Apparently I've become a lazy reader

[ladymercury_10]

So I borrowed The Time Traveler's Wife from the library, and all it's done is sit on my parents' coffee table.  I got about a chapter in and gave up.  I just can't muster up the interest.  Which feels odd to me, since there are so many reasons that I should love it.  It has time travel, the fantasy/science fiction element, lovely local details (I'm from Chicago), etc.  It comes to me highly recommended by one of my favorite teachers ever.  And it's supposed to be well-written; literary fiction and whatnot.  But I just can't get into it.  I wonder if it's just long, and that puts me off, or if it has too much sex for my taste, or if I've read one too many bad reviews. 

Anyone a TTTW fan or hater and want to tell me why I should/shouldn't just get on with it? 

Comments

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

Me, I loved it lots. I was completely wrapped up in the story the entire time, loved the non-linearity of it and the way it all wove together, and was weeping buckets at the end. Any book that can move me that much is an automatic win as far as I'm concerned. And it's particularly impressive with something that considers itself a love story, as romance seldom does much for me.

But, as the comments above might indicate, it seems to be very much a love it or hate it book -- a really love it or really hate it book, even -- and I think it's hard to predict which column someone will fall into.

[ladymercury-10.livejournal.com]

I also don't really go in for romances, but love stories I can do. Which is perhaps a weird distinction to make. It sounds really promising though. Thanks for sharing!

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

Actually, it's a distinction that makes sense to me. :)

And, as a further note, from the responses I've read to the book, I think the thing is that either it grabs you emotionally or it doesn't. If it does, it works for you despite any objective flaws it may have, and if it doesn't, it's kind of annoying.

Anyway, I do think it's worth giving it another shot, to see whether it manages to grab you or not. I hope it does!

[ladymercury-10.livejournal.com]

:)

That makes sense. Maybe I'll give it another try.