This interesting story follows the erratic life of Henry DeTamble. He is not an ordinary man and his life with Clare Abshire is not an ordinary love story. Henry is a time traveler, though many don't believe his story. I found Henry to be very similar to Holden from The Catcher in the Rye. Just like Holden, Henry often finds himself in an unfamiliar place. While that place for Holden was adulthood, the unfamiliar place is literal for Henry as he time travels to various areas and does not always know where he ends up. Because Henry usually doesn't know anyone in the area, or even what time period it is, he roams around looking for activities just as Holden aimlessly explored New York City. Similar to the time when Holden passed time ice skating at Rockefeller Center, Henry "skate[d] for an hour or so, then return[ed] the skates, pull[ed] on [his] boots, and walk[ed]" (117). Both men are lost in their own ways. Holden goes on a journey to remain in his past; Henry goes on a journey back to his past.
I enjoy the uniqueness of this story. However, I do find it confusing at times. I could never imagine writing a story with all the time changes. At times I need to refer back to the beginning of the chapter because even I forget what year Henry is in--imagine how difficult it is for Henry! I would recommend this book to anyone who likes love stories, but keep in mind that it can be confusing.
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Hi Kimmy,
ReplyDeleteI can totally relate to the confusion as the book progresses. I read this book and as much as I really loved the whole idea of the book, it's hard to keep track of Henry's travel through time. At times, I couldn't figure out if he was a 34 year-old talking to his 34 year-old self who's a few days ahead, or if he was a 28 year-old man talking to his little eight-year-old self. I mean, wouldn't he find that kind of scary and wouldn't he be caught off guard? I understand that he knows he time travels but it is quite difficult to follow.
I also love your connection to Holden Caufield and how both characters (Henry and Holden) journey to new and often unexplored places. They both are unaware of the places they go to and their visits are spontaneous. In addition, I wrote in my blog that it would be EXTREMELY hard for Henry and Clare to be apart so it's interesting that we have similar connections to the book.
The Reader