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What did you think of the time shifts that were part of the story's layout?

Created: 02/27/14

Replies: 5

Posted Feb. 27, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
kimk

Join Date: 10/16/10

Posts: 889

What did you think of the time shifts that were part of the story's layout?

The plot jumps around in time, with the story moving backwards and forwards in history. What did you think of these time shifts, and why do you suppose the author chose to tell the story in this fashion rather than chronologically from start to end?


Posted Mar. 02, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
judiths

Join Date: 08/05/12

Posts: 2

RE: What did you think of the time shifts that were part of the story's layout?

I liked the way Marra used flashbacks to fill in the background of each character. They all become pieces of the puzzle. As the story focuses on the agony of surviving characters not knowing what has happened to their loved ones, it was very effective that as readers we are told all the details that are denied the main characters.


Posted Mar. 02, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
joyces

Join Date: 06/16/11

Posts: 410

RE: What did you think of the time shifts that were part of the story's layout?

I agree with judiths on this and found the time shifts at first a little annoying but as I got further into the book they intrigued me as I came to understand there was something I needed to know and which many of the main characters did not know. An excellent device for mixing things up and making me stay focused.


Posted Mar. 02, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
aleksandrae

Join Date: 02/25/14

Posts: 40

RE: What did you think of the time shifts that were part of the story's layout?

Initially, I found the time shifts a bit confusing. I could see the years at the beginning of the chapters but sometimes got "lost in time" while reading the chapter and especially if I stopped reading mid-chapter and then picked it up a day later. But I did enjoy how the time change filled in the information about the characters rather than just reading that information straight forward in chronological manner. The shifting made the story so much more interesting as well as mysterious. I found myself trying to guess certain aspects of the storyline that had yet not unfolded. It was really unique and ultimately well done.


Posted Mar. 19, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
cb

Join Date: 03/19/14

Posts: 26

RE: What did you think of the time shifts that were part of the story's layout?

Early on, I found the time shifts distracting; but I enjoyed the gradual unfolding of the back stories.


Posted Mar. 20, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
kateg

Join Date: 04/28/11

Posts: 29

RE: What did you think of the time shifts that were part of the story's layout?

Like others, I found it confusing at first, but once I got into the rhythm of the story, I thought the time shifts were helpful. As the story was told from different characters points' of view, the change in time provided opportunity to learn information about each character in a more interesting way. A linear narrative would not have been nearly as interesting.


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