This is a book I’ll be thinking about for a long time! Grace is left a house in Ibiza by a distant friend. But the house doesn’t just give her somewhere new to live, it also gives her the ability to see the world differently. The ability to appreciate what’s around her, the ability to act as a protector, and the opportunity to lay some ghosts to rest. This book will have you reflecting on your own life and seeing the world with a fresh set of eyes.
Dealing with the subjects of life, death and environmentalism. The book contains a magical realism. Beautifully poetic, emotional and will certainly give you a desire to visit Ibiza.

'What looks like magic is simply a part of life we don’t understand yet . . .'
Retired Maths teacher, Grace Winters, has been unexpectedly left a home in Ibiza by a woman she once worked with many years ago. A long-lost friend, but one she didn't know extremely well. She is compelled to go there and learn more about her friend and the island delivers more than Grace could possibly have ever expected.

This one was just so beautifully written with so many nuggets of wisdom and life lessons sprinkled throughout. Obviously the gorgeous landscape of Ibiza drew me in and the author knows how to create fabulous characters. It does delve into the magic/fantasy area and it was just so uplifting. Another wonderful novel by the author. 4.5*

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Canongate for this gifted review copy.

Such an unpredictable and thought provoking story which I read in a couple of sittings. Grace’s life takes a very unexpected turn when she is left a house in another country and she gathers her courage and changes her life completely. Fantasy mingles with the everyday as Grace negotiates her new life.
Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to review this book

Grace Winters , retired maths teacher, has been left a run-down house on a Mediterranean island a friend friend. She hasn't had contact with the friend for many years and has no idea of her life on the island.
She arrives in Ibiza but has no idea of what is in store for her.
She first needs to know how and why her friend died and then face her own past

Well, what an unusual book. Not the sort that I would normally read at all, but that is what I like about NetGalley - the chance to read different genres etc. I'm really not sure about this story - perhaps it was just too different for me? It just all felt quite 'abstract' and surreal to me. It painted some great views of Ibiza - somewhere I have never been but definitely would like to visit now. There were just a few fairly minor things that unfortunately really bothered me - it was said that Grace had money troubles and it only appeared that she inherited Christina's house, so how did she suddenly afford a flight to Ibiza and spending money when she was there? And from the descriptions of her life back in Lincoln where she did so little and had a very small world (and bearing in mind she is 72 years old!), how did she so easily use WhatsApp and her 10 year old laptop in a very basic house in Ibiza ? There were other inconsistencies like this that in all just spoilt it for me and didn't ring true.

Anyway, if you're into stories featuring the surreal and unexplained, you'll probably enjoy this. For me, it was not really what I was expecting, although I did want to see where it finished up.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review, which is (clearly!) what I have given.

Matt Haig is back with a cracker of a tale. Grace, a retired teacher who has suffered much bereavement, is sent on a mystery trip to Ibiza thanks to a long lost friend.
What happens to Grace on Ibiza is a life changing and affirming experience.
Grace starts on a detective mission, believing someone has harmed her friend, she finishes with a fantastic science fiction conclusion, a story that even Stephen King would be proud of.
Thank you very much to Canongate and Netgallery for the opportunity to read and review.

I don’t know quite what I expected but it wasn’t this. This is a fantastical story, quite a slow burn and a deep read with a lot of scientific and mathematical content. The story centres around widow Grace Winters a retired mathematics teacher. It opens with an email from a former pupil and Grace replying that she was going to tell him a story… What follows is a strange story, a very strange story indeed. Beautiful description encompasses you into the midst of island life and a compelling narrative hold you there.

Briefly, Grace helped a colleague many years ago and is shocked to find that she has died and left her a property in Ibiza. On the spur of the moment she buys a plane ticket and packs her bags. Arriving at her property she finds it run down and unattractive but she is an inquisitive woman and she wants to know what happened to her friend. A letter that was left for her adds to the intrigue. Her investigation leads her to an elderly diver and after tracking him down she agrees to go diving one evening with him as he tells her this will explain everything.

Although you need to suspend belief at the magical sci-fi elements of the story I believe this book is more about self-forgiveness and the power of friendship and doing what you believe is right. The ‘gifts’ from La Presencia are just a conduit for those it chooses. I really liked the crime element of the book albeit it was a relatively minor part of the whole. If nothing else this will make you think not just about yourself and living for the now, but the world around us and the harm us humans are doing to our environment. A deep and meaningful read.

