I struggled to get into this short audiobook. I usually love animal based books and so thought I'd be utterly absorbed with this one but I just found myself not really caring about our doggy main character Johannes. Whilst I did end up enjoying the story and the lessons that Eggers was trying to teach I never did feel that emotional attachment to Johannes, which is a pity.

There was some really beautiful writing throughout that really evoked the activity and enthusiasm of our doggy friend, the voice acting from Ethan Hawke also added to this energy and I think it was done really well. Whilst the animals all had voices, they weren't anthropomorphised and I think Eggers did a great job in embodying the characteristics of each species in the way they talk and their motivations and actions.

This is a nice little story, and I think people will really enjoy seeing these animals learn more about themselves and each other.

I’ve never read a book from a dogs point of view so this book was a first for me. Such a gorgeous way to see the world- running free as a wild dog. This books is so beautifully written, it touches on freedom, friendship, new beginnings and sad endings. It really does make you smile at times too.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone, it’s a joyous quick read.
I was gifted this book from NetGalley and publishers as an audiobook - I loved it thank you. The narrator captured every character’s voice magnificently.

Thanks to years of allegorical animal books, you are mentally programmed to look for correlations with real world. That is why, this book by David Eggers made for a clean read, largely helped by the audiobook where the narrator plays a very important part in elevating the book.

The entire book is set in a "park". Three elder Bisons are the elders who are in the fence and Johannes is the Eyes of the park. He can run really fast and he reports back everything that is changing or happening in the park. He has a set of friends - the assistant eyes - a seagull, a raccoon, a squirrel and a pelican who help in observing the humans and keeping the equilibrium in balance.

Things start changing when tiny squares with mesmerising images appear in a new building and trouble travelers start arriving. These images draw in Johannes and he seems to slow down. Then more changes happen and the team struggles to keep the equilibrium.

The personalities meted out to the animals are distinct and the narrator has done a fantastic job of making us understand who is talking through the mannerisms. Johannes who does much of the talking exaggerates the numbers and can't stop worrying about his role as the eyes. The oddball team can be right out of an animated movie like Kung fu Panda and they are funny in their own ways.

I also loved the parts after they run into goats. This is a warm nice little book that could easily become a movie. And I am happy I didn't get any allegorical meanings (the last book I read about Eggers was an allegory on Trump!).

Thank you Bolinda Audio and Netgalley for the ARC copy.

This was ADORABLE.
This is told from the perspective of a dog, stream of consciousness style from a hyperactive free dog loving life in a wild park. If that doesn’t sell you I don’t know what will.

I was laughing, smiling, and definitely wanting to become an animal to join in on their shenanigans.

This is supposed to be a children’s book, but anyone can enjoy it. The tone isn’t overly childish, the plot isn’t plain or boring.

Despite the bragging of Johannes, the off-key humour, it never becomes so cringy that older readers will be put off. Yet it also appeals to young readers.

What made this so great is Johannes’s genuine excitement at everything. It was extremely refreshing. There are MANY hyperboles and exaggerations yet this added to Johannes’s over the top character and perception.

<b>“If we go through life assuming everything will be complicated, and then it is complicated, doesn’t that make us better prepared? What I mean is, if we expect life to be complicated, and life is complicated, then life is simple, right?”
</b>
I would recommend the audibook format because it just added so much more to the telling. The narrator embodied the voice of this naive, innocent, funny, arrogant, and brave dog.

Audiobook arc gifted Belinda Audio.

This was beautifully narrated by Ethan Hawke and I liked the story being told from Johannes' perspective. I actually bought the physical book which has the most stunning illustrations and reading it alongside the audiobook made for a very immersive reading experience.

I liked Dave Eggers writing style and the way the story read like a bedtime story. In this regard, I can see why it's aimed for children, but other elements of the book I don't think is aimed for kids. Parts seemed to be more philosophical and I found this a bit confusing in a kids book. Also, Johannes' narrative could be rather annoying, repeating the same lines over and over.

Overall, there were parts I liked and the narration really made the book come alive. Listening to it felt a bit like a fever dream and I'm not sure if that's a good thing exactly but I'm still glad I read it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ALC

In a Nutshell: A middle-grade novel coming from the perspective of a dog. Great original narrative voice, awesome characters, good plot, lovely illustrations.

Plot Preview:
Johannes, proud of being a free dog rather than a “kept dog”, lives in a park filled with animals and visiting humans. He knows that he's superior to the humans but still likes them, though they have done nothing to deserve it. He also knows that he is the fastest runner, the most intelligent, and the best at his job as “the Eyes” of the park. As you can see, Johannes is quite humble. *wink, wink.*
As “the Eyes”, Johannes has to report any untoward incident to the park’s respected elders, three ancient bison. Along with his assistant Eyes – a raccoon, a pelican, a seagull, and a squirrel, Johannes ensures that the equilibrium of the park is kept in balance. But soon, there are a few too many changes in the park, and the equilibrium seems shaky. Even more shattering, Johannes learns that all that he knew of the world was doubtful.
The story comes to us in the first-person perspective of Johannes.

This book won the Newbery Medal in 2024, and reading it confirmed that the Medal jury got it right this time.

Bookish Yays:
🐶 The introductory note that asks readers to treat the animals in the book as animals, instead of superimposing an allegory on their behaviour. “It is a tendency of the human species to see themselves in everything, to assume all living things, animals in particular, are simply corollaries to humans.“ - Accurate!

