Review by Julie Hale
The unconventional love story marks the arrival of a talented new author. Henry and Clare De Tamble are, by all appearances, a regular Chicago couple. Yet, all is not as it seems. Henry suffers from Chrono-Displacement Disorder, which means that, with no warning, he often disappears, only to resurface in the past or the future—most often at moments of special significance in his life. Thus, he travels backward into Clare's childhood, where, in a bizarre twist, he encounters her as a six-year-old. Skillfully shifting points of view, the author presents us with the perspectives of both Clare and Henry, with poignant, often hilarious results. As time's toy, Henry relies upon Clare—the one constant in his life—to keep him grounded. Their marriage, in fact, seems to grow stronger despite his peculiar condition and the strange paradoxes that ensue as a result. This touching, uniquely inventive novel was a national bestseller. The movie rights have been purchased by Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston. A reading group guide is included in the book.
Would you call The Time Traveler's Wife a comedy or a tragedy, or are such classifications relevant to a work that plays havoc with time and allows one character to appear periodically after his death?
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On page 369, Ridley says, "We don't have control, we have choices," and on page 371, she says, "In life there are only good and bad choices. And sometimes even choices can only be judged by their consequences. And sometimes not even then." 
