Member Review
Review by
Maddy C, Reviewer
Life Out of Order by Audrey Niffenegger
I was beyond excited to receive this sequel to The Time Traveler's Wife, which remains one of my favourite books. While I enjoyed revisiting the fascinating premise that made the original so special, I found this story became a little too political and rather gloomy for my taste. I would have preferred the focus to remain on the characters and their relationships, rather than the bleak political landscape that increasingly took centre stage. Despite that, it was still interesting to return to the world Audrey Niffenegger created and see where the story went next.
Henry’s daughter, Alba, has inherited the same rare chrono-displacement disorder as her father, meaning she experiences life out of order. The story focuses mainly on Alba and her husband, Zach, but also reveals what happened to her mother, Claire, after Henry's death, including a new romance in her life. Alongside a wide cast of friends, Alba uses her knowledge of the future to try to keep those she cares about safe. We are also introduced to another chrono-displaced character, Oliver, whose role becomes increasingly important, and to Isadora, curator of a digital museum for forgotten memories and lost artefacts, who is integral to Alba's journey. While I enjoyed these characters and the continuation of the story's unique premise, I found the apocalyptic future hanging over events a little too bleak. Had the focus remained more firmly on the characters and their relationships, this would have been a solid five-star read for me, and I suspect for many others too.
Despite my reservations about the darker, more political elements of the story, I still enjoyed returning to this unique world and catching up with characters I have loved for many years. Audrey Niffenegger's imagination remains as captivating as ever, and there is plenty here for fans of The Time Traveler's Wife to appreciate, particularly the chance to spend more time with Alba, Claire and the wider cast of characters. For me, the novel worked best when it focused on the relationships and emotional connections at its heart. While it didn't quite live up to the magic of the original, it was still an interesting and worthwhile continuation of the story.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/9034650285
https://maddybooksblog.blogspot.com/2026/10/life-out-of-order-by-audrey-niffenegger.html
I was beyond excited to receive this sequel to The Time Traveler's Wife, which remains one of my favourite books. While I enjoyed revisiting the fascinating premise that made the original so special, I found this story became a little too political and rather gloomy for my taste. I would have preferred the focus to remain on the characters and their relationships, rather than the bleak political landscape that increasingly took centre stage. Despite that, it was still interesting to return to the world Audrey Niffenegger created and see where the story went next.
Henry’s daughter, Alba, has inherited the same rare chrono-displacement disorder as her father, meaning she experiences life out of order. The story focuses mainly on Alba and her husband, Zach, but also reveals what happened to her mother, Claire, after Henry's death, including a new romance in her life. Alongside a wide cast of friends, Alba uses her knowledge of the future to try to keep those she cares about safe. We are also introduced to another chrono-displaced character, Oliver, whose role becomes increasingly important, and to Isadora, curator of a digital museum for forgotten memories and lost artefacts, who is integral to Alba's journey. While I enjoyed these characters and the continuation of the story's unique premise, I found the apocalyptic future hanging over events a little too bleak. Had the focus remained more firmly on the characters and their relationships, this would have been a solid five-star read for me, and I suspect for many others too.
Despite my reservations about the darker, more political elements of the story, I still enjoyed returning to this unique world and catching up with characters I have loved for many years. Audrey Niffenegger's imagination remains as captivating as ever, and there is plenty here for fans of The Time Traveler's Wife to appreciate, particularly the chance to spend more time with Alba, Claire and the wider cast of characters. For me, the novel worked best when it focused on the relationships and emotional connections at its heart. While it didn't quite live up to the magic of the original, it was still an interesting and worthwhile continuation of the story.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/9034650285
https://maddybooksblog.blogspot.com/2026/10/life-out-of-order-by-audrey-niffenegger.html
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