Oh. My. God.

That was my first thought when I finally closed this book. This is one of the best works of recent adult fiction I have read. And while I may have slight objections or questions to parts, it is, as a whole, one of the best books of the decade (I say that having not read even close to most of the books written this decade - forgive me).

Audrey Niffenegger tells the love story between a man and a woman, Henry and Clare. This would be nothing new or exciting if it didn't have one key element: Henry is a time traveler. He will disappear at random and end up in a completely different place in a completely different time. This is how he meets Clare, when she is six years old and he is 36. Throughout Clare's childhood Henry is somewhat of a mythical creature. Always appearing, but never giving her details as to when he comes from or their future together. When she meets him in the present, he is only eight years older than her, and they begin their all-consuming love affair, accompanied by moments of anguish when they are separated by Henry's time traveling (which Niffenegger explains as a genetic disorder). Throughout, Henry is searching for a way to stop time traveling, to be kept firmly in the present with the ones he loves. But is that possible?

Niffenegger created a believable world with very human characters. I felt for Clare when she had no idea where Henry had gone or when he would be back. I felt for Henry when he was transported to unknown times and places, often finding himself in danger. And I felt for them both when they weren't sure if they would be able to have a baby due to Henry's genes. There is depth to the characters and, because of that, the originality of the story, and the flow of the writing, I am counting this among one of my favorite books.

5 out of 5 stars. This is a story I could read again and again, and it has made me appreciate what I have. Contemporary fiction rarely brings out such true, raw emotion, and I applaud Audrey Niffenegger and look forward to reading her second novel, Her Fearful Symmetry. ( )

I'm ashamed that I still find this book so good and totally devastating. Creepy nod to Nabokov though ... -- Ms. Lopez-Gerlach

* NO SPOILERS WERE USED IN THE WRITING OF THIS REVIEW *

For me, the intellectual difference between watching a film and reading a book is that books can offer deeper insight into a story through language's rhythms and analogies, and often have the ability to be more mentally stimulating than films.

I specifically read books that will challenge my mind and avoid one-dimensional writing that seems to narrate visual stories, without offering linguistic depth.

This is where "The Time Traveler's Wife" disappointed - it reads like watching a movie.

Yes, the ending made me cry, but simply eliciting tears does not make a book great in my opinion - a story can be sappy and corny, and still make me cry. Unfortunately, there were no "a-ha!" moments here, not a single insight that stuck with me. This is junk food for the bookworm's soul, as far as I'm concerned. And while I'm at it, let me add a huge CHICK-LIT alert!

One of the rare cases in which I think the movie will be better than the book.
Read as a screenplay, however, it is brilliant! ( )

I finished this book today and have not been able to stop thinking about it. The ending was so touching and emotional. I cannot remember the last time a book moved me to tears but this did, I was sobbing.
It took a little time to get into the story and the time travel appeared a little too unbelievable but the story soon wrapped itself around me. This is the best love story I have read for years and makes you appreciate the people yoou love in life. Hold them close and show your love everyday.

This book was very disappointing for me, especially because it was highly recommended. I have to agree with one of the other reviewers in calling Niffenegger's writing self-indulgent. The theme of punk rock wore thin quickly, as it always seems to in any form. The characters who defined themselves by their affinity for the music and the city of Chicago quickly felt both elitist and one-dimensional to me. It came off more as caricature rather than real character development. Sure, the Aragon is an aging landmark, and a variety of cuisines are available at a moment's notice... but what does that mean, other than "aren't these characters cool and complex?"
I will definitely be passing on any other books by this author. ( )