“Time is not a line, but a series of now-points.”
— Richard Collier reflects on the nature of time after his time travel experience.
Archivist's Choice
Somewhere In Time
Richard Matheson (1975)
Genre
Fantasy / Historical Fiction / Science Fiction / Romance
Reading Time
360 min
Key Themes
See below
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A modern playwright, haunted by a vintage photograph, wills himself into the past to find the Victorian actress he is destined to love, defying time for a romance that transcends centuries.
Synopsis
Richard Collier, a successful modern-day playwright, is approached by an elderly woman after a premiere who cryptically tells him, "Come back to me." Eight years later, while recuperating at the historic Hotel del Coronado, he becomes obsessed with a photograph of a beautiful actress named Elise McKenna, who performed there in 1896. He realizes she is the same woman who spoke to him years earlier. Convinced they are destined to be together, Richard researches time travel and discovers he can will himself into the past by removing all modern objects and intensely focusing on the desired era. He travels back to 1896, where he meets Elise. Despite initial skepticism from her manager, William Robinson, Richard and Elise fall deeply in love. Their romance blossoms until Richard accidentally pulls a modern coin from his pocket, breaking the hypnotic spell and yanking him back to his own time. Devastated, Richard tries repeatedly to return to Elise but fails. He eventually wastes away, consumed by his lost love, and dies, hoping to reunite with her beyond time.
Reading time
360 min
Difficulty
Easy
Pacing
Moderate
Mood
Romantic, Melancholy, Dreamy, Obsessive
✓ Read this if...
You love deeply romantic stories with a unique speculative twist, enjoy historical settings, and are prepared for a bittersweet ending.
✗ Skip this if...
You prefer fast-paced action, strictly realistic fiction, or happy endings.
Plot Summary
The Mysterious Encounter
In 1972, while working on a script in Chicago, Richard Collier, a successful but somewhat jaded playwright, is approached by a very old woman at the opening night of one of his plays. She hands him a gold pocket watch and, with an intense gaze, utters the words, "Come back to me." The encounter deeply disturbs and intrigues Richard, even though he dismisses it as an odd fan interaction. He keeps the watch but does not immediately understand its significance or the impact this brief meeting will have on his life.
A Life-Altering Discovery
Years later, in 1980, feeling burnt out and seeking inspiration, Richard checks into the Grand Hotel on Coronado Island, San Diego. While exploring the hotel's historical exhibit, he is captivated by a photograph of a beautiful woman from 1896. He learns her name is Elise McKenna, a celebrated stage actress of that era. An inexplicable, powerful connection forms instantly. He recognizes the pocket watch in her hand in the photograph as the same one given to him years ago. This realization, coupled with the woman's haunting beauty, sparks an intense obsession within him, convincing him that she is the woman who gave him the watch and that they are destined to be together.
Research and Revelation
Driven by his growing conviction, Richard researches Elise McKenna's life, finding old newspaper clippings and biographies. He discovers that she was a famous actress managed by William Fawcett Robinson, a strict and controlling figure. His research also leads him to a book by Dr. Gerard Finney titled 'Travel Through Time: A Scientific Possibility.' Finney's theory posits that intense self-hypnosis and a complete mental immersion in the past, free from modern distractions, could allow one to project consciousness back in time. Richard, now fully committed to the idea, begins to prepare himself for this extraordinary journey, believing it is the only way to meet Elise.
The Plan Takes Shape
Richard meticulously prepares for his time displacement. He moves out of his modern hotel room into an older, less renovated part of the Grand Hotel that would have existed in 1896. He removes all modern clothing, money, and personal items, replacing them with period-appropriate attire and currency. He studies historical etiquette and slang. He records himself repeating affirmations and historical facts of 1896 to imbue his mind with the past, following Dr. Finney's instructions precisely. His goal is to strip away every vestige of 1980 to ensure his mind is completely open and receptive to the past, hoping to avoid any anachronistic thoughts or objects that could break the spell.
The Leap Through Time
After days of intense self-hypnosis, deprivation, and mental conditioning, Richard lies down in his 1896-furnished room, fixating on Elise McKenna and the year 1896. He experiences a strange, disorienting sensation, a feeling of falling through time. When he awakens, the room is subtly different, the sounds outside are those of horse-drawn carriages and period chatter. He ventures out and confirms his success: the hotel lobby is bustling with people in Victorian dress, the newspaper headlines are from 1896, and the overall atmosphere is undeniably that of the past. He has made the impossible journey, driven solely by his love for Elise.
