Was a slow read. I liked the premise and the idea of the story.

Like the Time Traveller's Wife, the reader needs to concentrate, but an amazing book. Tom is old - a few hundred years. He views this as a curse, not a blessing. After seeing his Mother suffer because of his condition, Tom eventually discovers he is not alone and is grateful to the grand master of the society. But is he being manipulated? Tom has an awful lot of lifetimes to meet friends (and enemies), and he learns that he needs to trust these real friends even if it means surrendering some of his deep secrets.

What a brilliant and original book. Really captures what humanity is about, I love the timescales jumping back in time and then back to current time, just fascinating book and really would recommend!

Who wants to live forever?

I love a good time travel book, and although I realise this technically isn't one - it does feature the same character in several different time periods; kind of like Highlander, but without the sword fights and decapitations.

I enjoyed reading this book, although I have to say I thought the ending changed the pace too much compared to the rest of the story - the story flowing nicely at a leisurely pace, when ALL OF A SUDDEN WE ALL DIED WITHOUT WARNING!!!! (Spoiler: that doesn't happen). I felt as though the story could have gone on longer, with more to tell from the different periods of time, and would have happily read a second book had it needed one.

The ending aside - which wasn't bad, just quick - I did enjoy the book very much; the characters are easy to like, and the book is written in a style that keeps you intrigued and entertained. Go read this for yourself.

At a time when it seems that every subject which could be written about has been, when every concept seems to have been explored, Matt Haig cones up with this. Tom Hazard is 439 years old; he doesn't age and is condemned to live on as friends and family out-age him and he endures centuries of wars, inventions, and discoveries.

The freedom this subject matter could allow an author doesn't turn Haig's head, and - apart from one or two brushes with famous historical characters - he resists the temptation to make Tom's journey too fantastical. It is a human story, despite the science-fiction base, and provides a well written tale, sympathetic and believable characters in a rounded and well thought out plot

I enjoyed this much more than I thought I might and it well deserved my 5 stars.

I give this a 5*

How would you feel if you lived longer than anyone else ? Not just a few years older, but, centuries older. This is what has happened to Tom Hazard. He has a genetic condition that causes him to age slower than most people. He is over 400 years old yet looks 41. He has only loved one person in his life, apart from his mother, and that is Rose.

This story follows Tom as he re-lives, through flashbacks and memories, his childhood, growing up and falling in love with Rose, his hunt for the elusive Marion, his role within a secret society up to present day. We soon learn that Tom is not alone with this condition, there are several others and some older than Tom.

Tom has lived through wars, the plague, loss, betrayal and new beginnings many times. He is not allowed to fall in love, that is the number one rule the secret society has placed on him. He is not allowed to make his condition known, another rule. While he is with the society they will protect him, they will help him start a new life, in a different place. He starts a new life often because as people around him age, it would become suspicious if he didn't.

This is a great book that makes you think about not taking time for granted. There are several things I have taken from this book. It is a book that makes you think. The characters have been well written, and the main story line, I think, is a great idea. So many times when we are given centuries old persons, they are then linked with vampires and the like. This story is so far away from that type of plot, it makes it a refreshing read. I would recommend this book to readers of historical as well general fiction.

Time is what you make of it. You cannot live in the past, though you can learn from it. Once you realise time is what it is and that you have no control over it, then it no longer rules you. The future is what you make it.

Book supplied by Netgalley for an honest review.

I’ve read a few books recently where the tone or the style changes partway through, and typically when this happens, those changes aren’t for the better. Matt Haig’s How To Stop Time falls into this category.

The first two-thirds were excellent. The story, a historical romance with a science-fiction twist, was written so perfectly that everything was credible. The writing was crisp, the dialogue natural and the themes thought provoking. The historical sections were beautiful, little details made those eras come alive. Very few books have made me well-up, a notable other is a good comparison for this novel - Audrey Niffenegger’s Time Traveller’s Wife, one of my favourite books. Both deal with time, and both deal with far-fetched themes, but the writing in both is so good and so well delivered, that only the hard-hearted would shine a light on their faults.

