How to Stop Time

By: Matt Haig

Narrated by: Mark Meadows

Length: 10 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

"'The first rule is that you don't fall in love,' he said.... 'There are other rules too, but that is the main one. No falling in love. No staying in love. No daydreaming of love. If you stick to this you will just about be okay.'"

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

Tom Hazard 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.

So Tom moves back his to London, his old home, to become a high school history teacher - the perfect job for someone who has witnessed the city's history first hand. Better yet, a captivating French teacher at his school seems fascinated by him. But 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 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.

©2018 Matt Haig (P)2018 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Matt Haig’s latest book, How To Stop Time, is marvelous in every sense of the word. Clever, funny, poignant, and written with Haig’s trademark blend of crystalline prose and deft storytelling, this is a book that stirs the heart and mind in equal measure. A hugely enjoyable read.” (Deborah Harkness, author of The All Souls Trilogy)

"Inventive and heartfelt and unusual. . . . [How To Stop Time] made for a great summer read." (Kristin Hannah, New York Times best-selling author of The Nightingale)

"Mark Meadows is the expert narrator of this compelling audiobook.... Meadows does a fantastic job bringing to life all of the people Hazard interacts with over the centuries - from William Shakespeare to F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Captain Cook, and more." (AudioFile)

Lovely!

Lately I’ve been in the mood for books that make me think - this one did. It is an interesting, wandering story full of history. Flawless narrator. There’s a mystery in it but I mostly enjoyed the LONG life story of the main character back and forth over centuries. I’ve also listened to The Humans and The Midnight Library and was super impressed - will keep an eye out for more from Matt Haig.

Interesting story

Sometimes tedious going back and forth in time. You can’t pick up in the middle of chapter without getting somewhat annoyed. Like the cleverness of the story line.

Great read

I really enjoyed the story, a few times the narrator forgot to stop an accent but otherwise he did a great job at giving each character a voice. The historical aspect was a fun and interesting part of the story. Overall I think this is a wonderful story about making the most of your life and enjoying the moments.

Great

This was a imaginative and wonderful story. it was captivating and the narrator performed it beautifully.

Where was the climax?

I held on listening to this book because the narrator was very pleasant. The story, bouncing back and forth between centuries was hard enough to follow. But there was no climax. It was extremely dull.

very enjoyable departure

loved the narrator! i loved getting lost in this one. the mix of past and present almost bought the story into reality. a good read( listen)

This was an amazing book

This book really makes you think about the deeper issues of being present in a moment in time

Matt Haig is brilliant and this is his best book.

His way with metaphor, conceit and philosophical insight is impressive and poignant. His work makes me think and feel differently about my own life. Elegantly written and impeccable story structure.

The book was okay, jumped around

The concept was hard to believe. It was confusing with the time jumps back and forth. Since he couldn’t form deeper connections, it was hard to feel connected to the book as you would as you when you can read about characters being connected together and the relationship can deepen.

It’s a longer book, so if you can “stop time” and have time to read, this may be a good book for you. I listened in smaller bits, so that may a reason why it wasn’t a favorite of mine and you may enjoy it more?

Not terrible, not awesome. I'd give it a pass.

While it is an interesting concept, it seems that the author didn't want to explore the wider implications, nor even the ones specific to the characters. A large portion of the book is simply waxing philosophic with bunches of nostalgia/regret. Telegraphing loudly the importance of a storyline object seems to be the hallmark of a writer struggling to find their footing, and Matt Haig is no exception. I give it a 'meh'.