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.

A heartwarming novel in the magical realism genre. It is partially epistolary as the narration is a series of letters between a teacher and a former student.

The action takes place in Ibiza and revolves around the magical powers bestowed by an alien underwater presence. The powers heal not just the body, but also the soul, with the narrator overcoming the grief and lack of pleasure she had arrived with.

A magical and unique book that whisks you away to a world of unknown's. I love Matt Haig's writing and tone, this book is a really great read! I didn't enjoy it as much as The Midnight Library but I still had a great time.

The narrative is in the form of a letter, so it feels very personal. Grace is replying to a cry for help from a former pupil who needs advice, and she gives much more than that, she had been struggling herself when she travels to Ibiza to a falling down house she has been bequeathed by a distant acquaintance. What she finds on that island both confuses and enlightens, and more than a little magic draws her to the sea and some very interesting characters. If you can get past the mathematical and scientific references (which drove me slightly mad I must admit) and open your mind to possibilities of far fetched mind games it is a very enjoyable read. I loved the chatty style of writing, and the “never say die”attitude of a heroine in her seventies.

You really can’t go wrong with a Matt Haig novel.
The Life Impossible is a perfect end-of-the-summer read set on Ibiza, with his signature otherworldly themes that dovetail beautifully with the lives of the normal people who populate his stories.
This one is just as enchanting and life-affirming as his other novels. If you’re a fan you won’t be disappointed, and if you haven’t read any of his work yet, this would be a great novel to start with.
Five gorgeous stars for Mr Haig’s latest, with thanks to NetGalley and Canongate for the chance to read an ARC.

I absolutely loved The Midnight Library so I was excited to read The Life Impossible. The setting being so close to where I live, and somewhere I’ve visited sounded perfect too.

However, although I loved the storyline and lots of aspects of the story, it just didn’t grip me in the way that the Midnight Library did. There are great conservation messages in it and I applaud Matt Haig for that. As a scuba diver myself in my younger days, I loved the spirit of Grace and her willingness to step right out of her comfort zone and try diving, although the sensibility of just having a bit of verbal instruction in the boat immediately before you dive at age 72, is probably not recommended! Also up and moving to Ibiza is pretty gutsy…………mind you, if someone left me a house somewhere out of the blue, I’d definitely take a trip to see what I’d been given too!!

There’s a lot to like in the book, but for me some of the ‘powers’ that Grace acquired were a step too far into the realms of fantasy. Half way through the book, I was longing for it to end and did what I rarely do, log on to see what others thought of the book………the reviews were so overwhelmingly positive that I felt I had to continue as I was sure that the best bits must still be to come but sadly for me, they just never really came.

The writing is good, but just too far into the realm of the supernatural/fantasy for me.

My thanks as always go to the author, the publishers and to NetGalley for an advanced e.reader copy of this book. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.

A true thought provoking novel- quite strange in places, but a great read. Grace goes to Ibiza where she has been left a house. She meets many challenges and particular happenings.

This was a book that really drew me in. Short snappy chapters lure you in. Plenty of comedy and sadness told from the point of view of a 70 something year old lady. Slightly unbelievable at times which made the story all the more magical. I loved reading it.