It’s not going to be easy for me to articulate my feelings on this book. While I haven’t had any encounters with aliens (as far as I know) the fundamentals that are woven through it are very familiar to me. Being neurodiverse, with few edges, though I have been quite closed down in recent times, the experiences described I know and live. I don’t know everything about everyone, and I can’t smash lobster tanks or make people stick forks in their legs with my mind. But I am constantly part of the whole. I am nowhere and everywhere. The cacophony of others thoughts and feelings can be overwhelming. Quite possibly anyone who is reading this is now thinking me insane. But I am not, I’m just different. I am that whale. Though not lonely, because everything is always there. So I loved this book and all it stands for, because it speaks to my core, and I needed that to remind me it’s time to come back to life.
It’s well written and engaging. I’m giving it 5 stars for all the above. However, I do take issue with one aspect of it. Obviously Matt Haig has never been an older woman. But it shows, because while Grace evolves and reveals her complexities and depths, her apparent obsession with the disadvantages of being older, the endless mention of her age and her self imposed limitations detracted from the power of the book for me. She is described as a cliché, and that may have been the intention, but it jarred with me. I would have liked to have seen more nuance, less assumption, less focus on her age. It may be part of all of us, how many times we’ve been slung around the Sun, but it certainly doesn’t have to define or limit us. As of course the book proves.

Matt Haig writes books that I either adore or cannot finish. This one I finished and found delightful. The setup is a person at their wits end writing to their old maths teacher for guidance, and the teacher writing back. Though it's easy to forget whilst reading as the body of the book is the teacher's story, it only comes back to being a letter at the end.
There's a lot of mysticism in the book and looking at other reviews this aspect either attracts or repels readers. Personally I found the way it was written charming and engaging, though the Christina character frequently made me internally roll my eyes.

A delightful book which may make you think, or may have you rolling your eyes and putting it down, possibly both. Do give it a try.

A weird but wonderful read that takes it’s reader on what can only be described as a magical journey, as it follows the unbelievable life of it’s protagonist Grace, whose life is changed in the most unexpected of ways when she inherits a house in Ibiza. Unlike any book I’ve read before, The Life Impossible is wild, other-worldly yet intelligent and thought provoking, it’s a book best approached with an open mind and knowing very little - embrace the strange and enjoy the adventure, knowing you’re in good hands with Matt Haig. I really enjoyed it! 🏝️✨

Unfortunately I don’t think Haig’s books are for me! I really enjoyed this one at the beginning, and there were glimmers of enjoyment as it progressed, but overall I found the entire thing to be underwhelming and overwritten. The chapters were too short for me to fully get invested in the story and I found the whimsical elements too much for the novel.

I think this is a good book. It's quite trippy, which is not normally my cup of tea. However, I liked aspects of it and I'm intrigued by the author's other works now.

Thank you to the publisher, NetGalley and Matt Haig for this ARC. I just love Matt Haig’s books- each one is a treasure box ready to be opened and this one is no different. Magical, enthralling and sentimental all in the best ways. I loved this book and it will leave an imprint on me for years to come.

Published 29 August 2024. Having read and enjoyed The Midnight Library, I accepted this arc, the premise of which sounded fascinating and included a hint of magical realism. I wasn't disappointed. 72 year old Grace is a retired Maths teacher receives a letter from an ex-student who is struggling and she replies to him. but she doesn't just reply, she sends him her story. Grace's young son was killed in an accident many years ago and her husband has now died. Alone and eaten up with guilt, she wanders around her little bungalow in Lincoln aimlessly until one day she receives notification that she has been left a house in Ibiza by an ex-colleague, Christina - a woman that she barely knew but to whom she had once shown a kindness. Grace decides to go to Ibiza and once there, she encounters Alberto, a close friend of Christina's and he introduces her to a magical, other-worldly phenomenon which changes Graces perception of everything. Part magical realism, we are taken on Grace's journey to defeat a developer whose plans will have huge ecological impact. This a such an engaging read and at times there is real humour here as Grace finds her feet in Ibiza. It is also a novel that encourages us to take care of our world and others - to take joy in the little things that are around us everyday. Lovely read.

