That's exactly how I read it, too--that he returned back to his present time immediately after being shot. I'd think they also would have been far more freaked out had the man they just shot been standing next to them to them in younger form. If that were the case, when Claire brought Henry home for Christmas, they would have recognized him right away.

The Time Traveler's Wife is one of my all time favourite books!
I recently read Her Perfect Symmetry also by Audrey Niffenegger (spelling?) and I was really disappointed ... I didn't like it at all... anyone else read it?

I listened to Her Fearful Symmetry and didn't like it nearly as much as TTW and found it pretty weird overall.

I tried to read Her Fearful Symmetry and I just couldn't do it after reading about 100 pages. I don't usually abandon books, either. If there's a kernel of interesting storyline then I will work my way through. I just had nothing to hold onto and left it. Geez, I feel so guilty about that-like I'm in confession!

I'm actually glad that I'm not the only one who wasn't enamored of HFS. Before I listened to it, I'd heard some people say it was better than TTW, but that wasn't my opinion at all and I'm glad to see I wasn't alone having trouble with HFS (I did finish it though - heck! if I managed to finish listening to Dante's Divine Comedy, which was hard since my mind kept wandering, I can finish almost anything on audio ).

I tried to read HPS, and it was strange and I abandoned it. I did like TTW. I especially liked the movie. Did the movie get into how much the best friend was in love with Clare? It seemed like the book made that a big deal. I'm not sure the movie showed that.

^An amazing coincidence that the movie was on tonight, Arabella, it refreshed my memory since it has been a while since I'd seen it. Which friend was in love with Claire, was it Gomez? If so, the movie showed him as very protective, I think, but not really in love with her.

It has been years since I've read the book, which I loved. Time for a re-read, I think I completely missed that point!

It was Gomez who was in love with Claire (and his wife realized it). I haven't seen the movie, but I suspect that there was already more than enough to focus on without that subplot, so I guess they left it out.

This post is on an a really old thread, but I really wanted to put my 2 cents in

I agree with those of you who didn't like HFS.

I didn't have trouble following TTW because I actually saw the movie first. Decided I should read it before seeing it at the movies, but at that point there was a long waiting list at the library for it. It was amusing to go with my husband to see the movie as he and one other older man was in the theater full of women.

I really love TTW.

I liked TTW the first time I read it.

The movie was on recently, and I had recorded it. My almost 16 year old daughters were interested in seeing it. We all watched it today, and they liked it. Of course, they want to borrow my book. I pulled out HFS as well. I didn't like that as well. I am not sure if they'll like it...but am curious to see what they think. (they are identical twins). They borrow lots of my books...but not, as yet, Outlander.

I was also disappointed by HFS. I just couldn't buy certain of the plot points, and I felt that in order to make the story work out the way she needed, the author had characters making decisions that didn't make sense, even in their weird circumstances.

TTW is one of my all-time favorite books, and is one of the few that I've read twice in a row. As soon as I got to the end, I had to start over again to see how it all fits together once you know the whole story. Amazing. I didn't care for the movie very much. The two characters didn't seem to have much chermistry, and I thought Eric Bana was all wrong for the part. Oh well, it's rare that I'm not disappointed by the movie version of a beloved book.

Lisa,

you captured my thoughts on the two books exceptionally well.