Whenever I see someone reading a book, I feel civilisation has become a little safer.
How To Stop Time
by Matt Haig
Genre: Historical Fantasy
About: Estienne Thomas Ambroise Christophe Hazard isn't from the twenty-first century. Or the twentieth. Try a bit further back, and then some. And although he's modernised these days to a Tom Hazard, he isn't trying to fit into the crowd, he's trying to get lost in it.
The Good
This is one of those heartfelt books where you feel the author on the page. Matt Haig has spoken about his mental health struggles and his characters bleed out these same vulnerabilities which gives his writing an intimate feel.
Paradoxically, the quick-fire chapters and writing style also make this an 'easy read'. One you can take on holiday (when travel becomes a thing again) and enjoy the sense of hope and mindfulness that is at the novel's centre.
The Bad
The secret society aspect didn't really suit the novel. Yes, it created an antagonist (and led to a very bizarre and overly dramatic confrontation at the end) but to me seemed always at odds with Tom and his unassuming ways.
The Somewhat Iffy
The travel through historical events/meeting of historical figures is pretty fanciful. I did like how alive history felt when juxtaposed to Tom's present in the changing of buildings, technology and industries, but I could have done without William Shakespeare or F. Scott Fitzgerald happening upon our main character, as though a magnet to the stars of the time.
Overall
I liked the messaging of the novel and found the character's journey through his different lives interesting, but it is quite similar to The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August. The plot didn't feel unique enough and the conflict didn't grab me so it read as more of a philosophical read.
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