The Time Traveler's Wife

I’m reading this at the moment, I would say I am about half way and it’s the best book I have read in a long while. I hadn’t even heard of it until they made it into a film – I found the film somewhat confusing and was worried that the book would be the same. It isn’t confusing at all, it is addictive and compelling.  For those of you who haven’t heard of it or have no idea what it is about...

This extraordinary, magical novel is the story of Clare and Henry who have known each other since Clare was six and Henry was thirty-six, and were married when Clare was twenty-two and Henry thirty. Impossible but true, because Henry is one of the first people diagnosed with Chrono-Displacement Disorder: periodically his genetic clock resets and he finds himself pulled suddenly into his past or future. His disappearances are spontaneous and his experiences are alternately harrowing and amusing. The Time Traveler's Wife depicts the effects of time travel on Henry and Clare's passionate love for each other with grace and humour. Their struggle to lead normal lives in the face of a force they can neither prevent nor control is intensely moving and entirely unforgettable.

I would recommend this book to anyone.  It is highly original and it written from the points of view of both Clare and Henry at different points of their lives. At some points it is even written from Henry’s point of view when he has time travelled to himself when he is younger – so there are two Henry’s. I don’t want to say too much about the plot because I don’t want to ruin it for anyone who is wanting to read it but essentially it is a love story or sorts.

 'A beautifully written, compulsive look at a couple trying to live an ordinary life in extraordinary circumstances' IMAGE 2004

Reading this book has been making me think about destiny ... is it possible that whatever life choices we make we will end up in the same place anyway. Meeting the same people, falling in love with the same person. In a way I find it mildly reassuring that my life is written already and that no matter what I do, even if at the time I regret the decision it doesn’t matter because it won’t affect the overall outcome. On the other hand I would quite like to be in control of my own destiny, I’m not sure I completely like the idea that some unknown force is controlling my life. What do you lots think? Are our futures predetermined? Or do we control our own destiny?