The Life Impossible

THE LIFE IMPOSSIBLE is quite a challenging book to explain. Partly, it's a story about a 72-year-old sedate, British widow processing grief. It's also about the struggle between people who chiefly rely on proven fact and those whose faith allows for a broader belief system. There's a strong environmental message. And quite a bit of magical realism. I gave it three stars but 3.5 is more accurate.

The story begins with a retired math teacher, Grace Winters, communicating with a former student. Grace has recently discovered that she has inherited a rundown house on the small tourist island of Ibiza (off the coast of Spain) from a woman, Christina, that Grace only knew slightly a generation earlier. Though comfortable in her quiet, narrow show more life close to home, Grace nevertheless feels compelled to travel to her new vacation home and try to figure out why the former owner chose Grace to inherit.

As soon she arrives, Grace finds herself plunged into a local conflict. A wealthy man is about to launch a big development on Es Vedrà, a small rocky island just off Ibiza, despite a significant number of locals who fear the project will harm the environment and damage the very resources that make Ibiza unique.

As Grace begins to explore she meets many of the local residents. Like Sofia, a politician whose approval is essential for the development to move forward. And Alberto, a sometime diving instructor and member of the opposition, who may or may not be trustworthy. His daughter, Marta, a scientist, who is an opposition leader. Plus, Christina's estranged daughter, Lieke, a performer.

There's also a flower, known to be extinct, that suddenly blooms. Sealed jars of water that magically light up at night. And legends about La Presencia, an other worldly force that appears as a large underwater light but is capable of bestowing special powers that may originate on another planet. So, there's the magical realism.

THE LIFE IMPOSSIBLE is an imaginative novel that shows both the best and worst of human behavior. It certainly offers enough drama and suspense to keep a reader turning pages. But reading this book had a scattered quality to it and I wasn't completely comfortable with how much I needed to suspend belief. (Magical Realism is not a favorite genre for me.) Many readers I have spoken to did not have a problem. Others label the book enjoyable but weird. Bottom line - it gets my recommendation because you may enjoy it even though it wasn't one I loved. show less

I am a big fan of Matt Haig's novels. I find them thoughtful, erudite, and a bit magical. Unfortunately, I did not think the same of THE LIFE IMPOSSIBLE. While it was a good story, it felt too personal for comfort. It is a story that very obviously has a special place in Mr. Haig's heart for whatever reason, but I could not appreciate it at that same level.

THE LIFE IMPOSSIBLE is a very overt love story to Ibiza, its people, its culture, and its natural beauty. Having never been to Ibiza and only knowing of it what I've seen in the papers, I can't appreciate the islands as much as Mr. Haig does. I believe that because it is so obvious as to Mr. Haig's feelings about the place, it wasn't exactly a turnoff, but it didn't endear the island show more to me. There are so many specific locations mentioned throughout the novel, but having no idea of the geography, they all meant nothing to me. He could be describing an alien world instead of Ibiza, and I wouldn't know any different.

Nor did his details make me want to learn anything about Ibiza. There is nothing within his descriptions that roused my curiosity or had me scrambling to Google to learn more. For once, my curiosity remained unpiqued.

Grace Winters also remained a remote figure for me. Perhaps it is the way Mr. Haig structured THE LIFE IMPOSSIBLE. Told through one long email to a former student, I felt like Grace was sharing a very personal story but still keeping me at a distance. I never felt empathy for her. I never really felt anything at all for her.

THE LIFE IMPOSSIBLE is a rare story that I liked for its messaging, but that's about it. I appreciate any reminder to enjoy life now because you don't know what the future holds, and that is ultimately what THE LIFE IMPOSSIBLE is all about. It isn't about death or aliens or even the importance of environmental protection against corporate greed, all of which are part of the story. It is a reminder to look up from your phone or tablet, to smell the fresh air while you can, to listen to the birds or the city noises, to appreciate what you have while you have it. And for that, I can say I liked THE LIFE IMPOSSIBLE, even though I did not enjoy it as much as I have his other books. show less

I love that the narrator, Grace (whose name is perfectly chosen), is 72 and that she is flawed and sometimes makes bad decisions. I especially love the way she learns how to truly live again, despite past pain, grief, and guilt. As she says, "the difference between a gift and a curse was sometimes just a question of perspective." This story follows her shift in perspective.

