How to Stop Time

by Matt Haig

𝙄 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙥 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚

𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙮 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙥𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙧𝙪𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙞𝙩.

SYNOPSIS

Back in London after lifetimes adrift, Tom Hazard returns to his hometown as a history teacher—for who’d be a better fit for the role than a man who has seen history itself, a man who has been alive for centuries due to a rare medical condition.

Tom has survived the lonesome years of solitary, abiding strictly by the one rule of the Albatross Society—an underground organization with the same conditioned people—to never fall in love. However, when present events collide with his past memories, Tom must make his own decision—to turn away again, or face the inevitable loss that comes with living.

REVIEW

Matt Haig surely has a way of incorporating psychological discussions of life into fiction.

There wasn’t really a plot to begin with, but I was fine with that, I wanted to see how Tom developed throughout the years of near-immortality & solitude, but as it happens, there were none until the last few pages which then felt rushed. At some point I was wondering whether I was reading about a 3-year-old toddler, masquerading as a centuries-old-man, who THEN was masquerading as a 41-year-old history teacher. He never questioned the authenticity of those in his life nor take individual action in accomplishing what he should’ve most desired. He just drifted around & waited for orders to be given, which was so frustrating to me.

However I disliked him, Tom accurately reflects how people may subconsciously choose to live in reality—avoiding commitment in fear of pain, wandering without giving the destination a thought, following orders & never stopping to question the motive—the only difference lies in the fact that Tom had eternity to right his wrongs, but do we?

If you’re looking for a simple read that makes you reflect your choices & attitude towards life, this is the book for you ♡