How to Stop Time

By Matt Haig

Book Overview

"A quirky romcom dusted with philosophical observations....A delightfully witty...poignant novel." -- The Washington Post "She smiled a soft, troubled smile and I felt the whole world slipping away, and I wanted to slip with it, to go wherever she was going... I had existed whole years without her, but that was all it had been. An existence. A book with no words." Tom Hazard has just moved back to London, his old home, to settle down and become a high school history teacher. And on his first day at school, he meets a captivating French teacher at his school who seems fascinated by him. But Tom has a dangerous secret. He may look like an ordinary 41-year-old, but owing to a rare condition, he's been alive for centuries. Tom has lived history--performing with Shakespeare, exploring the high seas with Captain Cook, and sharing cocktails with Fitzgerald. Now, he just wants an ordinary life. Unfortunately for Tom, the Albatross Society, the secretive group which protects people like Tom, has one rule: Never fall in love. As painful memories of his past and the erratic behavior of the Society's watchful leader threaten to derail his new life and romance, the one thing he can't have just happens to be the one thing that might save him. Tom will have to decide once and for all whether to remain stuck in the past, or finally begin living in the present. How to Stop Time tells a love story across the ages--and for the ages--about a man lost in time, the woman who could save him, and the lifetimes it can take to learn how to live. It is a bighearted, wildly original novel about losing and finding yourself, the inevitability of change, and how with enough time to learn, we just might find happiness. Soon to be a major motion picture starring Benedict Cumberbatch.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0525522875
• ISBN13: 9780525522874
• Release Date: February 2018
• Publisher: Viking
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.06 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 5.6" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Refreshing Concept

I purchased this book for a book club with no expectations. I had previously read "The Midnight Library" and was looking forward to reading another by Haig. While I can see this might not be everyone's cup of tea, I found it to be entertaining and a pretty quick read for me. A few pros: The premise was unique, the characters were human, and the storyline was compelling. A few cons: The book felt a little disjointed at times. The pacing was weird and the time aspect could make it difficult to engage emotionally. Prior to purchasing, I saw a review on here mentioning "Trump hate", and after finishing the book, I still have no idea what this is in reference to. Towards the end of the book, there is one fleeting mention of Trump's name, lost in a string of current events listed, with literally zero political leaning. Let me be clear: This book is not political. There are plenty of reasons not to like a book, but that was a weird critique. I would strongly recommend that anyone on the fence about reading this not be swayed by someone triggered by a millisecond namedrop. Everyone interprets books differently, but in this case, I'm not sure that reviewer and I even read the same one.

time travel

Enjoyed this travel back and forth through time and lands with Tom who has a genetic disorder that causes him to age extremely slowly.

Interesting concept

I liked the concept. Character were well-rounded and well-written. Based on this book, I've added another Matt Haig book to my wishlist.