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Original poster

I'm on about page 150 of The Time Traveller's Wife and I'm fing it a bit tedious.

59 replies

Tinker · 20/03/2009 19:15

Is it really worth finishing? I probably will just because I'll want to know if it was worth it but I don't care about either Henry or Claire yet. Will I?

OP posts:
midnightexpress · 21/03/2009 19:04

That's an interesting comment UQD - what does it annoy you that women don't like sci-fi? Actually, I didn't really think of tttw as sci-fi at all - never even crossed my mind. Just a pretty crap story, not very well told.

Not that I like science fiction much either, with a few honourable exceptions (well, Lanark, really).

expatinscotland · 21/03/2009 11:51

I made it to page 50 as well.

It solidly failed my 50 page rule so I happily moved onto another book because that one is tripe.

Life is not an English class, if the book's not on the syllabus, then don't feel bad about not finishing it.

Reading for pleasure is supposed to be, well, pleasurable.

UnquietDad · 21/03/2009 11:48

I made it to page 50. Incredibly tedious. I got so irritated with the time-jumps - thought she was just using them to tell a not-very-interesting story in a gimmicky way. What annoys me as well about this book is that so many women love it who would not be seen dead reading any "proper" science fiction, but here because a sci-fi lite idea is dressed up as romance it's OK.

Latchley · 21/03/2009 11:43

Several hours of my life I will never get back again...

MIAonline · 20/03/2009 21:01

I also loved it, it took a short while to get in tom it and I do think that you need to read it in long chunks rather than a bit at a time. It was one of the most unusual books I had read in a long time.

sis · 20/03/2009 20:55

It 'clicked' at about a third to halfway through the book for me - I 'm not sure that I ever really liked the two main characters but still really enjoyed the book once it 'clicked' but then again, I am enjoying the Alchemist which so many Mnetters found unbearably boring.

LadyThompson · 20/03/2009 20:55

I only read it because DP loved it and it was rude not to. But I thought it was, well, risible. Inexplicably popular.

midnightexpress · 20/03/2009 20:51

You got further than I did.

Cast it aside and find something good to read. It's nonsense.

Onlyaphase · 20/03/2009 20:46

I couldn't relate to Henry or Clare either, but kept reading because I loved the idea of the story, and seeing how all the details fitted together. I read it on a flight to New Zealand, and was still sitting there in the hotel in Auckland desperately trying to finish it whilst actually falling asleep sitting upright.

Loved the story, loved the ideas behind it, kept me thinking about time and how we relate to it for weeks afterwards. But no, I didn't like the characters particularly.

Permatired - Eric Bana? Really very happy about that. And this year - fantastic.

spicemonster · 20/03/2009 20:39

I thought it was a bit meh. But was pissed off by my friend pressing it onto me when I was pregnant (with a baby I lost to miscarriage). I could have done without all that tbh

permatired · 20/03/2009 20:37

I too had to restart a couple of times then finally "did it" when it came up at book club I go to. Most people loved it and I have to say not only did I love it but even now a year down the line I often think back on it, so I'd definitely persevere (or you could just wait for the film, due out this year, which stars the lovely Eric Bana - swoon - as Henry!)

admylin · 20/03/2009 20:33

It's worth it, I also cried at the end but I did struggle to get into it.

KHS · 20/03/2009 20:28

I cried my eyes out towards the end but I did still think that it was a very, very silly book indeed. So I wouldn't worry about it if you'd rather move on to something more intellectually stimulating!

Dysgu · 20/03/2009 20:10

I had to keep re-starting this book after a friend recommedned it. Had to leave it until the school holidays - I am a teacher - to have enough time to read it at length. Great book when you get into it and 'unrealistic' books are not usually my thing. Keep trying! Or give up and come back to it in a month or so.

emmabemmasmom · 20/03/2009 19:56

Worth it to finish. It is a great book.

WowOoo · 20/03/2009 19:50

Didn't finish it either.

DisasterArea · 20/03/2009 19:49

i love love love this book. keep at it. suspend disbelief (it is about a chrono-displaced person after all). it gets easier as you work out who is how old, where and when.
just a tip. don't read on new years eve. ever.

MrsMattie · 20/03/2009 19:49

I couldn't finish it. I thought it was utter bollocks.

BlueBumedFly · 20/03/2009 19:48

I loved it!!!

tassisssss · 20/03/2009 19:48

I persevered, but didn't love it. Bit too surreal for me.

Salleroo · 20/03/2009 19:47

I remember it took a while, but it is brilliant. Then again its one of those books that falls very distinctly into the love it or hate it camp. My mother gave it back to me after trying and trying with no success.

MissisBoot · 20/03/2009 19:34

I couldn't get into this either - never finished it

nickytwotimes · 20/03/2009 19:32

I nearly lost the will to live reading it. I was bored out my mind.

Same with Captain bloody wattsit and The English Patient.

Original poster
Tinker · 20/03/2009 19:28

"that it was a bit unbelieveable"

Think that's the problem for me. Also, does she know when he's going to disappear? How does she make any plans if not?

OP posts:
KerryMumbles · 20/03/2009 19:28

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