I've been decluttering up a storm. I hope it works for you too!
maggie - The Glass Castle is so good. Get it. Read it. You won't be sorry.
shan - I'll have to add that to the Imaginary Book Club's reading list! And The Glass Castle is really good.
ree - There is such thing as too much of a good thing. My husband wishes I could reach that point and stop following him around the house.
joy - I liked it. I just didn't love it like you. But it was still good! And The Glass Castle is really good. I'm excited for you that you get to read it next because I just finished it and loved it.
The Glass Castle is great. I found myself forgetting that it is a memoir and therefore a true story ... it's incredible.
Enjoy!
- Colleen
Yes! Several times it just felt so crazy I thought it couldn't possibly be all true. But wow. That book is impressive. The writing is good of course. But it's the story itself that sort of took my breath away.
Loved, loved, loved TTTW! I read it a long time ago and keep looking for another book by Niffenegger. I kind of have a time travel fetish though. She was a very, very patient, understanding wife. That's for sure.
I think you'll like the Glass Castle. It's a funny book in kind of a sick child abuse way.
I'm a long-time lurker. You mentioning two of my favorite books in one post prompted by de-lurk. :)
I'm glad you de-lurked. I'm a big fan of anyone that likes to read too. I guess because not everyone does. And you're right about me like The Glass Castle. I loved it!
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