This is a really life affirming read. It is sad in places touching on grief but it is also about embracing life and not letting it pass you by.

Retired teacher, Grace Winters, is left a cottage in Ibiza by an old friend and decides to make the trip to discover how her friend died.
I really wanted to like this book but it was overly didactic and saccharine sweet. It is full of sentimental whimsy and ‘be kind’ platitudes and I could not connect with it. It also has a fantastical element, and although I love this in Murakami’s writing, I didn’t think it worked here. I did not enjoy The Midnight Library either, so maybe the author just isn’t for me.
If you are a fan of the author’s previous works you may love this - it just didn’t work for me.

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

When Grace receives a letter from an ex-student, Maurice, which mentions grief and an uncertainty in life, Grace decides to share her story with Maurice, and in doing so we get the magical story which is The Life Impossible.
Grace is struggling with life, she feels pleasure in nothing and is still grieving the loss of of her son Daniel, and the more recent loss of her husband and dog. When she receives a letter from a solicitor letting her know that she's been left a house in Ibiza by Christina, a woman she showed kindness to many decades before, she doesn't quite believe it. Surely is must be some kind of scam? But it turns out to be true and so Grace journeys to Ibiza to see this house. Once there she can't help but begin to investigate the mysterious circumstances surrounding Christina's death. Her search leads her around the island, to hippie markets, grocery stores and to Alberto, a diving instructor who had a connection with Christina. Grace simply thought she could take a holiday, but Christina and the island seem to have other ideas... What follows is the perfect blend of magic and reality, leading Grace past the certain and into a whole new understanding of her life and the world she lives in.


There's something about Matt Haig's writing that is almost rhythmic, for me when I pick up one of his books I find myself lost in the story almost instantly and don't realise that time is passing. I felt it with his non-fiction book Reasons to Stay Alive with The Midnight Library but strongest with this book. Once I was a few pages in it was as if I was being lulled into the story, with the sensation that I was almost being read to rather than doing the reading myself. There's also a gorgeous summery setting, and reading this in the August heat was the perfect combination. It lost itself a little in the last third in my opinion, but it's a lovely heartwarming book all about being present and grateful. A message I think a lot of people could benefit from.

A lovely book and one that I highly recommend if you're feeling a little lost in life.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Canongate Books for the eARC.

Matt Haig’s latest novel is like a sun-soaked escape with a twist of mystery and magic. When Grace Winters, a retired math teacher, inherits an old house on a Mediterranean island, she throws caution to the wind and heads to Ibiza. What begins as a simple quest for answers turns into an adventure filled with unexpected wonders and life-changing discoveries.

This book feels like a self-help guide wrapped in a heartwarming story, reminding us to embrace our flaws, forgive ourselves, and find beauty in the everyday. It's a charming mix of adventure, introspection, and a touch of the fantastical that leaves you feeling uplifted. Perfect for anyone in need of a little life-affirming magic!

Thank you NetGalley and Canongate for a Review Copy

This is a five-star read that will stay with you, honestly there was something about this story that encapsulated me, this is an odd story, and one that will leave you wondering in places until the full story unfolds and then you will have a sudden realisation, and the story unfolds in your mind like a flower. That’s the thing about this story, its not a standard plot or standard characters like we normally come across, its so much more. I don’t want to go into the story, as I will not do it justice, as the quality of the writing is just so beautiful. If you haven’t read this author before then please do, they have a unique voice that must be heard.

Life affirming, funny, moving, Haig does it again with a thought provoking tale of magical realism that urges us to value and look after every living creature and to live life to the full. I laughed out loud in parts and was genuinely moved in others. It's rather beautiful.

This is Matt Haig's latest delightfully captivating novel, it is joyous and stylishly written, profoundly moving, thought provoking, as it highlights what it is to live, with its magical realism that causes the inner spirits to soar. The characters are sharply drawn and engage, and with its themes of humanity, ecology, kindness, and forgiveness, it resonates, evoking empathy and love, whilst the glorious Mediterranean island location of Ibiza is inspired and atmospheric rich descriptions convey its tempting beauty. Grace Winters is a retired mathematics teacher in her seventies, despairingly whiling away her days, burdened by trauma, regrets, guilt, and grief, barely living a life.

In this exquisite story, Grace gets a surprise, an old friend she had not been in contact with, Christina, leaves her a remarkable gift and mystery. She has been a left a house on Ibiza, offering the opportunity to move to the Spanish island. Being pushed reluctantly out of the darkness of her current life turns out to be a transformative experience, Grace travels to Ibiza, determined to find out precisely what happened to her old friend, needing to know. The narrative goes on to impossible territories, and illustrates how you are never too old to climb out of existing ruts, work through emotionally difficult issues by gaining new and renewing perspectives. It demonstrates how everything is interconnected, life is for living, and the need for us to soak in the life enriching power of nature.

