The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger

*** Ruined by an unnecessarily depressing ending

This book has elicited in me mixed emotions. The story is certainly original. I admit I bought it for the vaguely sci-fi assumption from which it begins to discover that it was more like a romance novel with a literary fiction ending.
The way it is written, mixing past, present and future, the narrative technique of the double point of view and the perfectly intertwined mechanism of time travels is definitely remarkable. As well the ability of Niffenegger's prose deserves praise as to capture the reader and make them empathize with the story. She could really make me live the story of Clare and Henry, but especially that of Henry, much more interesting than his wife.
Bad, though, for the unnecessarily downhill final part, characterized by a continuous basking in the pain of the male protagonist. I found it sadistic towards the character itself and the readers. From the moment I knew how it would end, around page 300 (but I had a suspicion long before), I almost had no reason to go on. I continued to hope for a twist, because it seemed absurd that in a novel like that the ending would be so obvious so far in advance. But I was disappointed. The last scene is really disturbing. I read in an interview that Niffenegger has written that scene at very first, which is even more disappointing.
What can I say? It certainly enriched me in many aspects of the way in which it was written, but I do not know if it was worth reading, given the prolonged bad mood that got me in the end. I want to enjoy myself when I read, not bring myself down.
What a pity.

The Time Traveler's Wife on Amazon.

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