Moving to her Aunt Mae’s farm after escaping an abusive relationship, Amy finds herself attracted to a clearing surrounded by a deep fog where she meets Henry. It soon becomes apparent that Henry is stuck in the past – 1944 to be exact – reliving the same summer over and over. Amy and Henry form a bond that puts them both on the path to accepting life as it comes.I’m a sucker for a good time travel story, and this one – with its simple yet believable logic and undeniably clever storyline – really delivered on its premise. I’m also a sucker for impossible, bittersweet love affairs – the ones that sneak up on me and make me sigh when closing the last page.
The atmosphere Davis creates in THE CLEARING is pitch perfect. It strikes me as a cross between TUCK EVERLASTING and THE OTHERS (the movie starring Nicole Kidman) – though the story itself is quite different. I might have liked to have seen the scenes between Amy and Henry fleshed out a bit more. I do like the restrained nature of the writing – it just that, though their relationship is tender and heartfelt, it never has the chance to soar to the lofty heights you might expect from a book that declares “True Love is Timeless” on the cover.
THE CLEARING just came out this week in paperback original. Find out more about it at the author’s website.
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20 comments:
I'll at this to my list--I'm always looking for good time travel! Thanks.
I love time-travel novels as well, so this book is definitely something I want to check out. It sounds like a wonderful read, Lenore, so thanks for shining a spotlight on it!
Time travel became real to me with the Outlander series and now I think I could read more. Thank you for the review.
I love time travel books, the time travellers wife being one of my favourites, and the cover just blows me away, its so tranquil and beautiful. This sounds like such a good book, thanks for the review.
I haven't read many time travel stories, but I do enjoy them when I read them. This one sounds good to me.
Sighing at the end is a good sign!! I love time travel too!!!
Thanks for the great review! I love the sound of this one and really must read it asap!
I liked this book, too. Though I was seriously torn between Amy's choices... And I really didn't like the last page, but that's just my personal preference. It was still a very enjoyable book.
Great review!
I am a sucker for anything WWII and this sounds awesome! Thanks for posting.
I remember obsessing over time travel stories as a kid, and how about Somewhere in Time???? I've surrounded myself with them again with Outlander. Doesn't bother me if I don't understand it or that it can't happen. I love to pretend.
This sounds sweet. I did quite love Tuck Everlasting and do love a bit of a time-travel-impossible-love-story!
i'm also a fan of time travel--and there are a few YA novels that offer it up. my students love when characters can see ghosts, travel through time, and the like. caroline b. cooney did a trilogy they love and so did meg cabot (mediator). i'm going to check out 'the clearing' to see if it will work for my kiddos! thanks for the tip.
I'm sensing that this is sort a Time Travler's Wife for young adults. Sounds great! Thank you for the lovely review, Lenore.
I thought the alternating voice where in Amy was in first person and Henry in third person alienated Henry for me .. But that's just my view. :)
I agree with Tabitha about the ending but I still really enjoyed reading this one. And I adore the cover.
I've got this on my eReader. I hope to enjoy it as much as you did. :)
At first, I thought this was the novel version of that Robert Redford/Helen Mirren movie that came out a few years ago. And then I read your review and see they are two drastically different stories called "The Clearing." Haha!
But now you've gotten me intrigued enough to add it to the 'to read' list!
I just finished this book and I loved it. The last page was a bit sad, left you guessing, but I guess that's what Heather Davis wanted. Seriously though, anyone that wants a good book to read this summer, should read it. When I got to the end I wanted to cry since it was over. I love this book and I can't explain how much I want others to read this and share in the experience (:
I just finished the book . . . well a few seconds ago actually :P While I was reading it, every once and awhile you'd hear me go "awwwwww!:)" over the things that Henry did. Don't you just love his chivalrous style?
omgggg imm in love with this book but the ending is so saddd theeyy shudd make the clearing 2
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