We have a love hate relationship with time and Mitch Albom captures that struggle in his novel The Time Keeper. Dive into his novel and find out how to face your own struggle with time.
The Time Keeper Summary
Dor invents the first clock so that he can keep track of time. But he is punished by God and banished to a cave for eternity until he can atone for his mistake. That is how he becomes father time and listens to every person’s complaint about time. That is how he starts his journey in helping various people come to term with time.
In helping others, Dor is also redeeming himself and be free of eternal existence and leave the cave that he has been trapped in for thousands of years. He must help two people that are suffering and have to different relationship with time. One wants it to stop and end her life while another wants more time but has terminal cancer.
Sarah Lemon is a teenage girl that wants to commit suicide after a boy rejects her. She believed he was initially in love with her and teased her but then rejects her and humiliates her.
Victor Delamonte is a wealthy businessman who finds out he has cancer and it is incurable., He plans to freeze his body through cryogenic freezing even though his wife disapproves. That is why he has decided to not tell her that he plans to go through with it.
Dor stops time and shows them both a future where what they plan to do. He shows Sarah a future where her mother has to deal with her death. Victor sees how his plan to freeze himself affects his wife. Can Dor help them change their fate and face their problems face first or will they make the same mistake he made?
Commentary
I really enjoyed this novel by Mitch Albom. It is a beautiful story of coming to term with time. We forget that out existence has an impact on many people and especially our loved ones. Pain and suffering make it hard to see clearly at times.
It is a great message and for those that need to it and Albom does a great job. This novel may be short but it carries a big message.
Conclusion
This is a quick read that you can read on train rides or at a cafe. I recommend this novel if you have trouble balancing time or need to reset you internal clock and need some perspective or inspiration. Or if you want to see what the hype is about.
I will have to check this out. Sounds great!
I had this in my TBR for a long time. Decided to read it a few months ago. The best book I’ve read this year.