Have I Ever Told You About My Favorite Book?
Well let me tell you about it. My favorite book.
“The Time Traveler’s Wife” By Audrey Niffenegger.
Just a heads up, there may be spoilers. Not too many but definitely one or two.
It is by far the best romance book I have read to date. Now there may be more out there that I have yet to read. For now, it is my all-time favorite and will continue to be.
The story of love where time is not a boundary, yet it is, but it’s also magical, a magical boundary, called Time.
It is a story of two people who are meant for each other. Henry and Claire. Two amazing people living life for but one thing. Love. They seek no greater purpose in life than to be with each other. Than to love each other. A feeling that most long for.
Henry’s life is a mess and Claire cleans it up for him. She has known him since she was a little girl. He doesn’t meet her till he is 28. It does sound odd. It even sounds a little pedophile-ish. I promise you, it’s not.
To summarize the story, it is about love and time conflicting yet helping.
Time plays both in and against their favor in many ways. More often than not, I would say it works for them. For without this miraculous ability for Henry to travel through time, they would have never met. Without Claire having met him when she was small, she would have never found him when she was a grown woman. Time plays greatly in their favor, for the most part.
A great thing from this extravagant story, is even through all their trials of tribulations, they somehow find ways to work things out. They make it work, this extraordinary life they live.
Henry popping in and out of time all the time with no control of when and where he goes through time. Claire going through the constant worry of worrying. Wondering if he is alright wherever and whenever Henry is.
The amount of effort on both parts is amazing. An amount that can only be met with true love.
The greatest trial they face, I think, is when their daughter is born. The process it took to get to that point. The effort it took to have their daughter, the struggle, the pain, and the fighting. Claire having lost her child during the pregnancy, multiple times. She refuses to give up and stop trying. This is tough for any one. It is painful. It is hard. It is heartbreaking.
It forces Henry to go so far as to getting a vasectomy, without consulting his wife. He tires of seeing her hurt. Of losing their children. His heart cannot bear to see Claire, his love, go through such a heartbreaking experience again and again. It is too much. Which is why he does what he does.
It doesn’t stop Claire. With a little bit of Time Travel she is pregnant in no time. All it took was a little help from Henry. Past Henry.
So they have a daughter. Beautiful Alba. She really is a miracle. Alba herself is a whole other experience, and I would honestly love to read a book of her childhood as she grows up being the daughter of a time-traveler.
Henry and Claire have their own story. A marvelous one. It involves music, kissing, books, food, art, and overall life. The love of the two in itself contains plenty of life.
I fail to deliver the extent of how miraculous this book is. What I do know is, if you have a spot for romance, this book is well worth your time. It’ll fill you with hope, with love, and with insight.
I tried not spoil too much and didn’t spoil the best parts.
Another note: I read this book whenever I find myself needing some inspiration on the topic of love. I think you should too.
