The Life Impossible Audiobook By Matt Haig cover art

The Life Impossible

A Novel

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The Life Impossible

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

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
Editor's Select First Contact Literary Fiction Women's Fiction Island Heartfelt
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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

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  • Overall
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I continued listening long after I should have…

Way too “out there” for me! Crazy ability to do things with your mind are not in my repertoire, but oh perhaps it is in yours. An interesting exploration of Ibiza though.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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An adventure of letting go

The story is a well written adventure that fans of The Midnight Library and The Humans will enjoy. It gives you the best and worst of humanity and all the feelings. And also, the challenge of what it really means to live.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Spectacular!!!

Again just like The Midnight Library Matt hits it out of the ark!! This is such a beautiful and life altering book! You will not be disappointed if you press “play”!!!

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1 person found this helpful

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

Magical realism with an unusual plot.

No spoiler, a bit of math theory, enough psychology to make Jung proud but very interesting complex characters.

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Magical story…!

Magical story read wonderfully - totally enjoyed this with many life lessons to take away from the story…with a strong message to live life to the fullest!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Fantastical story

I can’t be a buzz kill, but I sort of wish the book would’ve ended a little differently with the last sentence but other than that, the story was very creative, sometimes I don’t know how people have such a vivid imagination, bravo!
I really loved the reader, her voice was just exquisite!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Not impossible at all

As usual, words are hard to find that express the power of this story. Matt….i love your work. And now, I love the crazy, random, amazing perspective that your work inspires. Thank you. And thank you to all who were involved in the production of this performance (great job!)

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It’s 3 AM & just finished listening straight through!

Love Matt Haig’s books and this one was exceptional! Inspiring and so imaginative. Thank you!

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

Annoying protagonist and excessively verbose story

I do not understand the glowing reviews. I found the protagonist's unendingly whiny self talk over the top and grating. That was compounded by the excessive and redundant wordiness of the entire story. The plot was not complex and the reveals were easy to guess. The excessive explanation of everything just made it boring. I only made it to the end by listening at double speed while doing chores. I want my credit back :(

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

10/10 beautifully crafted and engaging journey that masterfully blends emotion, humor, and hope.

Haig’s storytelling is both poignant and uplifting, capturing the complexities of life with such depth and warmth. It’s a heartwarming reminder of resilience, making you laugh, cry, and ultimately feel inspired. This book is a perfect blend of raw honesty and optimism, leaving a lasting impact long after the final page. Highly recommend!

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