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The Life Impossible

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The Life Impossible

By: Matt Haig
Narrated by: Joanna Lumley, Jordan Stephens
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The remarkable new Sunday Times bestselling novel from the author of the international sensation The Midnight Library
‘A beautiful novel full of life-affirming wonder and imagination' BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH'What looks like magic is simply a part of life we don’t understand yet . . .'

When retired Maths 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 Balearics 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. Best of 2024 Editors Select Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Heartfelt Thought-Provoking Funny Feel-Good Inspiring
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Critic reviews

Stunning. It's not only exquisitely written but has so much magic woven through it (Fearne Cotton)
Okay, folks, buckle up. Matt Haig, the wonder, is back (Lemn Sissay)
All stars
Most relevant
I wondered just what was happening at first as a bit slow, but then... everything just clicks.
I listened to it over two days at 2x speed (which is my usual listening speed), but I've started it again at normal speed just to take it all in one more time.
I really enjoyed it.
It's different to Midnight Library and I can't decide which one I like more.
Performance from Joanna Lumley is as expected, cuz she's always brilliant.

Another clever one.

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This started so well and I was totally absorbed but then within a few days of Grace landing in Ibiza and I was bored. The story just kept veering off on a ramble about something or other…I can’t even remember what but it felt like a PowerPoint slide of info was slotted in every few paragraphs.
Such a shame. I love Matt Haig books usually. Not this one.

A book of two halves.

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I loved this book from beginning to end. So beautifully brought to life by Joanna Lumley. Thank you for creating such a thought provoking, funny, tender and inspiring tale.

An unexpectedly wonderful and and imaginative book.

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First of all Joanna Lumley! How can anything go wrong with Joanna Lumley? It can't. Her narration and voices were superb and really brought the story to life. I loved the gradual change in Grace Winter's character and how she finally found peace. I loved all the descriptions of the Island. Whenever I hear Ibiza, all I think of are raves, raucous behaviour and drugs. I learnt something new about Ibiza that made me see it in a new light. The slightly supernatural element to the story was good and added a totally different dimension to the story.
All in all a good story and worth listening to on Audible.

Seagrass, who knew?

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Just loved Joanns Lumley’s narrating and the intrigueing story - interesting plot using the voice of a sceptic, a realist to explore the unkown and the reason for being

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