The Life Impossible

November 2, 2024 /

The Life Impossible ~ Matt Haig

Grace Winters is 72 years old, a retired maths teacher who is recently widowed. She has lived in a state of grief and guilt since the death of her young son decades earlier, a death she blames on herself. She is depressed and bored and full of self-hatred. One day, she learns that she has been left a house on the Spanish island of Ibiza, by a co-worker from over 30 years ago, Christina, a woman she didn’t know well, but whose life she impacted mightily. She decides to leave her home in England and go to Ibiza and check out the house, and see if she can find out what happened to her friend, who ‘died at sea’. That’s in quotes, because no one seems to know exactly how she died, and her body has not been found.

In Ibiza, she meets several of Christina’s friends, and surprises herself by accepting invitations to have adventures and learn to find pleasure in life again, to enjoy a glass of orange juice or dancing to electronic music. Because this is a Matt Haig book, there is a magical realism factor to the story. A sentence that made me laugh out loud: “His slappable face continued talking.” I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Highly recommended.

26 Comments

  • Tobia | craftaliciousme

    November 2, 2024 at 5:00 am

    All my book club friends were realy disapointed by this book a crowned it the wort book or deispapintment of the year. But you liked it. So maybe I will try to read it. But I probably won’t want to buy it.

  • Kyria @ Travel Spot

    November 2, 2024 at 6:11 am

    I think I am a little hit and miss with Haig. I have only read The Comfort Book which was good, and The Midnight Library, which was weird and pretty good. My Mom really enjoyed The Humans, but I did not read it yet because neither of his other books WOWED me. So far, I have not read any of the books that you have reviewed either! Have you read The Humans? If so, what did you think?

    • J

      November 2, 2024 at 6:51 am

      I have not read The Comfort Book. I did read The Humans, and I liked it. I liked The Midnight Library and How to Stop Time more, though. All of his books (that I’ve read at least) do have that magical realism aspect, and so are kind of weird.

  • Ernie

    November 2, 2024 at 8:04 am

    This sounds like a good book. I really like the premise. So interesting. I’m not a fan of magical realism though, so not sure if I’ll read it. Maybe?

  • Jenny

    November 2, 2024 at 11:37 am

    Hm! I haven’t read anything by Matt Haig. The premise of this one- at least the way it starts- makes me sad. But overall it sounds pretty good. Maybe I’ll give it a try- I don’t mind a little magical realism.

  • Meike

    November 2, 2024 at 1:09 pm

    I decided Matt Haig is not for me. The stories are good but I just can’t handle his writing style. It’s really too bad since I liked the premise of “How to Stop Time” but it was so slow. I a, glad you enjoyed this one!

    • J

      November 2, 2024 at 1:12 pm

      I’ve seen lots of comments that people LOVE his books, and others that HATE his books, so it’s definitely subjective.

  • NGS

    November 2, 2024 at 6:07 pm

    I’m not going to read this book, but I am going to wonder over and over again if someone I barely knew will leave me a house in Europe. FINGERS CROSSED.

    • J

      November 2, 2024 at 7:56 pm

      I think if it were going to happen to someone, Engie, it woud be you! (That’s a compliment, because the reason this woman leaves her the house is because of the kindness and encouragement that she shows her when she really needs it.)

  • Karen Meg

    November 2, 2024 at 7:41 pm

    I’ve loved Matt Haif since the Humans and really enjoyed the Midnight Library, I’m not usually so into fantasy type stuff but I like his humorous style. I have this one on my TBR list too…

  • Daria

    November 5, 2024 at 5:10 am

    I only read the Midnight Library by his and loved it albeit I know that regadera had mixed feelings about that book. Thanks for the review!

  • Allison McCaskill

    November 9, 2024 at 12:48 pm

    I always find the synopses of Matt Haig books engaging, and then something in his actual writing is lacking for me. I think I always want it to have slightly more of an edge. That’s a me problem, obviously. Glad you enjoyed this, it sounds quite lovely.