Reviews with content warning for Terminal illness - We All Want Impossible Things

I am floored by this book. The pacing is immaculate. I was not sure about this book, it's not my typical read. I did this as a Story Graph genre challenge.

I thought the narrator of the audiobook did a fantastic job. Some of the best narration-acting I've ever listened to. The story is almost dreamlike in it's structure and the author moves between time and space so effortlessly. The humor is wonderful. The heart break is palpable. The main character is a mess with such detailed idiosyncrasies. A perfect, and sad yet heart warming, slice of life book.

Update: 2nd read through - still an amazing book. The way the author writes is spellbinding. I laughed and cried again. This might be my favorite book - at no point am I bored or think the characters are out of character or the plot is unbelievable. I'm firmly sat in the story, immersed.

Content Warnings

growliegrl's review

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Laughing hysterically to sobbing to laughing to sobbing. This book is poignant and witty

Content Warnings

jen_again's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

sam_is_reading's review

Go to review page

emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Content Warnings

ambersbakesandbooks's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Content Warnings

strawberrymivvy's review

Go to review page

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This isn't the kind of book I would generally pick up, but I was intrigued having heard a radio interview with the author.

It's a sensitive, witty, thought-provoking, sad (so many adjectives!) look at hospice care and the last few weeks of a young-ish woman's life. A story of two friends who have grown up together and how they work through the last few weeks.

Really well-written and highly recommended

Content Warnings

kgeogheghan's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

The story centers around two lifelong best friends - Ash and Edi. Edi has terminal cancer, and is spending her final days in a hospice close to Ash. I still can't quite grasp choosing to leave your husband and child behind to move to a hospice miles away, closer to your best friend, but each to their own. It's a emotional story of death and bereavement, but I didn't warm to Ash, which made this a difficult read.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

Content Warnings

More...