The longer you live, the more you realise that nothing is fixed. Everyone will become a refugee if they live long enough. Everyone would realise their nationality means little in the long run. Everyone would see their worldviews challenged and disproved. Everyone would realise that the thing that defines a human being is being a human.

Matt Haig’s How to Stop Time was a delight to read. I was listening it on Audible but I liked it so much that I’ve bought the paperback as well.

The story is about Tom Hazard, a nearly immortal man- a member of the secret Albartos (Alba)society. He is one born with a condition: anageria. He doesn’t age as quickly as we normal humans do. He knows people like him, and they have one thing in common, they live in secret. They keep moving and changing identities, to avoid being targeted, to stay hidden.

His mentor Heinrich is 900 years old, and this is his words:

We live long lives, Tom. We live long lives. Long and secret lives. We do whatever is necessary.

And he does exactly what’s necessary to do! He’ll do anything to stay hidden.

Tom lives an extremely long life. He looks 41 but he is 439 years old.

Alba members shouldn’t fall in love with humans, whom they refer as mayflies. But Tom loved once…He tries to settle his new life an identity, who knows what’s awaiting him?

I really recommend this book. It was very close to be a 5 starts. I only think Camille wasn’t necessary in Tom’s story. That’s the only thing I didn’t like in this book and as a result it’s going to be a 4 star!

This is a different book, but in a good way. Full of sentences and paragraphs you’d want to underline. I would definitely read Haig again- he knows how to write!

If you liked this book you might also like Anubis Gates by Tim Powers. Happy reading!