Some of my friends are allergic to science fiction. To them, I say, “Consider trying this book.” Yes, there is time travel. The title kind of gives it away. But there is so much more going on here. Just think how much effort it takes to maintain a regular relationship, then imagine if your partner just faded out every now and then, unpredictably returning naked, scared, hungry, and upset. You have to give up the fantasy of having someone to lean on, to share the vicissitudes of life.
Henry and Clare get to know each other backwards. It is an older Henry who shows up repeatedly in her childhood backyard, who helps her with her homework, and dispenses sage advice. When Clare meets him in real time, none of that has happened to him yet and she keeps surprising him with her knowledge of him. Plus, there are things they can't reveal to each other because, as Henry puts it, that makes things weird(er). Interestingly, the author doesn't hold to the usual time travel rule that two versions of a person can't inhabit the same time frame, thus allowing an adult Henry to mentor his younger self, teaching himself how to pickpocket, to pick a lock, and to defend himself.
One of the parts that I found particularly poignant was the car accident which killed Henry's mother. He survived because he time traveled, appearing back on the side of the road, a naked, confused nine year old. Deeply emotional experiences seem to suck the time traveler back repeatedly and soon there are multiple versions of Henry all around the accident scene as he tries to process the loss. But he also gets to go back and view his family's life from the outside and derive comfort from watching his mother's pleasure in life. OMG, I wish I could do that and I'm so glad that I can't.
Things get sad late in the book. I sniffled my way through the last few pages. I both like to be moved this way and hate the mess that crying creates.
Book Number 441 of my Science Fiction & Fantasy Reading Project.
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