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240
Novel • Fiction
2012
Adult
14-18 years
In The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom, Dor, the inventor of the world's first clock, is punished by the gods for attempting to measure time and is banished to a cave where he becomes the ageless Father Time. To earn his freedom, he must teach two modern-day individuals—the despairing teenager Sarah Lemon and the terminally ill businessman Victor Delamonte—the true meaning of time, using a magical hourglass and his own experiences. The novel includes depictions of suicide, suicidal ideation, and sexual assault.
Contemplative
Inspirational
Mysterious
Emotional
Bittersweet
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Mitch Albom's The Time Keeper blends fantasy with a poignant reflection on humanity's obsession with time. Readers praise its engaging narrative and thought-provoking themes, but some criticize its predictability and simplistic characters. Overall, the novel offers a touching, albeit straightforward, meditation on life's temporal nature.
Readers who enjoy introspective and philosophical narratives exploring the concept of time will appreciate Mitch Albom's The Time Keeper. Fans of Paolo Coelho's The Alchemist and Albom's own The Five People You Meet in Heaven will find its thought-provoking and spiritually uplifting themes compelling.
126,392 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Old Man
A mysterious supernatural figure who guides Dor, provides prophecies, and symbolizes a higher moral truth. He appears at key moments to direct Dor's journey and challenges.
Alli
Dor's loving childhood friend and wife who values relationships over intellectual pursuits and inadvertently teaches Dor the importance of treasuring time and moments.
Nim
A powerful and ambitious contemporary of Dor who values strength and conquest, serving as both a foil and antagonist to Dor due to his material and power-driven pursuits.
Sarah Lemon
A modern teenager struggling with self-worth and interpersonal relationships, who learns important life lessons about the value of living through her interactions with Dor.
Lorraine
Sarah's mother who shares a strained relationship with her daughter but ultimately seeks to better understand and support her as they navigate their familial challenges.
Ethan
The popular boy whom Sarah has a romantic interest in, whose indifference and behavior towards her highlight her struggles with self-awareness and self-worth.
Victor Delamonte
A wealthy businessman facing terminal illness who learns to appreciate life and mend his strained relationships, particularly with his wife, through Dor's intervention.
Grace
Victor's wife who remembers happier times in their marriage and yearns for closeness, eventually experiencing an improved relationship with Victor as he learns to value the present.
240
Novel • Fiction
2012
Adult
14-18 years
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