"The Life Impossible" by Matt Haig is a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant novel that delves into themes of identity, existence, and the search for meaning. Haig's signature blend of philosophical musings and poignant storytelling shines through, offering readers a reflective journey through life's complexities. The narrative is both introspective and engaging, with Haig’s keen observations and relatable characters making it a compelling read for those interested in exploring the deeper aspects of life and self.

I received an electronic ARC from PENGUIN GROUP Viking through NetGalley.
Haig capture the beauty of Ibiza so this is worth the read just for that. However, beyond that, the story is well worth the time. Readers meet Grace as she receives a letter from a former student. Her response is this story. Grace chose to begin with sharing she inherited a house on Ibiza from someone she had not interacted with in decades. As her life was in such a rut, she decided to go. From there, the story unfolds with all the interesting people she met and the unusual encounters she had with the sea and other characters. We see Grace change and heal from past grief as she encounters wonders and new challenges to protect Ibiza. Her student, Maurice, returns at the end to share how much he needed this story and that he does believe her account. This perfectly wraps the unusual tale.
Haig uses the short chapter format well. Readers stay involved and can visualize what is happening. The emphasis on the environment and nurturing the Earth shines through this interesting protector. The author blends reality and fantasy and lets readers make their own conclusions.

The Life Impossible ultimately is the story of forgiveness, grace, and living the life you are given. A retired math teacher travels to a Mediterranean Island to learn about a house she has been left by a co-worker from many years ago. Widowed, and having lost her son as a child in bike accident, this is the first risk Grace has taken in a very long time. She receives a gift from an unexplained source that helps her fight to preserve the beauty and nature of the island and helps her become part of a new family.

As a former math teacher myself, I imagined the joy and confusion I would feel having been left a house in Ibiza by a former colleague. What a treat that would be!
I absolutely enjoyed Haig’s ability to capture the landscapes, the people, and the blue waters of Ibiza. He created a world where it was so easy to believe in the magic contained in the Mediterranean. This also felt like a novel that intends to push readers to continue to fight for our planet.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Overall, this was a decent read - I didn’t enjoy it as much as The Midnight Library, but it definitely had an interesting and unique concept. The book is as a bit more Sci-Fi than I anticipated but not overly so. I did struggle to continue about halfway through, but I am glad I finished it. The story had grief, guilt, and hope, and topics included environmentalism, tourism, murder, disappearances, extraterrestrial phenomena, etc.

Matt Haig is an incredible writer and I am in awe of this book. I think my patrons will love this one!

Matt Haig does such a beautiful job taking something that seems relatively ordinary--a retired teacher inheriting an island home from a former friend--and turning it into something extraordinary. Grace finds herself and meaning through her grief and it is just so beautifully done. Haig is an author I return to for comfort and a reminder--no matter how didactic it can be at times--that there is always beauty if we look. Loved it.

Grace, a retired widow in her 70s with a son who tragically died very young, unexpectedly inherits a house on Ibiza from a teacher she worked with decades ago. When she travels to the island to make sense of it, Grace is a little depressed and had kind of given up on life. When she tries to find out what happened to the woman who died, she gets wrapped up in an unbelievable story of magical abilities being endowed on select people by a possible alien being that lives in the waters off Ibiza. Grace gets some powers and uses them to further the fight of environmental protection of her dead former friend. Along the way, Grace comes out of her shell, gets excited about life again, and connects with the people in her friend's life. This is a story of a rebirth in later life, of connection between people and between all life, and the importance of being open to new ideas and experiences, as well as a strong environmental message. This book felt influenced by Paulo Coehlo's writings in it's focus on expanding your mind, experiences, connections, and, with a touch of something magical, making a better future for yourself.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Life Impossible started off a little intriguing but I felt it got bogged down pretty fast. I think Haig tried to be too mysterious with his main character, Grace, and it kept me from connecting with her and being interested in her. I loved The Midnight Library so I know he can write an intriguing story but I felt this one started off slow and stayed slow for the sake of trying too hard to be eccentric. It makes me want to read The Midnight Library again though!

Thank you to NetGalley for this free preview in exchange for an honest review. I believe this is the second Matt Haig that I have read and he is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. His stories are fantastical, yet down to earth. His characters are unique and endearing. I would highly recommend this book.

This was a such a lovely book dealign with themes of life, death, and environmental concerns. I love Matt Haig's writing so much. It's very ethereal and beautiful. I love his magical realism. It always adds so much richness to his stories.

A retired teacher finds a new lease on life when left property in Ibiza by a friend she hadn't talked to in years. Leaping into the unknown, she packs up and moves there, beginning a new phase of her life. Not everyone is into magical realism, but I loved the characters and story. Another magical book by Matt Haig!

Matt Haig has the rare gift of bestowing hope upon us, his readers, and reminding us that the JOURNEY,, not the destination, is the point of life. This book will color the world around you in the most beautiful ways.

I absolutely loved the Midnight Library and have gone back to re-read it several times. Unfortunately I don’t share the affection for this book.

I found this sci-fi story just weird and strange. The writing style with the short and longer chapter format does make it easier to read.

The book does provide philosophic reflection challenging the reader to think about their life and how they are choosing to live it.. It makes us question what paradigms do we accept; which should we challenge?

While I loved the concept behind the story, unfortunately it just wasn't as meaningful as it could have been. The bit with the villain is way too rushed while other aspects of the story seem way too drawn out. This left me with an ending I did not really care for. Unlike some other reviews I have read, I don't mind the magical elements and I think they work well overall.

I am not sure fans of The Midnight Library are going to love this one. The idea is great the setting fabulous BUT it just feels like it is trying to do too much. I felt it was all over the place. Sometimes trying to recreate the magic of another book isn't always easy.

While I did like the premise, I feel it took a looong time to get there. I almost gave up on it until about 50 pages in. The chapters are short but there was a fair amount of material that wasn't necessary to advancing the story. I did find myself skipping over some of that irrelevant text. The story did pick up a bit when the sci-fi/fantasy part became relevant but still got bogged down.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

This was fun! I thought the setting really stood out, and it is one of my new favorites of his due to the characters

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of The Life Impossible by Matt Haig.

I first discovered Matt Haig when How to Stop Time was published, and I've been a fan ever since. Just like his other books, The Life Impossible is a life-affirming story that blends together the sadness and wonder of life and leaves every reader feeling just a litte bit better. This newest book reminded me a lot of his non-fiction, with the sometimes very short chapters and the heartfelt lines that you could put on a fridge magnet, and perhaps that's because of the format, or because of Haig's deep connection to Ibiza. It's a feel-good story about living life no matter what tragedies you've faced or guilt that you carry.

I appreciate Haig's voice on everything from the mundane to the magical, and how we can see the magic in the mundane. He's an author that has allowed his readers to know his struggles and the things that have helped him in life, and I will support that every time.

This started so strong, that I was very excited,, but the story of the The Presence as explained by Alberto got tedious. Even the main character thought he was tedious. When I read a magical type book, I don't care to read a scientifc explanation of it. Now, this is likely not everyone's opinion, to be fair. But I would have found the story much more engaging without the discussions of the "science" behind it.