The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom

[StephenKingman]

Didnt see a thread on this so I will start one. A very interesting story and ripe for debate on the meaning and importance of time, I will copy over my own review of the book to get the ball rolling. Anyone else read it and what did you think?

Just finished 'The Time Keeper' by Mitch Albom and I found it a very nice and absorbing little story. The book can be read in one sitting if desired, which suits me as Im not interested in long books lately. The story is about Old Father Time and how he came to be and his purpose in helping 2 lost souls from our time, a young girl named Sarah and an old man named Victor. Their 2 stories are told separately at first but start to link near the end. Its a sweet and moral story about appreciating the importance of the present moment and not to be wishing time away.

However, and despite what he says in the epilogue, Albom is very much pro-religion and anti-science, thats the very strong impression i get in the book. Poor Dor was punished for being creative and making the first clock, he was sent to a cave for years and years to reflect on his "sin". I didnt like this message in the book. Surely a creative soul should be nurtured and as well, Dor had no way of knowing how his invention would hamper the future, seems quite harsh way to treat a scientific creation. Also, Grace bashing the cryogenic tube at the end really hammered home the point of science being the root of all evil. Despite this uneasy message, its a great book with a relevant message. I might even check out his other books. 8 out of 10.

[Gannon]

I must say that I was a little disappointed with "The Time Keeper". Perhaps it's because I was a massive fan of "The Five people you meet in heaven", and this novel is nowhere near the same quality.

For me the book was saved from a mediocre rating by the wonderful ending which ties Dor's, Sarah's, and Victor's individual stories into one and leaves the reader thinking that things have worked out positively for all the characters.

I agree with SKM that the novel has a strong religious atmosphere which is also present in "The five people...". Also agree with SKM's comment that Albom seems to have a very "religion over science" outlook. This is shown strongly in Victor's story.

I think that Albom is leaving us with a very clear message. We should slow down, enjoy and savour every second that we have in our lives. Don't focus too much on the future, live in the present and cherish each moment we have with our loved ones. "Time" is short, but would we really want it any other way.

[EmmaH]

I just finished The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom. I actually read it in one sitting and found it to be a quick and somewhat entertaining read, but overall just alright. I think Albom's message about time was clear and I think using Dor's story to relay the message was very creative. I do think the book fell apart at the end though. Without giving too much away, it was a little corny and "Christmas Carol"-esque. I also didn't like Albom's portrayal of Sarah. I don't think he did a fair job of portraying the inner mind of a teenage girl. She came off one-dimensional and desperate to me. Overall, I thought it was an alright book if you're looking for a quick read or a way to kill a couple of hours. It didn't leave me feeling like I had just learned a huge life lesson, but I also didn't feel like I had wasted my time reading it either.

[book_life]

Love Mitch Albom, I wasn't even aware of this book. Thanks!