Impossible Creatures
Paperback Published on: 29/08/2024
Price: £8.99
Bookseller Reviews
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Transcendentally Beautiful
This book !!!!! I don’t think I’ll be able to fully articulate just how much I adored this but I will do my very best. With Impossible Creatures, Rundell h... READ MORE
Destined to be a Classic!
I don't think I can describe just how much I loved this novel - there are some books that instantly feel like a future classic, and this is definitely one!... READ MORE
This was without a doubt the best children's book I've read in a very long time - and I'm a children's bookseller.
Katherine Rundell has brought this magical realm to life and with such effortless style, I absolutely adored everything about it. The found family, the cre... READ MORE
A fabulous start to a magical new series!
I was lucky enough to receive a gorgeous limited edition of this book, pre-publishing. As someone who doesn't read middle grade fiction often, it has to be... READ MORE
Not just for kids!
Like with His Dark Materials, this is a book that is too good to be restricted to just the children's section - absolutely everyone has to read Impossible ... READ MORE
Impossibly wonderful - my book of the year!
Where to begin with this book?
I knew, as soon as a new Katherine Rundell children’s book was announced, that it would be special. They always are. But fa... READ MORE
Completely amazing. Without doubt the best children's book in years- a landmark publication.
This is just amazingly brilliant ! She is certainly up there with Pullman as a genius. I can't wait for the next in the series. A writer of rare talent.
My... READ MORE
An Instant Classic!
A gift that children and adults alike will treasure. Rundell's writing is as magical as the mythical creatures she writes about. Be whisked away to a fanta... READ MORE
A captivating, magical adventure!
A magical, mystical adventure story that had me captivated from the first page! Even though it is aimed at younger readers, this is for anyone who loves fa... READ MORE
Literary perfection
Honestly, the review by Jacqueline Wilson summed it up best - 'a book to read in a day that lasts a lifetime'.
Every single sentence is so perfectly cra... READ MORE
This is a beautiful tale to cherish. I can't wait for children today to grow up & read it again afresh & realise how much this book has always been a part of them.
I know Katherine Rundell is an excellent author of many talents, this exceeded my expectations as there were a few shocks that rattled me as I usually know... READ MORE
Children's literature at its finest
I'm not really a reader of fantasy but this book might have changed my mind. I quickly fell in love with both Mal and Christopher and almost can't explain ... READ MORE
A Whole Lightning Storm Of Imagination.
I wish this book existed when I was 10, 11, 12.
Even at 34, this sparked my imagination and had me falling down internet rabbit holes. Who knew the biza... READ MORE
A total must read!
An absolute delight from the very first sentence to the last words. So many wonderful discoveries await within its covers.
A determined and brave boy, a ... READ MORE
Incredible, just incredible…
I have finished this wonderful book on the bus home tonight with tears streaming down my face. To be honest I didn’t realise how emotionally invested in th... READ MORE
Truly amazing!
I received a sample chapter of this book through work and loved it, so was excited to read the whole book. I am pleased to say that it lived up to the pro... READ MORE
I need to scream about this book into the atmosphere!
I wish I had had this book growing up as it's exactly what little old me would have devoured. The characters were fun and meaningful, the world was vibrant... READ MORE
A well deserved award
I have loved reading this book from the very first page to the last. The writing is beautiful and the world is spectacular. The story was so entertaining, ... READ MORE
An instant classic
Impossible creatures is truly a once-in-a-decade kind of book - without a doubt the most incredible and unique book I’ve read in a very long time.
When I ... READ MORE
Brimming with wonder and magic!
A tale of love, courage, and friendship, this spellbinding story had me gripped from start to finish. This epic fantasy transports you to the magical world... READ MORE
One to keep!
Hooked by the first line! It’s plain to see why this won Waterstones Book of the Year 2023. A magical fantasy story, up there with the likes of Lord of th... READ MORE
Like rediscovering Narnia afresh!
A terrific fantasy for children young and old, this wonderful novel from one of literature's brightest stars is an absolute delight. Full of imagination, a... READ MORE
Read this at any age
Read this, no matter your age. It is beautiful and stunning and truly wonderful. I was captivated, it made me feel like a child again. I bought it for both... READ MORE
I want to read this book again, and again!
Has a children's book ever made you cry (in the best way possible)?
I want to read this book again, and again!
