Dear All,
Sorry, sorry, sorry for the late posting- I have been a bit under the cosh recently.
'The Places in Between' received mixed, but generally favourable reviews and ended up with a score of 3.8/5, which rounds up to 4.
April's book is Audrey Niffenegger, 'The Time Traveller's Wife'. I have has very favourable feedback from members so far. According to the book 'blurb':
'Clare and Henry have known each other since Clare was six and Henry was 36. They were married when Clare was 23 and Henry was 31. 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 misplaced in time, pulled to moments of emotional gravity from his life, past and future. His disappearances are spontaneous, his experiences unpredictable, alternately harrowing and amusing.
Clare and Henry's story unfolds from both points of view, depicting the effects of time travel on their marriage and their passionate love for each other. They attempt to live normal lives, pursuing familiar goals: steady jobs, good friends, children of their own. All of this is threatened by something they can neither prevent nor control, making their story intensely moving and entirely unforgettable.'
Reviewers seemed to enjoy it:
- 'Moving, but worth the heartbreak' ― Daily Express
- 'At its core The Time Traveler's Wife is an old-fashioned love story. A terrific book - startlingly original construction' ― Observer
- 'I was ridiculously entranced by Audrey Niffenegger's big, reckless novel...utterly convincing' ― Daily Telegraph
- 'Niffenegger exploits the possibilities of her fantasy scenario with immense skill: no wonder this novel has spent weeks on the bestseller lists in the US. This is one of those books that makes you want to eat it up from start to finish' ― Guardian
- 'Wonky, sexy, incredible' ― The Times
- 'Pick up Niffenegger's book and you'll experience a visceral thrill that only a few novels provide. An elegy to love and loss' ― Independent on Sunday
- 'Truly original' ― Vogue
- 'Magical - memorable...poignant, amusing and intensely moving portrait of a unique relationship - quirky, romantic, and kept the right side of cute' ― Mail on Sunday
- 'The central story is so strong and touching...ingenious... A rare book' ― Evening Standard
- 'A sweet, original fantasy - its flights of authorial fancy balanced by down-to-earth characters and the matter-of-fact language' ― Sunday Telegraph
- 'Henry's journeys back and forth are by turns slapstick noir and unbearably poignant, and Clare's child and teen narrations disturbingly pitch-perfect. Philosophical speculation occurs in the most unlikely devices and morality, despite the temptations of plot, remains intact. This is alarmingly close to perfection, and balm to the jaded' ― Scotland on Sunday
- 'One of those books where you read the first paragraph and you're hooked... Unmissable' ― Irish Independent
- 'From the first page to the last, The Time Traveler's Wife works its unique magic... A beautiful, lyrical book' ― The Times
For those of you who like to read ahead, here are the books for the next few months:
May: Gabriel Garcia Marquez, 'No One Writes to the colonel'
June: Bridget Collins, 'The Betrayals'.
July: Kingsley Amis, 'Lucky Jim'
August: Asako Yusuki, 'Butter'
September: John McGahern, 'Amongst Women'
The books are all chosen by members-I merely place them in order, so that we get a good variety of reads. My list is getting a little short, so please do suggest books!
I hope that you have a great month! Happy reading!
Best wishes
Tracey