The only trouble with How To Stop Time is that the final third appears rushed. The buildup was slow and masterful, hooks were placed and characters formed, but the climax didn’t fit the rest of the story. I felt like I was reading the screen adaption of the book, where details are omitted for brevity, where loose-ends are tolerated because limited screen time requires tidy endings, and where characters behave in different ways. This is a shame, since with a bit more planning and care, with the finesse shown in the first part, this could’ve been a classic on the scale of the Time Traveller’s Wife.

Because of the weak ending, this doesn’t deserve a 5/5 rating, though it deserves better than a 4. So 4.5, and I’m generous and always round up!

I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book. It tickled my interest at the London Book Fair and I wasn't disappointed. It is a fast-paced, well researched and well-written novel which is unlike anything I have ever read before. I think it will make a fantastic movie - having been optioned by Benedict Cumberbatch's production company at LBF - I read it in only a few seconds and was really gripped. The ending was weaker in my opinion and it felt fairly rushed and confused at points. With the big pull of the character being finding a particular person I felt the revelation was almost written in. But I did still really enjoy it!

How to Stop Time is the latest novel from Matt Haig, bestselling author of Humans and The Boy Who Saved Christmas.

It tells the story of Tom Hazard, whose life is the very opposite of the saying, ‘we’re here for a good time, not a long time’. Tom has been around for a long time, centuries in fact, and mostly, he hasn’t had a very good time. A rare condition means Tom ages dramatically slower than most humans, which isn’t as great as it initially sounds. For him, time is not a gift, it’s a dangerous burden.

From playing the lute for Shakespeare to setting sail on the high seas with Captain Cook, Tom has lived a million lives in his lifetime. Controlled by a secret, sinister society which claims to protect those with the condition, Tom is given a new identity and made to start a new life every eight years in order avoid suspicion.

Falling in love can be a risky business, but in Tom’s case, it can be fatal. Warned by the society not to disclose his secret and still heartbroken from death of the love of his life 400 years ago, Tom is unable to get close to anyone, and is lonely and deeply unhappy. It is only his determination to find his daughter, who he was separated from centuries ago, which keeps him going.

In his latest guise, Tom has become history teacher in a London secondary school, where he meets Camille, a free spirit who slowly encourages him not to fear the future.

A real masterpiece from Haig, How to Stop Time is funny and thought-provoking. It is a captivating cocktail of history, science and the supernatural, exploring the complex nature of humans. Haig’s characters and settings are beautifully defined and his insight into human emotion is heart-rending.

It explores themes of loss, love and pain, highlighting how, as humans, we torture ourselves with the past, letting it define our future. Haig’s message is clear – letting go can set you free.

So good is the premise that the film rights have been snapped up by Benedict Cumberbatch’s production company, with him rumoured to star in the film adaptation.

How to Save Time is one of those stories that stays with you long after you have finished reading. Deeply moving, witty and utterly compelling - a must-read.

Clare

Matt Haig is such a joy to read. Anyone that loved humans will just adore "how to stop time"

I discovered Matt through Reasons to stay alive.... and his voice, his warmth, his ideas, his beliefs shine through in all his fiction.

A tale of what it means to be human, what it means to be alive, and how a life with love is the answer, it's always the answer.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were so real and I could really appreciate the problems that might come with living so long. A small niggle was where Hendrich got his funding from but that was a side issue as was the existence of the Institute in Berlin. There was a satisfying ending however.

Tom is old - not just a little bit old, but hundreds of years old - and yet he looks as if he is in his forties. He is working as a History teacher which is pretty easy for him as he has actually lived through the events he tells his students about. Matt Haig's writing is as beautifully contemplative as in his previous books. The story is full of introspection, love and fear of exposure and I enjoyed every minute of reading it. It's quite a gentle book in some ways and left me wanting to hug my family and enjoy every minute I get to spend with them.