🐶 Johannes. You will either love him or hate him, but you won’t be able to stay neutral about him. His knowledge goes far beyond what you would expect from a dog. He isn’t afraid to voice his opinions freely because he knows his opinions are right. He makes for a fabulous first-person narrator.

🐶 The genuine feel of the dog’s perspective in this book. Anyone who knows dogs knows that they are like little children: excitable, loving, playful, loyal, friendly, and adamant. Johannes’s narration epitomises all these qualities beautifully. Listening to him feels like we are actually hearing from a dog.

🐶 Johannes’s vocabulary! He isn't a typical dog, and his locution proves it. It was hilarious to see a dog use words such as propulsion and gravitas and ascertain and ignominious! 😆Kids might not know all these words, but there’s no better way to learn new words than through a book, especially one narrated by a dog. I loved his lingo.

🐶 The other animal characters. All outstanding! It’s so amazing that the author didn’t stick to the usual animals. The idea of a dog, a seagull (Bertrand was my favourite after Johannes!), a raccoon, a squirrel, and a pelican working as the Eyes of the park and reporting to bison is preposterous and yet hilarious. Each animal’s personality comes out distinctly, which is highly praiseworthy considering that we know only Johannes’ inner thoughts.

🐶 The uncommon perspective. Looking at humans from an external view offers much food for thought. We see through the five Eyes how humans can affect animals in parks knowingly and unknowingly.

🐶 The plot. Not like most dog stories, which are usually about loyalty towards humans. Johannes being the master of his own will contributes much in setting this book apart from the standard canine-literature offerings.

🐶 The beautiful descriptions of nature in the park, with such lush and vibrant imagery that we feel we are right there beside Johannes. The entire writing is lyrical.

🐶 The humour throughout, thanks to Johannes, who was funny despite not deliberately being funny. Some of his thoughts were so ludicrous that I couldn’t help laughing aloud!

🐶 The use of hyperbole in the narrative. Johannes’ over-the-top estimations (He clearly doesn’t know his math!) and exaggerated self-aggrandizement are outrageous. Listening to his narration is akin to hearing a little child who embellishes every story they recount. It feels more cute than annoying, and though I did roll my eyes at times, it was more out of amusement than out of exasperation.

🐶 Nice, short chapters, perfect for little eyes and ears.

🐶 The secondary themes. Though not directly, the content touches upon some sensitive topics such as religious tolerance, xenophobia, racial discrimination, and individual freedom.

Bookish Mixed Bags:
🐾 Johannes rambles a lot, sometimes going almost stream of consciousness in his thread of thought. While this is fun, it is also confusing at times. It will be easier to go with the flow to keep up with this hyperactive but loveable dog.

🐾 The blurb calls this an illustrated novel, which is partly inaccurate. It is not replete with graphics, but there are nine fabulous watercolour full-page illustrations. These are classical landscapes by famous artists, on each of which illustrator Shawn Harris added Johannes. These are visually stunning! Every “painting” depicts Johannes at one with the park, either running or contemplating. So yes, you get nine paintings with Johannes, not a book full of illustrations.

🐾 Things do go a bit over the top at the end, but what the heck! It’s a children’s book – leave logic aside and enjoy!

Bookish Nays:
🐕 The plot has a mention of bird suicide. This wasn’t that important to the core story and could easily have been avoided, considering the target age of the readers.

🎧 The Audiobook Experience:
The audiobook, clocking at 5 hrs 20 min, is narrated by actor Ethan Hawke. I have not watched him in any movie to date, but hearing him as Johannes makes me wonder what I might have missed. His performance is superlative! I don’t think I have ever heard a narrator be at one with his character to such an extent. If you have access to the audio version, then this book MUST be read through audio.


All in all, this was a fun ride. I adore dogs, so it was easy for me to enjoy a dog’s perspective in such an unusual story. The other animals added to the charm.

Definitely recommended! It’s a very good book, made great by the main character and the narrator.

4.25 stars.

My thanks to Bolinda Audio for providing the ALC of “The Eyes and the Impossible” via NetGalley.

5/5 ⭐️

A hug in a (audio)book format. Ethan Hawke’s narration of this story was pitch perfect.
A delightful exploration of friendship, community, what it means to be free and the lengths we’ll go for the ones we love.
Johannes’ love for human art, sometimes to his own detriment, was such a beautiful plot point.
Truly a modern classic and a must read for all ages.

Dare I say that this is a classic in the making? Yep, I dare. What a fantastic children’s book. For me a great children’s book is one that the adult reader can enjoy as much as the child, and I thoroughly enjoyed this. If you can listen to the audiobook, do.

Suitable for all ages really, but this would make for a brilliant first chapter book, it’s full of excitement, has lots of lovely sentiments about friendship, self discovery and freedom. It’s also wordy, wordy in a wondrous “I’ve never heard this word before” type of way. How better to learn than to be excited by words 😊


Ethan Hawke’s narration is a masterpiece!

Huge thanks to Bolinda Audio via NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧

I found myself smiling before the first minute was up of this audiobook. The opening insistence of the animals being animals, not metaphors prepares for the gentle humour that runs throughout this powerful story. Ducks are not to be asked for they know nothing! The narration is pitched perfectly with the gravelly tones juxtaposed with this sense of humour and the enthusiastic tone genuinely reminding me of the many dogs I have had over the years. A relevant reminder of the power of perception. I loved it!