The astonishing, beautiful new story for all readers of 10 and over from the betselling, Costa Prize-shortlisted author of the former Waterstones Children's Book of the Month Time Travelling with a Hamster,.

There are stories about people who want to live forever.

This is not one of those stories.

This is a story about someone who wants to stop...

Alfie Monk is like any other nearly teenage boy - except he's 1,000 years old and can remember the last Viking invasion of England.

Obviously no one believes him.

So when everything Alfie knows and loves is destroyed in a fire, and the modern world comes crashing in, Alfie embarks on a mission to find friendship, acceptance, and a different way to live...

... which means finding a way to make sure he will eventually die.