Full of adventure, suspense and beaut... READ MORE
The new high bar in children's fantasy
This is exactly what kids fantasy should be, packed full of wonder, heart, excitement and an absolute tonne of magical beasts.
Katherine Rundell, I am p... READ MORE
An Instant Classic
Bestselling author of ‘The Explorer’ and ‘Rooftoppers’, our former NFBOTM ‘The Golden Mole’ and winner of last year’s BOTY for this title, Katherine Rundel... READ MORE
A total delight to read at any age!
It’s rare as an adult to find a book that gives you the same simple pleasure in reading that you remember from childhood, but Impossible Creatures did it f... READ MORE
A perfect read for everyone
A future classic in the making and a brilliant tale for all ages. An expansive new world from the brilliant mind of Katherine Rundell that is filled with a... READ MORE
Certainly not just for children - a magical masterpiece
This was exactly what I always want from a middle-grade book which is adventure, whimsy and escapism, but with stakes and emotional depth. The protagonists... READ MORE
My favourite book of 2023
‘Impossible Creatures’ follows a boy and girl from two different worlds who come together in order to figure out why the magic from one of their worlds is ... READ MORE
An adventure like no other
A truly captivating story! Not only did it have exceptionally written characters, but the creatures in this fantastical world have truly captivated my hear... READ MORE
I wish I had read this as a child
I wish I had read this when I was younger, as I can see younger me becoming obsessed with the Archipelago and all the creatures there- I think the Ratatosk... READ MORE
Bought as a bedtime story for my kids, and had me wanting to keep reading it once they'd gone to bed!
This book is a beautiful introduction to the fantasy genre for kids, and also won't fail to keep adults intrigued and wanting to turn the page. Katherine R... READ MORE
Shakes Fantasy's Old Bones
Rundell takes the ingredients of traditional fantasy storytelling, scraping the magic from Tolkien and Lewis and Le Guin, to create this wonderful, vibrant... READ MORE
I encourage everyone to give this a read!!
I loved this one so much!!! The world building was incredible and the range of mythical characters that we are introduced to and taught about in a beautifu... READ MORE
LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS BOOK!!
I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with this book so much, the characters, the Archipelago, the creatures - everything was so beautifully done. The plot ke... READ MORE
Absolutely magical!
It’s hard to put into words how much I enjoyed this book. Katherine Rundell works her magic in ways that I’ve not seen in children’s literature since I was... READ MORE
Very well deserved book of the year!!!!
I’m not sure this book needs more people screaming about it, but here I am anyway, a little late to the party!! This book was everything I expected it to b... READ MORE
Fantastic!
I became so engrossed in this book, I remember getting up at 5:30am on Saturday morning so I could try to finish reading it before work! The main character... READ MORE
Wow! I wish that this had been written when I was a child.
Wow! I wish that this had been written when I was a child. Katherine Rundell is a hugely talented writer on so many levels. What is most impressive is her ... READ MORE
Oh Wow, fabulous, magical, beautiful!
I absolutely adored Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell. Properly, completely swept away by it in that way only the very best children’s books can ma... READ MORE
Synopsis
'It was a very fine day, until something tried to eat him.'
A boy called Christopher is visiting his reclusive grandfather when he witnesses an avalanche of mythic creatures come tearing down the hill. This is how Christopher learns that his grandfather is the guardian of one of the ways between the non-magical world and a place called the Archipelago: a cluster of magical islands, where all the creatures we tell of in myth live and breed and thrive alongside humans. They have been protected for thousands of years from being discovered; now, terrifyingly, the protection has worn thin, and creatures are breaking through.
Then a girl, Mal, appears in Christopher’s world. She is in possession of a flying coat, is being pursued by a killer, and is herself in pursuit of a baby griffin. Mal, Christopher and the griffin embark on an urgent quest across the wild splendour of the Archipelago, where sphinxes hold secrets and centaurs do murder, to find the truth – with unimaginable consequences for both their worlds. Together the two must face the problem of power, and of knowledge, and of what love demands of us.
