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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:
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.

midnightexpress · 20/03/2009 20:51

You got further than I did.

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

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.

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.

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.

Latchley · 21/03/2009 11:43

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

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.

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.

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).

ra29needsabettername · 21/03/2009 19:07

dreadful...

Podrick · 21/03/2009 19:12

It is hard going to start with, then it becomes amazing - stick with it!

troutpout · 21/03/2009 19:12

probably not if you've got that far and it hasn't got you.
I was loving it way before then. it's one of my top ten definitely

OrmIrian · 21/03/2009 19:13

Tedious? Tedious? It's bloody hideous.

Stop reading it and chuck it in the bin. That will save a few hours of your life.

Awful book.

LauriefairycakeeatsCupid · 21/03/2009 19:15

Tedious book - this is the only book I have not finished in the last five years- and I read 3 a week

It still sits on my book shelf mocking me

Lilymaid · 21/03/2009 19:20

It didn't click for me either. I just didn't care what happened to the characters.

TheDOGmamma · 21/03/2009 19:22

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oldcrock · 21/03/2009 19:24

I enjoyed this and found it hard to put down, I found the ending very moving (and my Dad did too who admitted to crying!) Even so, I'm not sure I ever really felt any particular link with the characters.

macaco · 21/03/2009 20:04

I normally hate stuff like this and didn't like it at first but absolutely loved it once I got going.

StarlightMcKenzie · 21/03/2009 20:14

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MariaCC · 21/03/2009 20:24

Keep going. It's a good read. Can't say it's the best book I've ever read but it's worth sticking at.

Sidge · 21/03/2009 20:27

Bored the tits off me.

I got to about page 50 and decided life was too short and there were plenty of better books to read.

Yurtgirl · 21/03/2009 20:29

Apart from the numerous mention of three words that I dislike intensely......... - I loved this book

Flibbertyjibbet · 21/03/2009 20:38

You got much further than I did before I thought 'nah, sod it' and gave the book to the charity shop.

I would never carry on with a book that I found tedious but someone else said was 'worth sticking at' - fiction is meant to be enjoyable, entertainment, recreation, not some dull chore.

My mother enjoyed it though.

TheYearOfTheCat · 21/03/2009 20:52

I got quite bored about half way through - lots of dull descriptions of bands & going to concerts if I recall, but I kept going and it really picked up after that.

pecanpie · 21/03/2009 21:05

Oooh read it all if you can. Great book and I was in tears by the end. I couldn't put it down and ignored DH a lot so that I could finish the book! Having said that, it doesn't mean that you have to love it. If you're finding it challenging to read, leave it for a while and come back to it. If it's still not for you then leave it alone altogether.