The Life Impossible is a 2024 book release from writer Matt Haig, author for both children and adults. His memoir Reasons to Stay Alive was a number one bestseller, staying in the British top ten for 46 weeks. His children’s book A Boy Called Christmas, an instant hit, was made into a film featuring a stellar cast. His novels for adults include the award-winning How To Stop Time, The Radleys, The Humans and the number one bestseller The Midnight Library.
When retired math teacher Grace Winters inherits a run-down house on the Mediterranean island of Ibiza from a long-lost friend, curiosity gets the better of her. Grace arrives in Ibiza with a one-way ticket, no guidebook and no plan.
Among the rugged hills and golden beaches of the island, Grace searches for answers about her friend’s life and how it ended. What she uncovers is stranger than she could have possibly 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.
The The Life Impossible is another thought-provoking and beautifully written book from author Matt Haig. Every book he’s written is incredibly unique, and this is no exception. This book centres around an older character, 72-year-old Grace Winters, whose life was forever altered years ago when her son was killed in an accident. The major themes of loss, guilt, and grief are explicitly explored in this book, as Grace has become a walking zombie, taking no pleasure out of life. When her world is suddenly jolted after she is gifted a property from a long-lost friend, she is forced to change her focus. There is a strong universal message being presented here about being stuck and having to go through radical experiences to move forward. Many who have gone through intense healing journeys will resonate with this story.
The story also includes elements of science fiction and magical realism that make the story very intriguing, especially in the first half. With such great promise of where the story could be heading, the plot takes an unexpected turn to become somewhat of an environmental conservation story. While this is still interesting, Grace’s story goes on the back burner for a good chunk of the second half, which may turn off some readers. Fortunately, the story’s focus does return to Grace, and there are some extremely compelling chapters towards the end where Grace comes face to face with her ugly guilt and self-loathing, essentially leading to her rebirth.
Another great feature of this story is how wonderfully Haig captures the breathtaking beauty of Ibiza, from its azure waters to its charming people, shops, and streets. Readers get a very accurate glimpse of contemporary life on this popular holiday island destination, and some of the myths that have defined it are quickly dispelled.
Overall, this book is another poetic and highly original story from Haig, but not one for everyone. With its older protagonist and some monotonous dialogue and subject matter in the second half, it’s a book that many readers will have to persevere through to fully appreciate its merit. There’s absolutely no question that the audiobook is the preferred format for enjoying this story with such exceptional narration. If you set your expectations right for this book, you may find it a very memorable one!
Narrator Joanna Lumley does a phenomenal job narrating this audiobook. Her formidable acting skills are put on full display from the very first line as she perfectly portrays an older woman suffering with immense grief. Her tone is both solemn and full of wonder as she vividly brings Grace to life. Lumley also paces the narration perfectly, allowing readers to fully bask in the wonders of Ibiza and also be mesmerized with the distant planet that Grace is temporarily transported to. Lumley’s proficiency in voicing different accents is also on display here, as she uses a myriad of different voices for the different Spanish characters in the story. It’s very easy to envision Lumley taking the role of Grace into a screen adaptation, which would be remarkable to watch!