Publisher information
- Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
- ISBN: 9781408897430
- Number of pages: 384
- Dimensions: 194 x 128 x 22 mm
- Interest age: From 9 years
- Weight: 313g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
View allSuperb Children's Adventure Book. Myth, Magic and Wild, Wild Beauty
I love Katherine Rundell's children's books. They feel like the books I used to read and love when I was growing up, but updated and better for modern time... READ MORE
Astonishingly good
As well as the content on my social media pages being almost exclusively children’s book-related, the type of emails I receive is also heavily skewed by th... READ MORE
An instant classic
Absolutely superb, I couldn't put this down. I would say I would have loved it as a child but to be honest I loved it just as much now. There are shadows o... READ MORE
Children’s book of the year - stunningly original
Katherine Rundell is one of the most exciting, original and unpredictable of children's authors; every story she creates is set against a different backdro... READ MORE
Breathtakingly beautiful. Enchanting and exciting.
As far as children's adventure stories go... this is as good as it gets. A beautifully written tale of enchantment and bravery.
Thank you to NetGalley fo... READ MORE
Verified Purchase
A reading experience we could all do with
I really had my doubts, and I'm not ashamed to say it. This book arrived with a lot of hype, and a weight of expectation – including some that I brought up... READ MORE
fabulous
I have read all of Katherine rundell books and had to buy this one .it is absolutely fantastic would recommend
A perfect book
I don't say this often or lightly but this is a perfect book. It is comparable only to those other wonderfully vivid and otherwordly 'children's tales' tha... READ MORE
Amazing
The greatest book. Best I've read in a long time. Everyone should read this book.
Great start to new series!
Thank you to the publishers for this review copy, you always know you are in for a treat with Katherine Rundell.
This is a fabulous start to a new series.... READ MORE
Katherine Rundell strikes again!
Impossible Creatures is a hugely ambitious novel. Katherine Rundell has created an entire world and the detail in which she has done this is stunning. Alon... READ MORE
A future classic?
"Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell is definitely a really good book and at times I did find myself getting lost in the world. However, I feel as ... READ MORE
My granddaughters are going to love this
I bought two copies of this book for my young granddaughters, it will be a while until they are old enough to read it for themselves. However grandma thin... READ MORE
Thank you Katherine
Thank you Katherine for reminding me to read books for children. I had forgotten just how wonderful they can be.
When my children were younger I’d read t... READ MORE
Mal needs Christopher’s help to save all who live in the Archipelago.
Mal was a baby when she was given a cloak that would help her learn to fly. One day a stranger turns up and tries to kill her, she must escape. Christopher... READ MORE
Children's fantasy novel - quite good entertaining read.
Christopher from England and Mal from the Archipelago (where the mythical animals all live) are brought together on a quest to save both their worlds. Thi... READ MORE
Enjoyable, With Slight Reservations
Christopher Forrester was never supposed to go to his grandfather's house in Scotland but his dad, who was a little bit overprotective at the best of times... READ MORE
'Impossible Creatures' is a triumph of the genre - a wondrous, modern Odyssey.
"There was Tolkien, there is Pullman, and now there is Katherine Rundell" Michael Morpurgo.
This is quite some quote to grace the cover of 'Impossible ... READ MORE
A fantastic adventure, an inspiring read, and deliciously deep for those inclined
Inspired by an unfinished poem by John Donne ‘Metempsycosis’ this is the first in a new fantasy series that takes big philosophy and ‘distills’ (author’s w... READ MORE
Disappointed
I'm not sure where I went wrong with this book but my kids are I just did not get into it. I bought it because of all the hype and it being compared to To... READ MORE
Amazing book!
My 11 year old says: "Really good, excellent story and great characters. I hope there is a part 2!!"
We've had Lord of the ring and Harry potter, here the next classic book series
From the The first page to the last. This is probably one of, if not the greatest opening novels for a fantasy series. I have ever read. This is in the lik... READ MORE
Wonderful epic fantasy story
Christopher finds himself propelled into a world where myths are a reality, magical creatures exist on islands within the Archipelago and he is to one day ... READ MORE
Mystical creatures and heroes
Impossible Creatures by Katherine Randell is a delightful children’s book full of mystic creatures and two heroes that are on a mission to protect the Arch... READ MORE
Stunning
This story pulls you in from the very first line—what starts as a quiet visit to a grandfather turns into a whirlwind journey across a world of myths, mons... READ MORE
Witty and full of character!
This book was on my radar as some had referred to the writing as Pratchett-esc. I hesitated to start with as it was a children's book (although so are some... READ MORE
Wow! I wish that this had been written when I was a child.
Wow! I wish that this had been written when I was a child. Katherine Rundell is a hugely talented writer on so many levels. What is most impressive is her ... READ MORE