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How to Stop Time

How to Stop Time

A Novel
FantasyLiterary Fiction
Pages
352
Published
2017
Language
English

Synopsis

Tom Hazard looks like a normal history teacher, but he's actually 408 years old. He has a rare condition that makes him age incredibly slowly, forcing him to constantly change his identity to survive. Having learned the hard way that love leads to pain, Tom avoids close relationships. But when he takes a job in a quiet English town, he finds himself drawn to the people around him, risking the secret he's guarded for centuries.

Prose complexity
7/10

Vibe

MelancholicReflectiveThought-ProvokingEmotional
Secret IdentityReluctant Hero

Genres

Fantasy Literary Fiction Time Travel Contemporary Literature Science Fiction

About the author

M
Matt Haig

Matt Haig is an English author and journalist born in Sheffield in 1975. He writes both fiction and non-fiction for adults and children, often in speculative fiction, exploring themes of mental health, mortality and what it means to be alive. His novels include The Midnight Library, The Humans, How to Stop Time and The Radleys; his memoir Reasons to Stay Alive was a number one Sunday Times bestseller. His work has been translated into more than fifty languages.

Characters

Tom HazardProtagonist
All characters in How to Stop Time

Frequently asked questions

  • Is How to Stop Time a standalone novel?

    This book tells a complete story with a satisfying resolution for the main character's journey, so it can be read as a standalone novel.

  • How does How to Stop Time compare to Matt Haig's other books?

    While it shares Matt Haig's characteristic blend of philosophical introspection and accessible storytelling, How to Stop Time leans more into historical fiction and a broader narrative scope than some of his more contemporary or overtly fantastical works.

  • Is there a film adaptation of How to Stop Time?

    A film adaptation of How to Stop Time has been announced, with Benedict Cumberbatch attached to star and produce.

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