so-soWith some depth this could have been awesome, there was so many missed opportunities here. There's no exploration of feelings to how Claire feels to find herself two hundred years in the past or of her feelings on being parted from Frank. There's no exploration of struggle between adapting to an earlier time without modern day conveniences.
It could have been epic but it was average and not worth the 849 page count.
This quote stopped me in my tracks. “Their marriage was like a set of scales constantly balancing itself. And then, at some point, when neither of them was paying attention, they‘d tipped so far into bad, they‘d settled there. Now only an enormous amount of good would shift them back. An impossible amount of good. The good that was left between them didn‘t carry enough weight…” (p. 220)
so-soThis was okay. Many interesting ideas about time travel and how you would view the time before. I thought there were some ideas not explored enough (I kept thinking about smells which he barely mentioned). It is interesting to read something written 50 years ago that is a time travel book , you have to "travel" back to the 70s to think about what he would know and how different another 80 years would be.
Kindred ruined me for these types ?
I don't remember why I bought this book. I put it on my short list for reading this year. The copy I have is illustrated, lots of (not great?) sketches and some photos from 1880s New York.
I do find the idea of faces being more interesting in the past true and something to ponder that a writer in 1970 had observed this - I hear it called iPhone face now, people whose faces only fit in this time.
pickLove, love, loved this just as much the 2nd time around! ❤️ (I rarely re-read books.)
It‘s long, but so worth it.
so-so🎧📖Ok, hear me out—2/3 of the way done. I‘m going to go ahead and call it as a meh book so I can move to something else. I don‘t dislike it, but I just don‘t care about the characters. I do plan to finish the audio on our way back home tomorrow, but I don‘t see my opinion changing. For the record, I LOVE Rainbow Rowell but gave this 3 stars about ten years ago. I should‘ve left it at that and not got swept up in the Christmas-ness of it.
so-soNovember 26, 2025 Happy Thanksgiving Eve. Stay safe and celebrate responsibly. DONE! This book was so-so. To me, there wasnt much excitement among the characters. It kind of reminds me of another book I read that was focused on time travel: Five Years Later. All in all, I would rate the book 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
November 26, 2025 Page 311 "Did I jump through time, or did I lose my memory?" I ask. The old woman in a tartan waistcoat replies, "What do you think, duckie?" Lucy says, "I jumped". She responds, "You wished it. So, tell me, is it a grand improvement on before?" Lucy states, "Yes and no. It's complicated. But also kind of wonderful" (looks down at wedding ring).
November 26, 2025 Page 273 The romance is slowly increasing between Lucy and Sam. Page 273 I start to open the door, but now he's standing behind me, reaching out his hand to cover mine on the doorknob, pushing the door closed, his broad, hot body pressed against mine. My body pulses with longing as he leans in to kiss my neck... We make love right there against the door.
