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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
I loved The Midnight Library, so of course I could not skip a new book by Matt Haig. However unlike The Midnight Library I cannot say that I fully enjoyed The Life Impossible. The premise is interesting. Grace Winters, an older lady struggling with loneliness and life regrets, inherits a house in Ibiza, left to her by an old friend she had not seen in decades. She decides to check the house out and from that point onwards our adventure starts. The positive is that the plot is good, and there are some exciting moments and a few funny ones too that made me smile.
Nevertheless, the book is way longer than it needed to be. The dialogues sometimes feel forced, and there are several repetitions, where we read about a few anecdotes again and again, several times often with little added information. The supernatural forces that dominate the story give this book a new dimension, however the author then overly relies on them to take shortcuts. One instance that irritated me was the use of these forces to explain character changes, when really there was opportunity to lay solid foundations for character development, particularly in the case of Grace.
I love a happy ending, but I feel that the way things always turn out for the better is a bit cliche in this case. I finished the book because I was curious about the ending, but then even after the climax of the story, we were given pages and pages of post-ending information which in some cases needn't be told.
Nevertheless, the book is way longer than it needed to be. The dialogues sometimes feel forced, and there are several repetitions, where we read about a few anecdotes again and again, several times often with little added information. The supernatural forces that dominate the story give this book a new dimension, however the author then overly relies on them to take shortcuts. One instance that irritated me was the use of these forces to explain character changes, when really there was opportunity to lay solid foundations for character development, particularly in the case of Grace.
I love a happy ending, but I feel that the way things always turn out for the better is a bit cliche in this case. I finished the book because I was curious about the ending, but then even after the climax of the story, we were given pages and pages of post-ending information which in some cases needn't be told.
Good story, quick read but a little heavy handed for me
emotional
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Drug use, Infidelity, Medical content
Minor: Cancer, Cursing, Mental illness, Suicide, Terminal illness, Vomit, Alcohol
emotional
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Mental illness, Medical content
Minor: Animal death, Cursing, Drug use, Vomit, Alcohol
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
WOW! Matt Haig never ceases to amaze me with his work. This is especially touching after reading his Reasons to Stay Alive and knowing what Ibiza means to him, and I LOVE the overlapping messages of all his books. I literally got this from the library yesterday and have finished it already, it was such a great read and I will for sure be taking time to enjoy the small things
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Sobbing. The timing is perfect, this is what I needed in my life rn, and I'm currently sobbing.
All seriousness though, this was recommended to me by my therapist of all people so when it started turning sci-fi and not old-lady-finds-new-life I was super surprised. That being said, I loved the storyline. I was kept on my toes the whole time (except for one thing that was predictable). Just one complaint I have is that the writing style was very cheesy sometimes.
All seriousness though, this was recommended to me by my therapist of all people so when it started turning sci-fi and not old-lady-finds-new-life I was super surprised. That being said, I loved the storyline. I was kept on my toes the whole time (except for one thing that was predictable). Just one complaint I have is that the writing style was very cheesy sometimes.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A story of grief, hope, and adventure. It left room for plenty of self reflection. At times repetitive, but it didn’t bother me. I loved the magic of it all.