How to Stop Time by Matt Haig

When you go by recommendation of either other bloggers or a GoodReads list (or both as in this case),there are always chances that you will not be swept away as expected.This, was not one of those instances.I enjoyed the book with a depth that I missed out in the last few four star ratings that I have been doling out.A version of the premise of the book has been used previously in the movie ‘Age of Adaline’ and the TV series ‘Forever’ but stands out on its own.That is not because of the story but the way it is told and the focus of the telling.

Tom Hazard has a condition.It prevents him from ageing the same way as other normal people, averaging a nine hundred year life span.It is a lonely life fraught with stumbling blocks and danger. He is part of a society of people like him, but they keep him on a leash. He needs to find his daughter who has the same condition, and has been missing for centuries.The emotional toll that a life through the circle of time constantly brings is emphasized. The book moves between the crucial lives Tom has led and gives us a very vivid picture of what he is going through.The loneliness and the need to try and reach out to their compatriots is strong but the people around him will move on very quickly and it seems like a wasted effort. Thinking back as I write this review I am finding it hard to grasp a tangible reason I enjoyed the book so much, since the bland synopsis I trying to provide does not seem to be doing a good enough job. It is definitely worth a read(hopefully the direct statement makes it clearer).