Hello again.
I enjoyed How To Stop Time immensely. Matt Haig is a good writer, not an enlightening statement considering this forum ....but I had to say it.
The character Tom goes through many lifetimes, as he suffers a condition that prevents him from aging like rest of us. Remarkably he's not one of a kind as he learns when a "recruiter" of sorts insists that he join their secret society or suffer the consequence of refusing.
Like the other members he becomes subjected to the will of the head of the society which forces him to live a somewhat isolated and stressful existence going from "life to life" for his and their protection.
Prior to being inducted into the society he married and lost a wife and fathered a daughter. She also inherited the same condition and went into hiding so her whereabouts are unknown.
This book had so many layers of contemplation. I won't go into all of them but will share one or two of the most significant for me.
While Tom is forced to struggle with a specific philosophy and/or existence of isolation he physically suffers severe chronic headaches associated with memories of former lives. When his lifestyle changes the headaches diminish. I wonder whether the conflict within of overwhelming joy, love and guilt of the events that took had taken place was too much and the "outlet/release" resulted in the headaches.
Would he have suffered the pain and headaches had he been able to enjoy the memories and life rather than being oppressed and constrained to live in isolation? Probably the point, because he ends up living a life of his choosing and the headaches are lessened considerably.
Additionally, the contradictory viewpoints of living between Hendrich and Omai are wonderful. I loved the complete opposite definitions of "living". They each displayed definitions of what it really means to love oneself.
Hendrich's was to satisfy his own selfish existence whereas Omai's desires were satisfied by living and loving those around him to the full. O's outlook was hopeful, optimistic. H's way of forcing others to his process of thinking and living was just plain toxic and he got his in the end.
I did have one question about a character I thought for sure would have showed up with H at the end. Agnes. She seemed to admire and respect H so much, why wasn't she with him on the final climatic journey? I understand traveling together wasn't wise however was H so paranoid and secretive that he didn't inform her of his plans? And what about other members, when Tom chooses to reveal, is there a danger of retribution?
Regardless, I absolutely LOVED LOVED LOVED the final 'moral lesson", if you will, that the future is something that should be seen as good, bright and hopeful. Not something to be dreaded no matter how much time given.
Even in our current state of history repeating itself again, one can find good if one searches hard and long enough for it.
Call me naive but that's what I want to believe and hope for.
3. Just the facts, Ma’am: The Daniel Prayer by Anne Graham Lotz. Currently Reading
9. Coming to a theater near you: Wonder by R.J. Palacio
12. What everyone else was reading: Any book from a significant year in your life on the New York Times Best Seller List The Sum of All Fears by Tom Clancy
13. Out of Time: How To Stop Time by Matt Haig. DONE
15. Halcyon days: Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams DONE
16. Lol random: The Black Dwarf by Sir Walter Scott
24. Continuing on: Shadow Knights by Jennifer Anne Davis DONE
28. Alma mater matters: I DO I DO by Ellie Cahill. DONE
30. Succinct: Hyperspace by Michio Kaku.
35. Namesakes: Silas Marner by George Elliot Currently Reading
37. I spy: Any Means Necessary by Jack Mars.
41. Armchair voyages: Don Quixote by Cervantes.
I enjoyed How To Stop Time immensely. Matt Haig is a good writer, not an enlightening statement considering this forum ....but I had to say it.
The character Tom goes through many lifetimes, as he suffers a condition that prevents him from aging like rest of us. Remarkably he's not one of a kind as he learns when a "recruiter" of sorts insists that he join their secret society or suffer the consequence of refusing.
Like the other members he becomes subjected to the will of the head of the society which forces him to live a somewhat isolated and stressful existence going from "life to life" for his and their protection.
Prior to being inducted into the society he married and lost a wife and fathered a daughter. She also inherited the same condition and went into hiding so her whereabouts are unknown.
This book had so many layers of contemplation. I won't go into all of them but will share one or two of the most significant for me.
While Tom is forced to struggle with a specific philosophy and/or existence of isolation he physically suffers severe chronic headaches associated with memories of former lives. When his lifestyle changes the headaches diminish. I wonder whether the conflict within of overwhelming joy, love and guilt of the events that took had taken place was too much and the "outlet/release" resulted in the headaches.
Would he have suffered the pain and headaches had he been able to enjoy the memories and life rather than being oppressed and constrained to live in isolation? Probably the point, because he ends up living a life of his choosing and the headaches are lessened considerably.
Additionally, the contradictory viewpoints of living between Hendrich and Omai are wonderful. I loved the complete opposite definitions of "living". They each displayed definitions of what it really means to love oneself.
Hendrich's was to satisfy his own selfish existence whereas Omai's desires were satisfied by living and loving those around him to the full. O's outlook was hopeful, optimistic. H's way of forcing others to his process of thinking and living was just plain toxic and he got his in the end.
I did have one question about a character I thought for sure would have showed up with H at the end. Agnes. She seemed to admire and respect H so much, why wasn't she with him on the final climatic journey? I understand traveling together wasn't wise however was H so paranoid and secretive that he didn't inform her of his plans? And what about other members, when Tom chooses to reveal, is there a danger of retribution?
Regardless, I absolutely LOVED LOVED LOVED the final 'moral lesson", if you will, that the future is something that should be seen as good, bright and hopeful. Not something to be dreaded no matter how much time given.
Even in our current state of history repeating itself again, one can find good if one searches hard and long enough for it.
Call me naive but that's what I want to believe and hope for.
3. Just the facts, Ma’am: The Daniel Prayer by Anne Graham Lotz. Currently Reading
9. Coming to a theater near you: Wonder by R.J. Palacio
12. What everyone else was reading: Any book from a significant year in your life on the New York Times Best Seller List The Sum of All Fears by Tom Clancy
13. Out of Time: How To Stop Time by Matt Haig. DONE
15. Halcyon days: Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams DONE
16. Lol random: The Black Dwarf by Sir Walter Scott
24. Continuing on: Shadow Knights by Jennifer Anne Davis DONE
28. Alma mater matters: I DO I DO by Ellie Cahill. DONE
30. Succinct: Hyperspace by Michio Kaku.
35. Namesakes: Silas Marner by George Elliot Currently Reading
37. I spy: Any Means Necessary by Jack Mars.
41. Armchair voyages: Don Quixote by Cervantes.