A love before, during and after time

I recently finished The Time Traveler's Wife, the debut novel by Audrey Niffenegger (Thanks Kat!). Sweeping, epic and chock-full of excellent writing, I have to say that I did enjoy the book -- even though the end was a bit melodramatic for my tastes.

The title pretty much says it all -- it's the story about a couple, Henry and Claire Detamble. Henry's a time traveler, against his will, and Claire's the woman that loves the hell out of him.

Niffengger's got a great eye for descriptive and lyrical writing. It's been awhile since I've read something like that (being that I've been reading comic books, books about U2, computer games magazines and Pottery Barn catalogs) and it's pretty refreshing. But I think that what was vaguely disquieting for me is how fucked up Henry and Claire's relationship is.

Claire's always waiting for her husband to come back. He leaves and then bounces back and she waits for his return. She never truly knows what's going on all the time (there's the moments when she's with him as a child, teen and adult, but those are different). While the relationship may seem strange and magical, the one annoying factor is the end. I won't give it all away, but basically Henry gives the details of a future visit with Claire in a letter. However, he doesn't give the date.

To me, that's messed up. In the letter he tells her that in the case of his death, she shouldn't wait for him and continue living her life. But to give her that hope -- without definite details of date and time, it forces Claire into the position of waiting for him yet again. She can't have closure because there's the possibility that he'll pop up again in her life. She's left in a perpetual holding position, waiting for him to return.

Kat loaned me the book after I gave her Jitterbug Perfume, which features one of my favorite literary couples -- Kudra and Alobar (who are also kind of time travelers -- but more of people seeking immortality). The similarities of the couples is that both couples are split by circumstances beyond their control. But the big difference for me is that Alobar slowly moves on with his long, long life, wreaking havoc and bouncing around the world after his wife disappears. Claire, on the other hand, waits for her husband.

I'd like to think that if I was in the same circumstances with Jeff, I'd be more like Alobar than Claire. I'd also like to think that if Jeff was in the same circumstances, he'd be more like Alobar than Claire. The one thing I wish for him is the ability to move on (with me tucked away in his memory like a favorite pair of pants) and not be stuck in a holding pattern, should we part.