First Encounters
Richard's initial attempts to approach Elise McKenna are met with suspicion from her manager, William Fawcett Robinson, who is fiercely protective of her. However, Richard manages to get closer, eventually speaking with her. There is an undeniable, immediate spark between them, a sense of recognition that transcends their brief acquaintance. Elise, despite Robinson's warnings, is drawn to Richard's intensity and peculiar charm. They spend time together, talking and walking, and their connection deepens rapidly, confirming Richard's belief that they are soulmates destined to be together, despite the formidable presence of Robinson.
Growing Affection and Robinson's Vigilance
Over the next few days, Richard and Elise fall deeply in love. They share intimate conversations, revealing their hopes, dreams, and a profound sense of having known each other before. Elise confides in him about her feelings of being controlled by Robinson and her yearning for a life beyond the stage. Robinson grows increasingly hostile and suspicious of Richard, seeing him as a threat to Elise's career and his control over her. He constantly tries to keep them apart, making their stolen moments together all the more precious and intense, but also filled with a growing sense of urgency and impending doom.
The Fateful Question
During one of their intimate moments, Elise reveals a past encounter with a fortune teller who predicted that a man from the future would come for her, a man who would love her unconditionally. She looks at Richard, asking if he is that man. This moment confirms for Richard that their connection is indeed fated and that his journey was not in vain. He assures her that he is, indeed, the man she has been waiting for, solidifying their bond and deepening their commitment to a future together, despite the incredible circumstances and the watchful eye of Robinson.
The Anachronistic Coin and Tragic Return
As Richard and Elise are enjoying a moment together, dreaming of their future, Richard reaches into his pocket and pulls out a modern Lincoln penny, a relic from 1980 that he had inadvertently overlooked during his preparations. The sudden sight of the anachronistic object, a stark reminder of his own time, shatters his mental immersion in 1896. He feels an overwhelming pull, a crushing force that rips him away from Elise and the past. He awakens back in his hotel room in 1980, heartbroken and disoriented, the time displacement abruptly and tragically reversed, leaving him in utter despair.
Desperate Attempts and Lingering Hope
Devastated by his sudden return, Richard desperately tries to recreate the conditions for time travel, but all his efforts are in vain. He cannot return. The loss of Elise and the past consumes him. He becomes increasingly withdrawn, refusing food and drink, his health rapidly deteriorating. He clings to the memories of Elise, the love they shared, and the pocket watch as his only connection to her. He eventually succumbs to his grief and a broken heart, dying in his hotel room, his final thoughts filled with Elise and their timeless love, achieving a reunion in death that was denied in life.
Principal Figures
Richard Collier
The Protagonist
From a jaded playwright, he transforms into a man consumed by a singular, timeless love, ultimately sacrificing his life for it.
Elise McKenna
The Love Interest
Initially constrained by her manager, she opens her heart to a timeless love, finding profound connection and hope, only to have it tragically severed.
William Fawcett Robinson
The Antagonist
Remains a static, controlling figure, fiercely guarding Elise and opposing Richard until the very end of Richard's time in the past.
The Old Woman
The Supporting
Her appearance at the beginning and the revelation of her identity at the end frame the entire narrative, showing the enduring nature of her love and hope.
Dr. Gerard Finney
The Mentioned
Not a character with an arc, but his theories enable Richard's journey.
Arthur
The Supporting
Remains a concerned friend, unable to comprehend or prevent Richard's self-destructive path.
Themes & Insights
Love Transcending Time and Space
The novel's central theme is that love, especially soulmate love, can defy the boundaries of time and physical reality. Richard's journey to 1896 is motivated by his connection to Elise McKenna, a woman he has never met in his own time. Their instant recognition and deep bond upon meeting shows that their love is fated, existing beyond conventional temporal constraints. Even after being ripped back to his own time, Richard's love for Elise remains so strong that he dies of a broken heart, illustrating its enduring, timeless nature.
“"Come back to me."”
Obsession and Destiny
Richard's quest to reach Elise is fueled by an intense, almost fanatical obsession, yet it is also presented as a fulfillment of destiny. From the moment he sees Elise's photograph and recognizes the watch, he is convinced of their preordained connection. This obsession drives him to meticulously research and execute a seemingly impossible feat of time travel. The narrative suggests that this is not merely a delusion but a powerful drive towards a fated encounter, reinforced by Elise's own premonition of a man from the future. His entire being becomes singularly focused on this one purpose.
“"He knew her. In some profound, inexplicable way, he knew her."”