Haig is a wonderful writer, whenever a new book of his comes out, I want to read it. I have no doubt that this will be a success on publication simply because it is likely to appeal to a wide range of readers with its subject matter and characters, how it deals with complexities of life and essential themes that have the power to enthrall. A fabulous read that I highly recommend. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

A very enjoyable book and not what I expected.

It took a while to get in to but so worth it to keep reading through.

Grace Winter is a retired maths teacher now in her seventies. Living now full of regret as her husband recently passed away and the tragedy that took place and her boy little boy son was killed.
She has bequeathed a property in Ibiza from a woman that she hasn’t seen in a very long time. But only remembers that she did a good turn of a woman colleague and gave her a St Christopher necklace many years ago. The woman has now disappeared in mysterious circumstances.
Grace’s curiosity gets the better of her and she flies out to Ibiza. To find out where Christina has gone. Whilst there her life changes, she go scuba diving with an instructor called Alberto and emerges a new woman and magical powers not only to change herself but also to help the people in surrounding land that is destined for redevelopment.
This is another brilliant and beautifully written book from the author Matt Haig. The author always thinks outside the box with his unique, thought-provoking storylines that you always get fully immersed in. I read this in a couple of days and will resonate with me for some time. 5 stars from me.

I absolutely loved Midnight Library and a couple of Matt's non fiction books so I was excited to read his latest novel. The Life Impossible is set in Ibiza where 72-year-old Grace Winters had inherited a ramshackle house from an old friend. Strange things happen and everything she thought she believed is questioned. This was a magical story and I love the style of writing. Short chapters with interesting titles are great and I flew through it in a few days. The Life Impossible had some beautiful messages and, whilst heart-breaking in places, left me feeling very positive. A lovely summers read.

When retired Maths teacher Grace Winters is left a run-down house on a Mediterranean island by a long-lost friend, curiosity gets the better of her. She arrives in Ibiza with a one-way ticket, no guidebook and no plan.

I’m not sure what to make of this book. It’s my first read of this author. I found it well written but it was heavy going to the point of being boring. Sadly, it just didn’t work for me which could be my fault. A case of wrong book at the wrong time.

Suspend belief and enjoy. Grace, in her seventies, discovers she has been left a little house in Ibiza. Having no family left, she decides to move there. The story rips along as strange events unfold. She has been chosen to live in Ibiza for a reason. As a mathematician, she likes order and discipline but instead finds she has a special gift. A quirky book with great characters, especially piratical Alberto.

A speculative novel that a slightly different from the authors previous novels. I found it a difficult, over written read. The elements of conservation and bereavement were well thought and executed. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

Battered by message, a kind of ‘Celestine Prophecy’ type self-help mash-up

Unfortunately this was probably a case of the novel finding the wrong reader. It reminded me, in its earnestness of the aforementioned.

I have no argument with the writer’s themes, but this was quite a slog as the ‘be kind, respect the planet, live each moment and think positive’ wrapped up in a kind of feel-good magical thinking meets thriller-who-is-the-bad-guy-perverting-the-forces-of-sentient-light just didn’t gel for me. Far too much telling.

I was disappointed with this Matt Haig book. Having read a couple by him, including the midnight library which I thought was fantastic, I was really looking forward to this. However, to me, his journey into the paranormal stretched the limits of credibility without it becoming as speculative as other books he has written. There is a really important point to make though, that we have a duty to protect those life forms and ecosystems that are endangered by our human activity. So to me, it was still a valuable read

Superb - I am not sure how Matt does it but his books are all so very different and yet equally brilliant and The Life Impossible continues that incredible achievement. The story is fresh, unique and utterly mind-blowing, More please.

This was quite a beautiful read in a way, Haig masters the art of emotions and feelings in this book... it is unique and very different but also opens doors to the possibility of what if and wonder. The book is full of emotion and empathy, about being in the present and living for what we have.
A fantastical book five stars and a recommendation from me

Grace Winters, a 72 year old retired maths teacher is sad, lonely and consumed by events from her past. Her husband has recently died and she has never got over the tragic death of her 11 year old son many years ago.
Out of the blue she receives a letter, telling her she’s been bequeathed a house in Ibiza from an old friend. On impulse, she hops on a plane and thus begins a magical journey to save the Island and heal herself.
Funny, sad and mystical, this was a beautiful story about overcoming grief, forgiving yourself and learning to live again.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An absolute page turner from Matt Haig. Thanks to NetGalley and Canongate for the chance to read this one. A book that is written superbly, thought provoking, and an emotional ride.