Two novels

I've begun reading two very interesting tales about love. Uncannily, they've both got movie deals attached to them. I picked up Enduring Love by Ian McEwan after watching a trailer for the movie. The Time Traveler's Wife: I chose this because I read a review on it and liked what I read. Today, I found out that Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston have bought the movie rights for the novel.

Enduring Love deals with erotomania, or Clerambault's syndrome, most recently featured in the movie A La Folie...Pas Du Tout or He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not starring Audrey Tatou (of Amelie fame) and Samuel Le Bihan (of Brotherhood of the Wolf fame) - a rather chilling movie told in a cheerful, romantic comedy-esque manner. In McEwan's novel, how the two main characters meet is an event of remarkable proportions. A hot-air balloon appears to be flying out of control, tossed and buffeted by a strange wind, and four men rush to the aid of the pilot and a young boy trapped inside the basket. Suddenly they are lifted into the air, all the men hanging on to the ropes of the basket. Someone detects the danger and the futility of the effort, and drops first, then one by one, the others follow, save one. The balloon, after losing the extra weight, moves swiftly and farther away from the men who look on in horror. The last man hanging on eventually loses all strength and falls to his death. Ironically, the basket lands safely later and the boy is unhurt. One of the men, Jed Parry, becomes inexplicably drawn to the narrator, science writer, Joe Rose, after their joint witness of this awful incident. Something passes between them, according to Parry, and thus the novel unfolds its riveting tale of how life can change in a single instant. Murder and insanity ensue, of course.

The other novel, more recently published, focuses on a married couple. The fellow, Henry, has to deal with the rather unusual Chrono Displacement disorder. Every once in a while, he vanishes and appears in the past or future. He usually winds up at a time or place of importance in his life, like meeting Clare, his wife, and not recognizing her when she seems to know him. Interesting paradoxes ensue, of course.

Update: Here's a nice review of Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife. From The Guardian.

I can't afford the time to read either book. But I'll do what I can. I love stories after all, and what else can I do when I can't churn out a decent one of my own? If you can't write 'em, read 'em!

Posted by Monoceros at September 11, 2004 11:28 PM