The Power of the Mind and Belief
The novel explores the extraordinary capabilities of the human mind, particularly its power to manifest reality through intense belief and focus. Richard's method of time travel relies entirely on self-hypnosis, mental conditioning, and the complete eradication of modern thoughts and objects. Dr. Finney's theories, which Richard adopts, emphasize the mind's ability to project consciousness across time. Richard's success in reaching 1896, and his subsequent failure to return after a single anachronistic object breaks his mental state, highlights the fragility and immense power of his mental conviction.
“"The mind, he read, was the key. Total immersion, total belief."”
Loss and Grief
The tragic climax of the story explores loss and grief. Richard's sudden, involuntary return to 1980, severing him from Elise, plunges him into an unbearable state of despair. His inability to return to her, despite desperate attempts, leads to his complete withdrawal from life. His subsequent death from a broken heart is a powerful example of the depth of his love and the devastating impact of its loss. The novel portrays grief not merely as an emotion but as a physical and existential force that can ultimately consume a person.
“"He tried to return. He tried with all his being. But it was over."”
Plot Devices & Literary Techniques
The Pocket Watch
A physical link and symbol of timeless connection.
The gold pocket watch serves as a crucial plot device and a powerful symbol. It is initially given to Richard by the old Elise, acting as a catalyst for his journey. Later, he recognizes it in Elise's 1896 photograph, solidifying his conviction that she is the woman he is meant to find. The watch literally travels through time, connecting the past and future, and represents the enduring nature of their love and the circularity of their destiny. It is a tangible manifestation of their timeless bond.
Self-Hypnosis and Mental Projection
The method of time travel, emphasizing the mind's power.
The unique method of time travel in the story is not through a machine but through intense self-hypnosis and mental projection, as outlined by Dr. Finney. This device grounds the fantastical element in a quasi-scientific, psychological framework. It requires absolute mental discipline, the removal of all anachronistic thoughts and objects, and a complete immersion in the desired past. This device highlights the theme of the mind's extraordinary power and makes Richard's success, and his tragic failure, dependent entirely on his mental state and adherence to the rules.
The Anachronistic Object
The trigger for Richard's involuntary return to his own time.
The Lincoln penny from 1980, inadvertently left in Richard's pocket, functions as a devastating plot device. Its sudden appearance breaks the spell of his mental immersion in 1896, acting as a jarring reminder of his true time. This single, insignificant object causes his immediate and irreversible return to the future. It underscores the fragility of his time travel method and serves as the tragic catalyst that severs his connection with Elise, highlighting the strict rules governing his journey and the profound consequences of even a minor oversight.
The Grand Hotel
The central setting that exists across both time periods.
The Grand Hotel on Coronado Island is more than just a setting; it's a critical plot device. It exists in both 1980 and 1896, providing the physical anchor for Richard's time travel. Its historical continuity allows for the possibility of his journey and serves as the stage for both his discovery of Elise's photograph and their eventual meeting. The hotel's unchanging nature across the decades reinforces the idea of a stable point in time where such a transcendent encounter could occur, making it almost a character in itself.
Critical analysis
Notable Quotes
“Love is not bound by time or space.”
— Richard expresses his feelings for Elise McKenna, the actress from 1896.
“I have crossed the centuries to find you.”
— Richard declares his love to Elise upon meeting her in the past.
“The mind is the only time machine we truly possess.”
— Richard contemplates the power of self-hypnosis to travel through time.
“Every moment is a prison for those who live in the past.”
— A reflection on Richard's obsession with the past and Elise.
“We are all ghosts of our own memories.”
— Richard feels haunted by his memories of Elise after returning to his time.
“To love someone across time is to love a ghost.”
— Richard struggles with the impossibility of his love for Elise.
“The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.”
— Richard adapts to the customs and society of 1896.
“Fate is not a path, but a river that carries us where it will.”
— Richard muses on the forces that led him to Elise.
“In the end, all we have are the moments we steal from time.”
— Richard cherishes the brief time he spent with Elise in 1896.
“The heart knows no logic, only longing.”
— Richard justifies his irrational pursuit of Elise across time.
“To live in two times is to be a stranger in both.”
— Richard feels disconnected from both 1972 and 1896 after his travels.
“Somewhere in time, our souls have met before.”
— Richard believes in a preordained connection with Elise.
“The greatest magic is not in moving through time, but in touching another's heart across it.”
— Richard realizes the true significance of his journey.
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Key Questions (FAQ)
The novel follows Richard Collier, a modern playwright who becomes obsessed with a 1912 photograph of actress Elise McKenna. Using self-hypnosis and period clothing, he wills himself back to 1896 at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, where he meets and falls in love with Elise, creating a romance that defies the boundaries of time.
About the author
Biography coming soon.
