BOOK REVIEW: How To Stop Time
Book Review: How To Stop Time by Matthew Haig
★★★★★ (5 out of 5 stars)
One of my favorite literary topics is time travel—Kendra will tell you that I’m absolutely fascinated by the concepts of moving forward and backward through time, the butterfly effect, multiple realities, and timelines that diverge like branches on a tree. However, unlike the tired trope of "would you go back and kill baby Hitler," I find myself more drawn to imagining how the mundane details of life change over time. What did cities and landscapes look like centuries ago? What stories do the streets and buildings carry as silent witnesses to history? I am even drawn to the majesty of a large tree for the sole reason that it has weathered time and space.
Matt Haig’s How to Stop Time felt tailor-made for my time-travel musings. The narrative seamlessly alternates between the past and the present, taking readers on a journey that satisfies the curiosity of how specific places transform across time. It’s more than just a historical fiction—it’s a window into the evolution of ordinary places through extraordinary lenses.
The storyline itself is captivating, packed with emotional depth and tension that literally kept me turning the pages. If you really know me, you will know that and undiagnosed case of dyslexia has caused me to believe that I’m not a great reader (and truthfully, I’m very slow). In this case, I could not put the book down.
So, without spoiling any major twists, one of the unexpected and thought-provoking elements was Haig’s exploration of how modern technology—specifically photographs and video—creates unique challenges for time travelers trying to stay inconspicuous. It’s an angle I hadn’t considered before, but it makes perfect sense in a world obsessed with digital permanence that staying undetected would only become more difficult.
For anyone who loves history, time travel, and stories that weave poignant reflections into thrilling narratives, this book is a must-read. Five out of five stars—Haig truly delivers a literary time capsule.
Quietly making noise,
Fletch