Maurice writes to his old maths teacher Grace as he is at a crossroads in his life. She writes back with her manuscript of a book she has written about her life after receiving an inheritance of a house in Ibiza. It follows the change in her life after her son died at a young age in an accident and she is now a widow aged 72 and decides to move to Ibiza and see what life brings.

Grace can’t understand why she has inherited the house as the owner, Christina, had not seen her for many years and they had not kept in touch. Over the course of the book we discover why and Grace has a life changing experience after a late night scuba dive, her first.

It’s a science fiction style book and not the sort of genre I normally read.

"The Life Impossible" is a deeply moving and thought-provoking read. Haig does not shy away from the harsh realities of life, yet he always finds a way to highlight the beauty and joy that coexist alongside pain. His writing is infused with a sense of optimism and a belief in the power of human connection and kindness. His ability to weave a narrative that is both deeply personal and universally relatable is a testament to his skill as a storyteller.

Having loved ‘The Midnight Library’, I was delighted to be given the opportunity to read an advanced copy of ‘The Life Impossible’, and it certainly lived up to expectations.
Grace, a 71 year old woman, inherits a house in Ibiza from someone she met years before. She decides to visit the island, taking along her own grief and woes, but soon begins a journey which leads her to magical places and wondrous events.
A truly beautiful story which I thoroughly enjoyed. Congratulations to Matt Haig on another magnificent read.

Matt Haig's books exude a sense of cosiness and wholesomeness that are akin to friendly hugs and soothing hot chocolate on a cold day, and The Life Impossible is no exception. Haig's writing is refreshingly honest, infused with quirky humour that makes for a delightful read.

We are introduced to Grace, a 72-year-old retired math teacher feeling adrift in the solitude of her retirement years, grappling with grief and loneliness. However, Grace's life takes an unexpected turn when she inherits a house on a Mediterranean island from Christina, an old colleague who she hasn’t seen in a very long time. This act of unexpected kindness sets Grace on a new adventure in Ibiza, the island where Haig himself resided in the '90s.

The novel is narrated from Grace's perspective as she writes it in response to an email received by Maurice, one of her ex Math students, who is also grieving and drowning in life struggles. Grace replies with her story, a sob story as she calls it, nevertheless a story filled with philosophical musings and profound insights. Much like in The Midnight Library, Haig infuses the narrative with magical realism, exploring themes of growing old, life, death, destiny, and choice, highlighting the inherent mysteries within each of us.

The book leaves a lasting impact, provoking introspection and stirring emotions while emphasising the importance of daily acts of compassion (towards oneself, nature and others). The Life Impossible is a beautifully crafted novel that radiates hope and positivity, urging readers to embrace love, forgiveness, and transformation. A reminder of the profound impact of simple acts of kindness.

The Life Impossible is a gorgeous feel good, hope-filled novel. Read it!

Many thanks to Netgaley and Cannongate for the ARC.

‘The Life Impossible’ by Matt Haig features Grace Winter a retired Maths teacher,who feels as if her life is over and she is trapped in a meaningless weekly routine.With the deaths of those she loved,she is existing alone with no relationships that really matter.Following the death of a friend Christina that she barely knew well and only briefly she is left a property on the Spanish island of Ibiza.Acting very much against her usual patterns of behaviour ,she takes a one way flight to Ibiza for ‘a change of scene’!
Initially Grace opts to take in all the tourist activities suggested for those visiting the island ,and then rather reluctantly decides she has to dig deeper into the unexplained background to her friend’s death.
There follows an interesting and unusual journey of an elderly lady who has given up on a worthwhile existence and takes a bold step into the unknown,where hope in the present remains possible.

I don't know what to make of this book. On the one hand, I found it very moving and at times inspiring, but on the other hand, I did have to question all the weird alien stuff. The story starts with Maurice writing to his former teacher. She responds with a manuscript that forms the basis of the novel. Her manuscript tells of her miserable life in Lincoln and how she moved to Ibiza and made a new start. So far so good. I enjoyed the first half of the book. The evolution of Grace's character is engaging. I loved the descriptions of Ibiza, it made me want to see the places mentioned.
The second half of the book was not so good. It became a bit farcical and the "baddie" was too much of a cliche. I wasn't sure whether I should be taking the story literally or whether I should view the events as symbolic or metaphorical.
It was an easy read with very short chapters and has certainly given me food for thought.