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Audrey Niffenegger, the author of the best-selling novel The Time Traveler’s Wife, has finally completed a sequel. It takes 14 years of writing to reach this point, and the new book is deeply political.
From Romance to Political Fiction
Niffenegger began writing the sequel in 2012. At the time, she described American politics as ‘rosy’—‘as good as it gets over here’.
Her novel, Life Out of Order, follows the daughter of the original characters, Alba, who inherits the same time-traveling condition. Unlike her debut, which focused on romance and personal tragedy, this sequel explores how time travel can be used for political action.
Imagining the Future
Over the years, Niffenegger explored various dystopian futures. She imagined what the U.S. might look like in the future.
One early scene features a group of neo-Nazis at a house party. When she wrote it, few believed such a resurgence was possible. She says it wasn’t about being ‘psychic’—the clues were visible in political trends.
‘The first thing I remember reading in the news was Watergate,’ she says. ‘I’ve grown up with Reagan, and the Republicans coming on stronger and stronger. Every Republican president we get is more of a disaster. And I thought the logical progression of that would be fascism.’
Real-World Events Shape the Fiction
The novel reflects real political shifts. Niffenegger notes that the pandemic and lockdowns were not mentioned in her original draft—she only included them because they were happening.
She watched protests over George Floyd’s killing and felt hopeful that change might follow. But, she says, ‘it just seems to have been like a rock falling into a pond.’
Personal Transformation
Niffenegger was not politically active before the 2010s. She says she didn’t attend demonstrations or speak out publicly.
Now, she is radicalised. ‘I feel like whatever you can be doing, now’s the time,’ she says. ‘If you can vote, vote. If you can give money to a cause, yay. If you can go to a demonstration, excellent.’
Art and Personal Growth
Niffenegger’s work has transformed her life. She began as an artist and professor at Columbia College Chicago’s Centre for Book and Paper Arts.
She made hand-bound, illustrated fairytales in editions of 10. The idea for The Time Traveler’s Wife came from a sketch. She thought it might sell a few thousand copies.
She received letters from people in long-distance relationships, including her husband in the military and friends in prison. The novel resonated because of its theme of absence.
Climate and Society in the Fiction
She includes scenes of climate collapse: cities underwater, failing utilities, food shortages, and erratic weather. These are meant to make global warming feel less abstract.
‘We find climate meltdown hard to visualise,’ she says. ‘So I tried to make it real in the story.’
What’s Next?
Niffenegger will soon end her book tour. She plans to focus on new projects.
She is considering expanding her graphic novel, The Night Bookmobile, into a series of interlinked short stories. She also says she wants to take a break after 14 years of intense writing.
‘After spending 14 years on one thing, I’m happy to have a little rest,’ she says.
Source: The Guardian
Read the full interview on The Guardian
