Waiting for Love: Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis De Bernieres and The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

I finished reading Corelli’s Mandolin earlier this week. And I just finished The Time Traveler’s Wife. I would do 2 separate entries, but I realized they both had similar themes and I am lazy. Both are engrossing and well-written, but Corelli’s Mandolin will probably last as a literature. The Time Traveler’s Wife will probably be remembered as creatively well-written novel, but on par with The Da Vinci Code.

Both are love stories. Both involve a female character, who are in love with someone they must wait for. Because both are completely in love with those that are taken away from them involuntarily, they are patiently, faithfully waiting.

While I am struck by this similarity of the theme, one cannot overlook the differences. The difference lies primarily in the complexities that De Bernieres introduces in his book. In Corelli’s Mandolin, De Bernieres uses first voices and omniscient third voice. He paints an interweaving tale, allowing reader to understand the historical background in which the main story unfolds. The tale also skillfully includes different types of love – unfulfillable, homosexual love; forbidden love; paternal love; maternal love; unconditional, one-sided love; and cowardly love. Complex, flawed, and sympathetic characters present different type of love. The author achieves telling a poignantly beautiful tale (with moments of humor) by the masterful use of first and omniscient third voices and vivid descriptions. Although at times the different first voices can be confusing, the author achieves his goal in presenting an epic story.

The Time Traveler’s Wife stems from a creative idea that a woman can be in love with a time traveler. The story centers on two people’s love (although there is a hint of unfulfilled love by a minor character) even if one is an involuntary time traveler. Niffenegger uses first voices of these two main characters. The main complexity of the story lies in various shifts in time as the story unfolds because of the time travel. As the husband shifts back and forth in time, the reader fits the puzzle of the overarching story. Beyond the creative idea and the time shifts, however, the story lacks the dense level of complex characters, emotions, and flaws that Corelli’s Mandolin contains. It’s a skillfully written novel that begs the reader to turn to the next page, but I do not believe it will last beyond the lifetime of popular culture. I just don’t think I would ever pick this book up to read again… having digested everything in 2-3 days.

I would give Corelli’s Mandolin a “buy” rating and The Time Traveler’s Wife a “must borrow from the library” rating.