What a masterpiece! This book truly deserves all the hype and award nominations it has been receiving! Sometimes middle grade plot lines can be pretty easy so it's nice to see a book with depth and alot of detail that keeps you engaged so that you can wrap your head around the world. Magical world building with a hidden message about doing what you can to save the world before things start to go extinct. It really opens up the imagination and I can't wait for book 2!

My grandson loves this. He had to read it for school, so I read it along with him. Very good. My grandson loves this. He had to read it for school, so I read it along with him. Very good.

"They say, if the glimourie isn't saved now, it never will be saveable. It's a concept you humans have always struggled to grasp: that time might run out."

Thank you to the publisher who sent me an eARC of this title many -- embarrassingly many -- moons ago. I've had my eye on this since its absolute juggernaut of a marketing campaign started hurling it at me every time I got on a tube, logged on to twitter, or entered a bookshop. Rundell is basically ol' faithful for publishers at this point, reliably drawing a dedicated audience whether she's writing middle grade or a hefty biography of John Donne (also infuriatingly excellent).

Impossible Creatures doesn't reinvent the fantasy adventure wheel, but it doesn't necessarily need to. Rundell's world is well-populated with magical creatures both familiar and obscure, bringing a fresh perspective to a world that feels, in many ways, as familiar as Earthsea. The great strength of Rundell's work is that it doesn't talk down to children, using challenging words and trusting them to get onboard with complex emotions. Impossible Creatures weaves in pertinent themes and topics such as climate change and divisive populist political rhetoric without feeling preachy or like it's constantly trying to blunt-force you with its messaging. Rundell is particularly skilled at showing how lonely standing against power can feel, yet how important it is to do so.

The main weakness of this book is the middle chunk which is almost entirely preoccupied with MacGuffin hunting, going from one island to the next to collect this golden branch, or that piece of wisdom, without a huge amount of character building happening in between. I would have liked more from Christopher's character, more understanding of his world. Still, I look forward to reading the sequel to this one later this year!

A truly wondrous story full of imagination, beauty, despair, and wonder. Impossible Creatures transports you into a magical and fantastical world where adventure and danger abound. Christopher finds the weight of responsibility as he joins forces with Mal and the two attempt to save the world and its creatures from darkness. The first in a brilliant trilogy, this book will be a modern classic and will rival the great fantasy series. I could not think of a better read for this magical time of year with my children. They adored this and cannot wait for the sequel. #impossiblecreatures #katherinerundell #netgalley

Throughout this fantastic book I was rating it a solid four stars, but by the end I had to bump it up to 5. I’ve not cried so much at a book since Song of Achilles. Katherine Rundell’s writing physically moved me to tears - it’s so rich and emotive. Sometimes with fantasy, it can be difficult to immerse yourself in the world (being too much of a realist!) but this drew me in - I could see our cast, I could feel their thoughts and fears. I’m genuinely blown away by this book.

It's official I am a big kid. I so loved this book. it so easily draws you in and I got lost within the pages. Can't whack a bit of magic to escape the day to day. I loved it and would highly recommend. I am 47 years old and can't stress enough how fab this book is. Read it. you must.

Perhaps not my favourite Katherine Randell story but a decent was all the same. Really felt the tension as the main characters battle their way through mythical creatures & settings. Would recommend to a wide range of children as covers several genres.

This book is amazing, loved every page of it.
Was transported straight back to childhood, had the same feeling as when reading Harry Potter and the hobbit for the first time.
Believe the hype it this book deserves it.

This was by far one of the best children's books I have read in a very long time and I will be selling this to anyone, not just kiddos - I am almost 33 and fell in love with it from the very first page.
I had never read any of Rundell's previous work, which was an error on my part that has since been rectified.
I am eagerly awaiting the follow-up with baited breath.

An easy 5 stars from me.

Gorgeous fantastical tale of high adventure. Some content does with death and loss, I would have a content advisory on this, but I loved the idea of a creature for each letter of the alphabet. Thanks for the reading copy.

Impossible Creatures is absolutely brilliant. A fantasy lovers heaven. Engaging, fun and filled with a variety different characters that you will not help but fall in love with. This is one of those timeless classics that transcend age and will delight every reader in some way.

Another amazing book that hooks the reader. Fntastic creature, great characters and is one you will not want to put down in a hurry. I can see this becoming a firm favourite in the school library.

Impossible Creatures has a huge buzz around it. It was Waterstones' 2023 book of the year and has drawn comparisons to Tolkien, Pullman, and Rowling. No pressure...

The novel follows two children who navigate a fantasy world fill of, you guessed it, impossible creatures such as dragons, unicorns, Griffin's and many more. The story is fast-paced and is genuinely a page-turner.

While I appreciate that the comparisons to the above fantasy writers are difficult to achieve, I feel that this book is too different to compare. Tolkien, Pullman and Rowling have thousands of pages to tell their stories, while Rundell does it in around 360. Therefore Impossible Creature is very plot heavy. I don't say this as a criticism; I enjoyed the adventure.

I liked this book. My younger self would have loved it. I'm looking forward to reading more from the author.

Many thanks to Katherine Rundell, NetGalley, and Bloomsbury Publishing for this copy.

Firstly I must question if I am qualified to write a review of this book as it is aimed at an audience considerably younger than me.
Katherine builds a marvellous fantasy world which grips the reader from the very start and like most books aimed at children is full of magic. It reminds me of the feeling I had as a child when I read ‘The Kickaway Shoes’ by Enid Blyton. There’s no similarity in the story but having read it I was hooked for life and have been an avid reader ever since.
‘Impossible Creatures’ has the potential to inspire another generation of readers.

There was no hanging about in this fast-paced adventure story. I was immediately drawn into Mal's world, and I enjoyed experiencing it through Christopher's fresh eyes. I thought the range of magical and mythical creatures described and encountered was fantastic, from the familiar sphinx to the not so familiar (to me) ratatoska. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the digital review copy.

As you would expect from Katherine Rundell this is a wonderfully immersive tale, filled with wonderfully written prose.

A truly engrossing, imaginative adventure.

Join Mal and Christopher as they set out on a most fearsome adventure to save the mythical creatures from the horror of their dying world. A story that will be adored by children and adults alike. A story that has depth and excitement and teaches us about the power of love and friendship.

I read this with my younger nephew and I’m not sure who enjoyed it more! A wonderful storyteller and a book I’d recommend for any age!

It starts like a Medieval bestiary and it turns in one of the most fascinating fantasy novel I read in 2023. I read Katherine Rundell's book about John Donne and it kept me enthralled telling the story of one of my favourite poets like it was an adventure story.
The same magic happened with this story. The magic of storytelling, great world building and well rounded characters
Loved it.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I absolutely loved this book which took me straight back to my childhood. Magic, mythical creatures, isolated landscapes, a quest and at the centre courageous children.