Brenda's Response to Somewhere in Time

1.  What was your overall opinion of Somewhere in Time?
It was not exactly what I expected it to be but overall I really enjoyed it very much.  I have never read a book that covered such a short span of time in such GREAT detail.  At times I would get impatient with reading this book, the extreme details were a new form of writing for me to read.   But as I got more and more into the pages I found myself really loving the details like his descriptions of chandeliers saying...."the lights had necklaces of crystal dangling from its bottom"   by the end I was totally and completely blown away by this authors brilliance in descriptive writing.  When I first started reading this book the extreme details were kind of boring me, I found them interesting but I wanted the story to move along more quickly.  But then as I settled into the story more I found myself really enjoying the detailed account of his last adventure in life.  It felt peaceful and it had a real calming affect on me.  In the grand scheme of things the slower pace actually helped me to feel as if I was finally given permission to take a step back from my daily rush through life and to slow down for a while and just calmly read.   I learned as I read this story to savor the details, to really make them a part of the experience of reading this book.   The  extreme details helped to pull me into the story, into his world, into his experience, almost to a point of being able to feel what he was feeling.   In the end I REALLY enjoyed this read, it was different then anything I have ever read before and it captured my heart.   


2.  What did you think of the "Love Story"?  Did you Like it or Dislike it?  Why?
I really liked it.  I found it very very romantic.  Although I have to admit that while I was reading it I teetered between feeling like it was just over the top silly......but like I stated in question #1 the pace of this story eventually captured my affections and as I read I found the Love Story to gain romantically too.  Towards the end I found this to be a very very romantic story.  Weather it was the dying hallucinations of a man with a brain tumor, or a real experience for our leading man, I loved that it was real to him.  I loved that Richard wanted to experience Love before he left this planet.  I love that he so totally fell in love with Elise at first site.  I love the way the photo of her captured his heart.  I love that feeling that their two hearts were connected and that he got to experience the one thing on this earth that matters most......LOVE!!!  I found his intrigue with her, his research of her, his perseverance in finding her ALL very romantic.   As I read this book,  I threw out my modern day notions that this man is odd, a stalker, a nut, a weirdo, or that this was a weird, unrealistic, over romanticized story,  and replaced it with feelings of how honored and special I would feel if Phil/Dad/or any man would be willing to travel through all time just for me.   Like the book in general, in the end, the Love Story captured my heart. 


3.  What are your thoughts on the "postscript" and the little comments throughout the book by Richard Collier's brother Robert Collier?
I found the postscript entry to be confusing at first.  But then I realized it wasn't a real postscript but a made up one then I thought WOW....this author is a genius.  At first I thought the postscript was real, like this was the true story of the authors brother.  Because the authors name is Richard....I think I was just getting all the "R" names confused in my head...Richard Matheson, Richard Collier, Robert Collier......But in the end I really thought the little added comments throughout the book and the postscript added a dimension of reality to the feel of the story.  Hmmmm..... I actually think this added element is still playing with my mind a little.  I don't really know why, I guess I just fell for the story hook, line, and sinker and this part of the story......the added comments by his "brother" and the postscript......,gave the story a real feel to me.  I loved it!!!!

4.  Did you like or dislike the characters in this story?
I grew to like them all very much.  At times i felt as if Elise was not fully developed as a character, sometimes she seemed like a strong women, then other times she would seem almost like a young girl.......but in general I really liked all of them very much. 


5.  Was there any depth of reality or sympathy you felt as you read knowing our leading character  Richard was dying of a brain tumor ?
Absolutely yes.  Having the knowledge that Richard was dying of a brain tumor gave me such a weird feeling.  You never knew if it was real, or was it a dream, is he hallucinating, or did he find a way to go back in time.   I felt great sympathy for him, I felt like I was rooting for him to find Elise, I felt like weather it was real or not I wanted him to feel love and be loved back before he died. 


6.  If you could travel through time where would you want to go? 
Oh Gosh.......here i asked this question and I'm not sure how to answer it.  Oh gosh......I guess I would want to travel to a time where I could see the people of my heritage.  I'd like to see what life was like for my grand parents growing up, or even great great great great grandparents and how they live, where they lived, how did their decisions influence who I am today.    I guess i would also want to travel back in my own life and make the things right that I have done wrong.   And what if reincarnation is real, what if Phil and I are always together over and over and over through all time. What if Rachel and Paul are our children over and over and over through time.   I'd love to revisit all our past courtships and marriages and be a part of falling in love again and again with my wonderful husband.........I'd love to see our past family lives, I'd love to see how we all turn out time and time again..........Hmmmmmm......that would make a good book....I think I'll go start writing that one and give Mr. Richard Matheson a run for his money.....Hahahahaha......!!!!!!



Some Final Thoughts........
It's been a pleasure ladies introducing you to this book Somewhere in Time by Richard Matheson.  I apologize again for not keeping on schedule.  I will make a much bigger effort next time to keep up better.   Sometimes life just gets so busy, and unfortunately this selection came at a very very busy time for me.   I do hope you got some enjoyment out of it and I look very forward to reading your responses.  


I have one more question for you guys......lets see who really reads these responses.......What did you think of the ending?????????      Since I saw the movie first I was disappointed in the ending of the book.  It just ended, dropped off, there was no closure......except for slightly in the postscript.   I wanted to read that Richard died in his Del Coronado hotel room with a smile on his face.   


A little postscript from me.......for Phil's and my one year anniversary we stayed at the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego, it was REALLY cool just the way Richard Matheson described it in the book.  It was fun to read a story about a place I have actually stayed at.  I want to go back there now and revisit it with this story in my mind.  

Now onto Fried Green Tomatoes........Happy Reading Ladies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

Discussion Questions for Somewhere in Time...

1.  What was your overall opinion of Somewhere in Time?

2.  What did you think of the "Love Story"?  Did you Like it or Dislike it?  Why?

3.  What are your thoughts on the "postscript" and the little comments throughout the book by Richard Collier's brother Robert Collier?

4.  Did you like or dislike the characters in this story?

5.  Was there any depth of reality or sympathy you felt as you read knowing our leading character  Richard was dying of a brain tumor ?

6.  If you could travel through time where would you want to go?