I've been a fan of Matt Haig's writing for a while now, The Radleys was the first Matt Haig book I read and I eagerly went on from there. So when I saw this one I knew I had to read it. It didn't disappoint.
Once again Matt Haig has written a touching, thought provoking and above all enjoyable story that touches on what it means to human, with a slight twist. Tom is a great character and I was sad to reach the end of the book.

Tom Hazard doesn’t age. Or rather, he ages very slowly. Born in the middle ages, his mother is suspected of witchcraft to keep her son young forever. But rather than magic, it’s a condition – the opposite to Progeria, the rapid-aging disease.
Sounds great, doesn’t it? Having all the time in the world to do whatever you want. Time is a commodity that becomes more precious with every day we live, with every day we’re moving closer to death. And surely Tom makes use of that. He is well-travelled, and he is a master of countless musical instruments, a skill that, at some point, earns him a job alongside Shakespeare himself.

But there is a downside to his existence. Be it the ages of witch hunts and superstition or the ages of science and experimentation, Tom needs to keep a low profile at all times to remain safe. He is forced to move on and start a new life every few years to evade suspicions; the weight of life, of more life experience humans are meant to carry weighs him down. And worse, he is condemned to outlive everyone he loves. Falling in love can have fatal consequences, something he is warned against and yet cannot avoid. Unable to retain closeness to other human beings leaves him desperately lonely and empty. Only the drive to find his lost daughter, struck with the same condition, keeps him going and searching for her through the continents and centuries. Until a secret society offers him help… which, however, comes at a price that might be too high.

And here I pause, trying to put into words how much this book has touched me. What can I say – I adore Matt Haig anyway, but he has completely outdone himself. How to Stop Time is MAGNIFICENT. Easily his best novel so far, and definitely one of the best books of the year!
It’s not just an amazing premise and story in itself, it’s also deeply philosophical. Matt Haig, like no other, puts his finger on the human condition and wraps it in a tale you’ll be unable to forget. It’s about the burdens of humanity and of being human, and of too much of it. It’s about history going in cycles, and the futility of existence and yet finding meaning in it all; about the imprisonment of love and the impossibility of retaining it, yet having only fleeting meaning without it. I found myself highlighting passages because they struck me as utterly profound or resonated with me so much I felt myself hum like a tuning fork. Haig writes it so well you can easily believe his protagonist has lived for centuries, because Tom Hazard is so complex, yet so simple, his character shaped by having to bear the cross of several lifetimes, and his wisdom and insight into human nature is practically uncanny.

If you read only one book this year, make it this one. Hermann Hesse has found a new rival.

Wonderfully thought provoking, a book that feels as though it is written for you. Another job well done Matt Haig, I feel this is a book that will definitely be reading again.

I really enjoy novels that are a little different to the norm and this one did not disappoint. As someone who has suffered from anxiety/depression I felt that Matt was bringing some of the existential/meaning of life worries that I have thought about to light. Very thought provoking about how sad life is if you are unable to let yourself interact with and love others.

I really enjoyed reading this book - it so beautifully written and the jumps through history were seamless and totally fascinating. Enchanting.

I wasn't sure if I'd like this book, as I'm not one normally to go for things like time travel. But this isn't a fantasy book, if you allow for the protagonist being able to age very, very slowly - a device the novel hangs on. And I did enjoy it. What I liked best was how it through the likeable protagonist brought to life so many different periods of time, from modern-day London to Shakespeare's Globe and lots in between.

If like me you're not one for science fiction, don't be put off by the thought of time travel to keep you from reading this book. I'll recommend it to my local book club as it's one for discussion.

Quirky, atmospheric, original. An ongoing history lesson..

I absolutely loved this novel which will stay with me a long time. So beautifully written and atmospheric. I lived every moment of Tom's journey through life and didn't want it to end.

Thank you Matt Haig for bringing history to life for me.