How to Stop Time | Matt Haig

Matt Haig has a new one out (The Midnight Train, which I haven't read yet) and that got me thinking, and talking with friends, about his earlier work. My friend Mary mentioned How to Stop Time and I was immediately intrigued. I just love books that play with the concept of time and this one did not disappoint.

It's pretty hard, as you age, to see you friends age in different ways, at different tempos, but how strange would it be to have that sensation happen over centuries, not years? Our main character Tom (the name he seems to use most often) has a very rare condition that causes him to age very, very slowly. So our friend Tom was born in 1581 and looks (in current days) in his early 40s. There's a mystery and a villain in the story (that I will not divulge), and love interests along the way. Haig does a great job building out Tom's character as he shares his story through the centuries. He did such a good job that the story is currently in production as a limited TV series, starring none other than the incredible Benedict Cumberbatch as Tom. Now that's an endorsement! And it's an invitation to read back into Haig's full portfolio.