My reactions when reading this book: Oh, intriguing, where is this going? Interesting way of framing the narrative, as a novel-length reply to an email… Why has this woman left Grace Winters a house in Ibiza? Liking the descriptions of Ibiza, clearly the author knows the place well… Story becoming very mysterious, I’m keen to read on… Hmm, what will she find in the ocean? Woah, this is strange. In a good way, I think? Oh, hang on… it’s getting a bit New Age for me. Ugh, all these descriptions of how everything tastes and people’s thoughts in minute detail. If Grace Winters repeats one more time that she’s in her seventies, I will scream. AAAARGHH! I’ve got over halfway through and have put the book down for two days, but I’m not abandoning it after this far. Hey, the lobsters have escaped! This paragraph will be my highlight of the book. Not liking any of the characters although I think I’m supposed to… Skipping all this nebulous philosophy stuff… I like it when books are strange, but edgy / dark strange. OK, I’m skim-reading the rest, fed up of the book now. The ending, yuck. I’m disappointed, but perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised, as the only Matt Haig book I have really enjoyed is How to Stop Time, which is one of my favourite reads of the last few years.

In summary, I found it impossible to love The Life Impossible, but you might find it very possible!

Published in 2024.