Assessment:

Plot/Idea: While struggling to comprehend his wife's terminal cancer and his vivid dreams/nightmares of his service in Iraq, watch repairman/maker Bob receives a very special watch in need of repair–a watch belonging to Death himself. Time is an entertaining read told with empathy, care, and attention to detail that does not become overly bogged down with unnecessary spirituality; nor does it strive to answer life's larger questions.

Prose: Hollister's prose is easy to read and engaging, however, his brief forays into the intricacies of watch repair sometimes take away from the pace of the story. Additionally, the Iraq flashbacks are not as seamlessly integrated as they could be, and their purpose doesn't become evident until the very end of the book.

Originality: A story about death, love, time, and spirituality is not wholly original–yet Hollister adds interest with a watchmaker playing a pivotal role in manipulating time itself: the "time" of people crossing over, the "time" keeping of the watch, the "time" it takes to say farewell to a loved one.

Character/Execution: Bob is the heart of Time and his seemingly mundane daily routine gains depth through thoughtful character development. Mystical neighbor Angie is a nice addition, and serves as the only other character (besides a rather generic Death) to really interact with Bob.

Date Submitted: April 25, 2024