My theme for 2013 is Influential Women Authors.
My definition of influential is any author, classic or modern, who has inspired writers, readers, or the larger scope of culture. Some are personal favorites, or have special meaning to me.
What this list is not: a list of the most influential writers of all time. Rather, this is a collection of influential writers, corresponding with each day's letter.
For the full list of participating blogs, click here.
N: Audrey Niffenegger
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| image: Goodreads |
The Time Traveler's Wife is a book I have mixed feelings over. This bestseller is a love story between a normal woman and a man who is caught between shifts in time. He spontaneously shifts between the past at present. Plus, the story is set in the two places I've lived: southwest Michigan, and Chicago.
Some of my issues with the book are really nitpicky, but overall I didn't exactly LIKE any of the characters. Nitpicks aside, this book is memorable. I am always interested in discussing this book with other readers, to see what someone else liked that maybe I didn't. It's certainly a moving story, and disturbing at times. I hated a scene where Henry is alone and naked in a cold, locked stairwell when he had no control over where he reappeared. But that's good storytelling. It made me uncomfortable. The author manages to focus on the relationships in this twisted circumstance, while still shedding a little light on Henry trying to uncover why this might be happening to him. It's a melancholy book, but quite different than anything I've read.
Have you read this book, or any others by the author?
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I think I might have seen the movie before I read the book...but I did read it and found it...interesting? I liked the premise, I wasn't keen on the main female character (I can't remember her name, does that say anything?). She felt contrived and had no real purpose of her own. I mean, I think she even mentions it, she has no free will in the matter. Henry picks her and everything that follows must happen because Henry went to her. Does that make sense?
ReplyDeleteClaire was the lead female character. Her art sounded SO UGLY. I could not get over that. This is why this book is so interesting; so much of it I didn't like, and yet it's so memorable.
DeleteOne thing about the book and movie is that they did manage to carry the viewer/reader without too much confusion about what timeline we were in for each character, a tricky concept.
ReplyDeleteI've read The Time Traveller's Wife and enjoyed it, though I would have preferred a happier ending (but then this is always my preference with any story).
ReplyDeleteI tried reading this, but I too had a hard time liking any of the characters and I ended up putting it aside for a later date - hopefully I'll have more patience next time!
ReplyDeleteNever heard of Audrey Niffenegger - will def check her out. Thanks for the post & visit to my blog!
My ex and I saw the movie, and neither of us liked it. I've heard the book is even worse, in many ways. There were just too many plotholes and, as you said, unlikeable characters. The quasi-pedophilia angle also really creeped me out, with it being presented as so normal and romantic than a naked man would appear to a little girl and tell her they're going to get married one day. And it's written in first-person present tense, which turns me off right off the bat at least 95% of the time.
ReplyDeleteIt think I read this 10 years ago now, so I don't remember the POV tense annoying me. After reading so much YA, I can handle 1st person present, but it's not my favorite.
DeleteHave not read this book yet. I keep meaning to bc i have heard good things about it.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read this book, but I've heard good things about it. I have a soft spot for time travel books, so I'll probably get to this one eventually.
ReplyDeleteI saw the movie and read the book, in that order, because I'm always disappointed in the movie if I read the book first. I too, had trouble connecting to especially the wife, but I was hooked because of exactly what you described, his vulnerability, the never knowing, and what he had to do to survive. Striking and harrowing at the same time. There is another blog on the a to z challenge where the writer, actually took a class by Audrey Niffenegger and really gleaned a lot of useful information, which she shared on her blog. You should check it out! Here is the link just in case you want to take a look. http://www.writerachael.com/1/post/2013/04/l-is-for-learning.html
ReplyDeleteI saw the post about the class with this author! So interesting.
DeleteSorry I forgot (your post was so interesting) Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a comment.
ReplyDeleteI caught a bit of the movie before, but I think I feel asleep just as it was getting good. ;) I'll have to check out the book, though!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting! It was great to come to your blog-I love your theme..being a vivid reader myself to I think I will enjoy following your posts. I have read this one...and my biggest thing was the naked stuff like you said but also the language. I don't mind profane language that seems to have a purpose but I feel like he just swore to swear. Inspirefly
ReplyDeleteI love your theme! I'm definitely going to have to check out your entire A to Z book list! :)
ReplyDelete#atozchallenge, Kristen's blog: kristenhead.blogspot.com
I read it and found it very disturbing and memorable. I would never want to see the movie. The pictures in my mind were too awful just from the book. I can't see how things could go well for the daughter either. Even with a teacher. I mean, if you appear somewhere naked, in the winter, you are just doomed.
ReplyDeleteLike others, I found this book disturbing yet memorable. I didn't want to see the movie. The images from the book were too disturbing to consider them in a movie. I also read Her Fearful Symmetry by this author. Another disturbing yet memorable work on her part.
ReplyDeleteHm, that's very true about the characters. Now that I think about it, I don't know if I particularly liked them either. I read her other book, erm, Her Fearful Symmetry, and hated it which was unfortunate! Have you read Life After Life by Kate Atkinson yet? A lot of people are saying that book is similar to Time Traveler's Wife in the time twistyness to it. I can kind of see it but I didn't immediately think of that when I read it. Great book.
ReplyDelete