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The Life Impossible

By: Matt Haig
Narrated by: Joanna Lumley, Jordan Stephens
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Publisher's summary

The New York Times Bestseller

“An odyssey of action and awe.”—The New York Times

“A wry and tender love-letter to the best of being human.”—Benedict Cumberbatch

The remarkable next novel from Matt Haig, the author of #1 New York Times bestseller The Midnight Library, with more than nine million copies sold worldwide

“What looks like magic is simply a part of life we don’t understand yet…”

When retired math 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 island, 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 Penguin Audio
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Critic reviews

A must-read book of fall 2024 from TIME | Book Riot | GoodReads | Library Journal | BookPage | PEOPLE | Parade | SheReads | Town & Country

“A beautiful novel full of life-affirming wonder and imagination and, at its adventurous heart, a wry and tender love-letter to the best of being human.”—Benedict Cumberbatch

“An odyssey of action and awe. . . a humble and genuinely lovely concept.”The New York Times

“Grace’s realization that everything on Earth is worthy of admiration and preservation is a message the whole world can get behind.”Associated Press

Interview: Matt Haig embraces "The Life Impossible" in his fantastical new novel about second chances

'I think it's hard to convey the experience of feeling the impossible in your own life and putting it into fiction.'
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  • The Life Impossible
  • 'I think it's hard to convey the experience of feeling the impossible in your own life and putting it into fiction.'

What listeners say about The Life Impossible

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

The narrator’s voice turned into music to my ears!

At first I disliked the slow start and in the 1st 5 min was going to ditch. I am so so glad I didn’t! Otherwise I would have missed the most amazing tale narrated by the sweetest narrator. You’ll be thinking about this one long after you’ve finished. Perhaps I’ll even dream about it tonight. Wow what a concept!

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4 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Went absolutely nowhere

I love the Midnight Library by the same autor so thought I'd enjoy The Life Impossible. The nattion was good but the story was long, needlessly drawn out and never really accompoished much of anything. Wish I had taken a pass!

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Accents problematic

This is an amazing story with characteristic Matt Haig magic and poignance. I love the main character’s accent, but the narrator doesn’t do a Spanish accent plausibly. There’s something Yiddish/Russian/Polish/Boston/New York/Borat about those accents. The personality and cadence is often brilliant, but not in Spain. Seems reasonable to hire a Spanish person to do that part.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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That we should live each day to the fullest and be aware of everything around us

It was beautiful and the most original book I have read in a long time

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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The storyline is optimistic and charming

We need more stories that teach us to take care of our planet without preaching, this was perfect.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Character separation

Joanna Lumley is incredible. The story, although long winded at times, was kept interesting by the change in accents and appropriate emotion. I listened while at work because music is too distracting so a lot of story faded into the background. That being said it the exciting parts were exciting, the sad parts were sad, and it leaves you feeling better about being human. I liked it.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Too long

It was just too drawn out. The focus on what everyone was thinking made the book boring.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

smart, funny, deeply true

reminded me of celestine prophesy. i will be buying a physical copy to highlight several brilliant sentences/passages that resonated strongly.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

human struggles

book brought out many human traits and gifts. seeking happiness is an attitude. infinity is many sizes.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Surprisingly just what I needed

This was a beautiful story with a lot of texture.. it felt very comforting and insightful and just the right amount of mystical .. I loved it!

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