Editing The Time in Between

{{short description|2005 novel by David Bergen}}
{{Infobox book
| name          = The Time in Between
| title_orig    =
| translator    =
| image         = The Time In Between cover.png
| caption       =
| author        = [[David Bergen]]
| illustrator   =
| cover_artist  =
| country       = Canada
| language      = English
| series        =
| subject       =
| genre         = Novel
| publisher     = [[McClelland & Stewart]] in Canada,<br>[[Random House]] in the United States
| pub_date      = August 16, 2005
| media_type    =
| pages         = 288 (McClelland & Stewart),<br>256 (Random House)
| isbn          = 978-0-7710-1178-8
| isbn_note     = (McClelland & Stewart)<br>{{ISBN|978-1-4000-6240-9}} (Random House)
| oclc          = 58052004
| preceded_by   =
| followed_by   =
}}

'''''The Time in Between''''' is a novel by Canadian author [[David Bergen]]. It deals with a man, who mysteriously returns to [[Vietnam]], where he had been a soldier earlier in his life, followed by his children, who also go to Vietnam to search for him. The novel was the recipient of the [[Scotiabank Giller Prize]] and the [[McNally Robinson Book of the Year Award]] in 2005.

== Plot ==
Charles Boatman, an army veteran suddenly disappears and his daughter Ada and her younger brother Jon on finding some clues go looking out for him in [[Danang]], Vietnam. The novel mixes various stories from different timeframes narrating Charles's days in Washington when he was young. He married Sara and had daughter Ada while living in [[Fraser Valley]] of British Columbia. He gets posted in the wartime era to Vietnam and serves there and upon arrival discovers his wife's infidelity. Sara dies early and by then they also had a son Jon. Charles keeps getting nightmares of his Vietnam days on how he killed an innocent civilian boy in one of the operations and this keeps haunting him.  On the other hand, Ada is on a mission to find her father and is helped by a local guy Yen who becomes her guide and guardian in the new country. She engages in a sexual relationship with an older man, Hoang Vu who is an artist by profession. Jon indulges in the nightlife of Vietnam, and Ada keeps getting closer to her father as she travels across the country. Charles discovers author Dang Tho's novel chronicling wartime and this helps him find some peace.

== Publication and development ==
The book is author David Bergen's fifth novel.<ref name="KR">{{cite web|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/david-bergen/the-time-in-between/|title=Kirkus Review: The Time in Between by David Bergen|work=Kirkus Reviews|date=1 September 2005|access-date= 29 March 2017}}</ref> Although generally called a [[war novel]], the author states that he "[doesn't] see ''The Time in Between'' as a war novel".<ref name="mcclelland">{{cite web|url=http://www.mcclelland.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780771011788|publisher=mcclelland.com|title=Books : McClelland & Stewart|access-date=29 December 2016}}</ref> The book was released as Audio book by [[Blackstone Audio]] in December 2005 and was narrated by [[Anna Fields]], better known as Kate Fleming.<ref name="PW">{{cite web|url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-7861-7732-5|title=Audio book review: The Time In Between|work=Publishers Weekly|date=6 February 2006|access-date=29 March 2017}}</ref>

== Reviews and reception ==
''[[Kirkus reviews]]'' called the novel a "beautifully composed, unflinching and harrowing story".<ref name="KR"/> Nicholas Dinka in their ''[[Quill & Quire]]'' review mentions that the novel has "much decency and intelligence" and both the stories of the novel are "entirely plausible" but criticises for "remarkable dourness of its prose".<ref name="QnQ">{{cite web|url= http://www.quillandquire.com/review/the-time-in-between/|title=''The Time in Between''|work=Quill and Quire|author=Dinka, Nicholas|access-date=29 March 2017}}</ref> While Dennis Lythgoe of ''[[Deseret News]]'' noted that "Bergen's book lives and breathes the Vietnam experience";<ref name="DN">{{cite web|url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/635167390/Time-is-brilliant-haunting-journey.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180929002122/https://www.deseretnews.com/article/635167390/Time-is-brilliant-haunting-journey.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 29, 2018|title=Book review: 'Time' is brilliant, haunting journey|work=Deseret News|author=Lythgoe, Dennis|date=11 December 2005|access-date= 29 March 2017}}</ref> Ron Charles in his ''[[The Washington Post]]'' review mentioned that "Bergen's ability to dramatize trauma-induced disaffection is undeniable; whether readers will want to sink down that hole with his characters is less clear".<ref name="WP">{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/15/AR2005121501534.html|title=In Country|work=Washington Post|author=Charles, Ron|date=18 December 2005|access-date=29 March 2017}}</ref> Irene Wanner of ''[[The Seattle Times]]'' appreciated the novel for its writing.<ref name="ST">{{cite web|url=http://old.seattletimes.com/html/books/2002699748_timeinbetween25.html|title="The Time In Between": Probing the demons of war within one family|work=[[Seattle Times]]|author=Wanner, Irene|date=23 December 2005|access-date=29 March 2017}}</ref>

The novel won the [[Scotiabank Giller Prize]] in 2005 while being nominated along with ''Luck'' (by [[Joan Barfoot]]), ''Sweetness in the Belly'' (by [[Camilla Gibb]]), ''Alligator'' (by [[Lisa Moore (writer)|Lisa Moore]]), and ''A Wall of Light'' (by [[Edeet Ravel]]). The judges [[Warren Cariou]], [[Elizabeth Hay (novelist)|Elizabeth Hay]], and [[Richard B. Wright]] noted "''The Time in Between'' explores our need to understand the relationship between love and duty....[] This is a subtle and elegantly written novel by an author in complete command of his talent".<ref name="SB">{{cite web|url=http://www.scotiabank.com/gillerprize/files/12/10/news_110805.html|title=Author David Bergen wind the 2005 Scotiabank Giller Prize|publisher=Scotiabank|date=8 November 2005|access-date=29 March 2017}}</ref> It also won the [[McNally Robinson Book of the Year Award]] in 2005. Bergen had earlier won the award in 1996 for ''[[A Year of Lesser]]'' and later again won in 2009 for ''[[The Retreat (David Bergen novel)|The Retreat]]''.<ref name="MBA">{{cite web|url=http://manitobabookawards.com/?page_id=10|title=Past Winners: Manitoba Book Awards|publisher=Manitoba Book Awards|access-date=29 March 2017}}</ref> Dan Zigmond of ''[[San Francisco Chronicle#Web|SFGate]]'' reviews the novel as "a rich and rewarding novel".<ref name="SFC">{{cite web|url=http://www.sfgate.com/books/article/Ex-soldier-s-children-follow-tracks-of-war-2524374.php|title=Ex-soldier's children follow tracks of war / Bergen's novel set in Vietnam and Canada|work=San Francisco Chronicle|author=Zigmond, Dan|date= 1 January 2006|access-date= 29 March 2017}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Giller Prize}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Time In Between, The}}
[[Category:2005 Canadian novels]]
[[Category:Novels set in Vietnam]]
[[Category:Giller Prize–winning works]]
[[Category:McClelland & Stewart books]]