The
Time Keeper
By
Mitch
Albom
Synopsis
In this fable-like story
Dor is exiled from the earth because of his obsession with time which
inadvertently causes him to invent the first clock. Dor is deemed to be Father Time and is banished
to a cave to live in solitude until “Heaven meets Earth” which ends up dragging
on for six thousand years. Readers can’t
help but feel the loneliness and the interminable grief that envelopes Dor with
losing his wife during his last day on Earth to the centuries of solitude that
loom ahead of him. Through the years, Dor
has to hear the cries of all those on Earth who are pleading for more or less time. All the while he draws pictures on the cave
walls to remember his life on Earth and keep his sanity. When “Heaven finally meets Earth”, Dor is
granted a span of time on Earth to accomplish a mission to help two people. The first is a teenager named Sarah Lemon,
who falls in love and wants time to pass quickly until the next time she can be
with her boyfriend. When she finds out
that the boy has no interest in her, and she is the focal point of humiliation in
her class, she becomes depressed and suicidal.
The second person is the eighty-something year old billionaire, Victor
Delamonte, who is dying from cancer and seeking
immortality by cryogenically freezing his body. As the three lives intertwine, Dor as well as
the other two learn about the importance of time which leaves readers with a
lot to think about.
Elements
of a Gentle Read
Pacing –This
is a gentle meandering story that lulls the reader into the characters’ lives
with empathetic feelings.
Characterization
–
The characters in this novel are leading tragic existences which do not upset the
plot; however, cause the reader to sympathize and relate with the
characters. These individual tragedies, which
propel the characters into relationships with one another, are used to pull the
story along for the greater good at the end.
Story
line
– Unlike many gentle reads, each of the characters is going through a tragic
situation; however, it is used to develop a moral to the story and conclude
with a resolved ending.
Frame/Tone – This
story has a timeless quality in that it begins in a historical setting and gently
crosses over into the present with a glance into the future. All these time frames are used to tie the
characters together and reach the moral of the story.
Style – Although
this book touches on a sexual relationship and goes to the edge of a violent occurrence,
this novel’s main focus is on the straightforward feelings and emotions of the
characters and their relationships with each other.
Read-A-Likes
An Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski
When I found you by Catherine Ryan Hyde
For One More Day by Mitch Albom
Thanks for your annotation. I've read most of Mitch Albom's books but missed this one and based on your description I'm definitely intrigued with the theme of time, probably because right now I'm wishing time would slow down a bit.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a lovely book and you've done a great job here explaining the mood for the potential reader. I know this author has a unique style and it can sometimes be hard to recommend others like him.
ReplyDeleteGreat annotation! Full points!
ReplyDelete