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The Life Impossible

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The Life Impossible

By: Matt Haig
Narrated by: Joanna Lumley, Jordan Stephens
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About this listen

 The remarkable new Sunday Times bestselling novel from the author of the international sensation The Midnight Library

‘A beautiful novel full of life-affirming wonder and imagination' BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH

'What looks like magic is simply a part of life we don’t understand yet . . .'

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.

Among the rugged hills and golden beaches of the Balearics Grace searches for answers about her friend’s life, and how it ended. What she uncovers is stranger than she could have dreamed. But to dive into this impossible truth, Grace must first come to terms with her past.

Filled with wonder and wild adventure, this is a story of hope and the life-changing power of a new beginning.©2024 Matt Haig (P)2024 Canongate Books Ltd Best of 2024 Editors Select Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Feel-Good Inspiring Thought-Provoking Heartfelt Funny

Critic reviews

Stunning. It's not only exquisitely written but has so much magic woven through it (Fearne Cotton)
Okay, folks, buckle up. Matt Haig, the wonder, is back (Lemn Sissay)
All stars
Most relevant
The midnight library by Matt Haigh is one of my favourite ever books, so when I read the synopsis for this I couldn’t wait to listen to it! However I’m really sad to say I was bored. The idea of this book is great, but I just couldn’t really get into it or care about it. I think it was just all a bit too far fetched for me to invest in. Although some of the sentiment was really lovely.

The narration is great and probably one of the reasons I listened to the end.

I really don’t want to give Matt Haig a bad review because I do think he’s brilliant… this one just wasn’t for me

A bit disappointed if I’m honest

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Honestly, a bit patchy... with awful narration. I realise that La Lumley is a national treasure and this might be sacrilegious, but she's not very good here. Her Ibizan/Spanish accent veers between Russian, Dutch and a black hatted baddie from a spaghetti western. Haig must've been thrilled to bag her for this (no doubt she was hugely expensive) but a much better choice would've been Olivia Coleman who is genuinely brilliant and doesn't rely on whispery poshness rather than acting prowess.
Still.
The book is well written, albeit no Midnight Library. Haig writes fiction much better than he does self help books, and this is probably worth a read if you're at a loose end.
Probably much better read than listened to though.

more magic realism from Matt

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This is a must listen for those who need hope, uplifting, believe in the magic of the world or simply love a good story. I believe in this story. I believe in the messages within this book. I believe that there are universal, sometime unprovable lessons that can be found here and that with an open mind and a willingness to change perspective you will infinitely gain from having listened or read this book. 🙏🏻❤️

An uplifting story weaved with hope and encouragement

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What a beautiful, interesting story!! I loved this just as much as matts other books. I love the science fiction aspect to his books as they all have a deeper meaning pulled from real life.
I always finish Matts books feeling amazing and looking at life with wonder..but a little sad I will miss the characters that I now love so much!!

Joanne Lumley is fantastic, just like this book!!!

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It had a feel good vibe and was a good story interwoven with the fight for the environment and some supernatural other worldly stuff. I enjoyed it a lot and the narration was great - the only reason I knocked a star off was that in some parts it got a bit too preachy which became annoying rather than motivating. But overall I would definitely recommend.

Uplifting

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