Dor is the first man to measure time. He becomes so obsessed with time that he sometimes neglects the things that are really important - such as his family. When he is faced with a loss he does not wish to accept, he vows to stop time, but instead finds himself imprisoned in a cave where he spends centuries hearing the pleas of all humanity regarding time. One day, he is released - under the condition that he finds two specific people, whose voices he heard while in the cave, to teach them the true meaning of time and what is really important in life. One wants too much time and one wants too little. Victor, one of those two people, wants more time. He is terminally ill, but believes that his wealth and intelligence can buy him more time - another lifetime - even if it means losing precious time with his wife, Grace, who loves him. Sarah, the other of the two people, is a teenager who, when she falls for a boy who shows interest in her, but then proves to be less than honorable, wants her time to stop. She does not recognize her own worth as a person, or even how much she means to the people in her life - friends, family - who she ignores in her pursuit of this one guy. Will Dor be able to reach them and teach them the lessons they need to learn? What are those lessons? Will they be receptive to them? Will they refuse to believe or trust him? And what will he learn while trying?

I really liked this story - it was so different and interesting and meaningful. The writing style was a little different and took a little getting used to, but it didn't really detract from the story. The beginning was a little hard to get through, which is why I gave it 4 stars. I kept reading, though, and I am glad that I did. If you pick up this book, start reading it, and think. "Eh," keep reading. It won't take long before you'll be hungrily reading through the pages to find out what happens. How do you spend your time? ( )

Unable to complete reading. Was not interesting to me (Mary)

Fantasy

I came across this inspirational fable while I was searching for gentle reads. I had a pretty good idea of what I would be in for—but I also had little idea.

Here and there, I thought the author could have said a little less, could have been less on-the-nose, and after the first batch of chapters, I wondered how he'd fill the rest of the pages. How much more really needed to happen to get to what I guessed the point would be?

Nevertheless, I found myself on pretty much all the pins, all the needles as the main characters headed down their paths. I couldn't stop them from making certain decisions I wished that I could, and I became increasingly intrigued about the "how" that would lead to the "what" in the fable.

I'm most into a story when the storyteller gives me good reason to care. And, my goodness, I wound up caring to the point of my own tears.

What a poignant, life-affirming story of hope. ( )

It had been many years since I'd read a Mitch Albom story and this one didn't disappoint. Lovely fable about the importance of making each day count and being thankful for the time we are given. ( )