Along the way, another character tells her about the concept behind the Spanish word, "duende" as "the feeling when someone truly connects with the sublime essence of life; it's tragedy and beauty; whether in art or flamenco or in nature." To truly connect takes courage, as Grace wonderfully demonstrates. When we are willing to let go of past pain, to focus on the show more lives of those we love, rather than a single moment in time, it becomes possible to realize "that there are no islands. Islands don't exist. If you go far enough down, everything is connected ... our minds swell into each other like a million currents at sea. We merge; we converge; everyone flows into everyone else without even realizing. Even cockroaches play their part. We aren't just a person; we aren't just a gender; we aren't just an age; we aren't just a nationality; we aren't even just a species. The walls between us are imaginary. The thoughts we have that are ours, are gloriously unique, but also gloriously in the same continuing spectrum. Love, fear, grief, guilt, forgiveness: these are the standards in the repertoire. These are the cover versions we get to play. We think we are lonely because we are often blind to the connections, but to be alive is to be a life. To be life, we are Life, the same, ever-evolving Life. We need each other. We are here for each other. The point of life is life. All life. We need to look after each other. And when it feels we are truly, deeply alone, that is the moment when we most need to do something in order to remember how we connect ... To swim in the ocean, we sometimes have to make a splash." show less

Matthew Haig always trusts his readers to go along with whatever weird reality he cooks up, and it doesn't disappoint. Here, Grace Winters, an elderly British retired Maths teacher gets notification of inheriting a house in Ibiza, Spain from a long-ago acquaintance. Christina Papadakis taught with Grace, and Grace showed her a kindness and encouraged her to follow her dream of singing. Almost 50 years later Christina returns the favor by leaving Grace her house. They had not even been in touch for those decades, so Grace is perplexed, but also in a rut - her husband Carl has died, and she still mourns for and carries the guilt of her 12-year-old son's death in a bike accident years earlier. Grace heads to Ibiza to see what's what. The show more island is so different from her drab, ordered life and she is enchanted by some of the sights and experiences, but she also wonders about Christina and learns some of the mysterious circumstances surrounding her disappearance, not death as it turns out. One person might have the answers she needs: Alberto Ribas, but he was a suspect and she is warned against him. In her new-found spirit of adventure, Grace seeks him out and gets way more info than she wanted, and an invitation to go diving at midnight. Sus. He is scruffy and outspoken and somewhat mysterious, but when he explains about La Presencia, and then Grace experiences the strange glow of light in her dive, everything changes. It is a supernatural, other -worldly, possibly alien thing that gives her all the extra-sensory powers. In a weird way, it uses her to unite people and save the island from an evil developer who ironically uses the same force for greed and power. This is all a stretch, but Grace acknowledges this and couches it all in a letter to a former student. The whole book is about one-ness and what brings us together and what divides us. It is about healing and connection and purpose in the world, as well as trust. Some beautiful observations on all these topics too. "What looks like magic is simply a part of life we don't understand yet..." Good food for thought about aging, life span, and making all the days count by appreciating and fully living life.

Reminded me vaguely of Paulo Coelho's Alchemist, though it has been a long time since I read show less

This is an ambitious novel that combines an unusual mix of elements - a 72-year-old retired maths teacher as protagonist, mysterious aliens in the ocean near Ibiza, and psychic abilities used in a struggle against climate change - all told through a letter to a former student. It’s a bold premise, and there’s much to admire: a focus on older characters (particularly women) in speculative fiction is refreshing, and the book’s underlying message about valuing the present moment and caring for the planet resonates strongly.

The story explores the gap between generations and carries an important reminder that it’s never too late to experience wonder or connection. Yet, for me, the execution didn’t quite come together. Even the show more reveal - that Grace’s ‘deceased’ friend had left a trail of breadcrumbs leading her to the truth - didn’t fully land emotionally for me to accept the absurdity of 'aliens'. It may be partly due to the audiobook narration: Joanna Lumley’s unmistakable voice, though always a pleasure to listen to, made it feel more like Lumley reading as herself than Grace telling her story.

Ultimately, while I appreciated the intention and ideas, I didn’t feel fully immersed or moved in the way I hoped - though I can absolutely see why it would resonate deeply with readers who connect to its tone and themes. show less

When I logged my entry for starting this book I noticed the rating. I try to ignore it as I realize that the books I love might not be the ones that others love and vice-versa.

But I think that a certain age needs to be reached before this book resonates with you. Grace is only two years older than I am. The sense of time, of aching loss, of mistakes made and the many, many roads not taken I think is only achieved by trudging through the decades. At my age it is very easy to see what Grace sees and to feel what she feels—particularly the loss of energy and the steady presence of pain.

Or perhaps one needs a certain love of nature to fully appreciate this book. In the end it is a book of love toward our natural world and the efforts show more needed to preserve it. Grace's journey is also our journey and as she awakens to the world around her it is easy to see all the beauty we often miss. show less

What a delightful book....almost as if the "killer" is our current President....we NEED a Grace in our world right NOW! There is so much in this book. I felt as though I had to absorb every word. Grace's "story" for Maurice, just as if she is writing to him, is so beautifully written. I really loved this book. Hmmm...just looking at other reviews...maybe you have to be a certain age to fully appreciate what Grace, well, Haig, is writing.... to the reader, as well as Maurice. I would suggest that those with less favorable reviews wait and read it again, when they are older.