Author: Mitch Albom
Published: August 28, 2012
Genre: fiction, inspirational
Hardcover: 224 pages
Source: borrowed from the library
My Rating: 3 stars
Synopsis (from GoodReads): In Mitch Albom's newest work of fiction, the inventor of the world's first clock is punished for trying to measure God's greatest gift. He is banished to a cave for centuries and forced to listen to the voices of all who come after him seeking more days, more years. Eventually, with his soul nearly broken, Father Time is granted his freedom, along with a magical hourglass and a mission: a chance to redeem himself by teaching two earthly people the true meaning of time.
He returns to our world--now dominated by the hour-counting he so innocently began--and commences a journey with two unlikely partners: one a teenage girl who is about to give up on life, the other a wealthy old businessman who wants to live forever. To save himself, he must save them both. And stop the world to do so.
Told in Albom's signature spare, evocative prose, this remarkably original tale will inspire readers everywhere to reconsider their own notions of time, how they spend it and how precious it truly is.
My Thoughts: I've always enjoy Mitch Albom's books for a few reasons: number one, they are easy to read; two, they are relatable; three, they are completely unassuming. Albom maintains that same style in his newest work of fiction, focusing on the human obsession with time. Dor lives in time before time is measured. He loves to count things and develops ways to track the days. God decides to punish him by banishing him to a cave for eternity and listening to everyone's pleas for time. Dor becomes Father Time. He is introduced to Sarah Lemon, a teenager dealing with a serious crush, and Victor Delamonte, an old man on death's doorstep. He must make each of them realize that they must cherish time and not wish it to work for them.
Albom's writing is sparse, almost like Hemingway's. There isn't much description or elaboration. Albom gets straight to the point. I typically don't like writing like this, but with Albom, it works. His subjects are so real and fragile that burdening them with more words might break them (or your image of them). Albom definitely takes you on a journey, but he leaves it up to you to craft what everything looks like. This is a great short story, something that takes about a day to read. While I didn't feel like this was as strong as his other books, it is still a moving story making you think about our concept of time.
I absolutely love The Five People You Meet in Heaven, and I really want to read this book. Too bad you didn't like it as much as Mitch Albom's other books, but it still looks like a pretty good story :)
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