The book “The Time Traveler’s Wife,” by Audrey Niffenegger, is pretty much as simple as it sounds by the title. It's about a chick married to a dude who travels through time. Simple, right? WRONG. It is about love transcending time though and I can dig that.
Don't be worried that this book will be hard to follow due to time traveling logistics, it isn't. The story is told through both Clare and Henry's eyes. The beginning of the book really starts with Clare as a very young girl, about six-years-old. She meets a man in the meadow behind her parents’ house who introduces himself as Henry and explains he's a time traveler. He's naked and she wants to know why - because apparently you don't take your clothes when you time travel.
What could totally be creepy - old naked man hangs out with 6-year-old girl in the woods, sounds like a love story for the record books - isn't creepy but sweet. Henry is kind and good to his future wife.
Through the years as Clare grows up meeting Henry in the meadow she falls in love with him. Henry basically became Clare's Prince Charming at age six and she grows up idolizing him and eventually falls in love when they finally meet in present time. The relationship hits bumps along the way once they get married and attempt a family. Henry is constantly vanishing, leaving only a pile of clothes where he once stood. Clare waits patiently for her husband to come back from his time traveling. Mostly Henry travels to see Clare in her past but he has many destinations. Some of those destinations are dangerous and eventually seems to end his life. A tear jerker for sure, this book is great. I suggest reading this book with a bag of Oreo's and a box of Kleenex.
I loved the book “The Time Traveler’s Wife.” I'm not usually into romance novels but this one hooked me early on. I read this book in fewer than five days, definitely a page turner by definition. Not only was it romantic and thought provoking but it had humor. Romance + Humor = Heart! The book was great and not just because of Clare and Henry but I'll let you discover the rest of the cast of characters that round out this novel. I give it a solid A.
The movie: Anytime a movie is made and based off of a book you know what's going to happen. Undoubtedly you'll hear, “It wasn't as good as the book.” The same was the case here but - DUH! Does a movie better than the book version exist anywhere? However, I really enjoyed the movie.
Rachel McAdams did a great job as Clare. And the cute girl who played Clare as a child was adorable. Henry was played by Eric Bana and I think he did a fab job too. It's a difficult roll because Henry ages so much. He goes from a child to his early 40's. Both Bana and McAdams are great actors and I was glad to see their portrayal of the two lead characters. (Ron Livingston, AKA “Burger” from “Sex & the City” is in this movie too - bonus!)
There were, of course, some changes from the book. A few main characters are left out. Kimy, the landlord who helps raise Henry after his mother’s death, was left out entirely. There were no shenanigans pulled by Clare's mother like in the book. Clare's mom kind of sucks though so I was cool with her absence. And Gomez (Burger) did not have as large of a role either.
You just couldn't fit all that information into the movie so I think these missing parts were good choices to lose. So in comparison to the book I'd give the movie a solid B+. I can't say what anyone who hasn't read the book will think because I have read the book. But I hope you do read the book first. And you should always read the book first.
The Book: A
The Movie: B+
BYLINE:
Bry Schulz is a writer, photographer, and mother who really hates squash. Not necessarily the game but definitely the vegetable. Email Bry at bry@zoiksonline.com.
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