Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell | Audiobook Review

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Two kids race to save the world’s last magical place in the first book of a landmark new fantasy series, from “a writer with an utterly distinctive voice and a wild imagination.” (Philip Pullman, author of The Golden Compass)
 
“An instant classic from one of the most gifted storytellers of our time, Impossible Creatures is an astonishing miracle of a book.” —Katherine Applegate, Newbery Medal Winner for The One and Only Ivan
 
The day that Christopher saved a drowning baby griffin from a hidden lake would change his life forever.
 
It’s the day he learned about the Archipelago—a cluster of unmapped islands where magical creatures of every kind have thrived for thousands of years, until now. And it’s the day he met Mal—a girl on the run, in desperate need of his help.
 
Mal and Christopher embark on a wild adventure, racing from island to island, searching for someone who can explain why the magic is fading and why magical creatures are suddenly dying. They consult sphinxes, battle kraken, and negotiate with dragons. But the closer they get to the dark truth of what’s happening, the clearer it becomes: no one else can fix this. If the Archipelago is to be saved, Mal and Christopher will have to do it themselves.
 
Katherine Rundell’s story crackles and roars with energy and delight. It is brought vividly to life with more than 60 illustrations, including a map and a bestiary of magical creatures.

Why Did I Listen To Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell?

There’s something about middle grade fantasy that really draws me in from time to time – so Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell caught my attention. Also, I am certainly not immune to hype. This book for sure had a lot of hype around the time I listened to it. As for going for the audiobook, I sampled a bit of the audiobook and was hooked on the narrator’s style. So, decision made, I had to experience this book via audio.

What’s The Story Here?

Impossible Creatures follows a boy named Christopher who is visiting his grandfather who is kind of reclusive when all these creatures come bursting through. Only, they are creatures that shouldn’t exist. They are the sort of creatures which only exist in stories. Yet, there they are. And on the heels of the creatures is a girl named Mal. Together, Christopher and Mal adventure together to find the truth of the Archipelago which is a magical cluster of islands with these impossible creatures, so to speak. There is quite the ship journey and quite the cast of characters – reminding me a smidge of the pirates in Treasure Planet. 

How Did I Like Impossible Creatures?

From what I remember, I really enjoyed this book. I am kicking myself for procrastinating writing this review for so long, though. I do remember really enjoying the writing style. Impossible Creatures truly feels classic. It feels like one of those stories that has always been around. I remember being really curious about Mal, because Mal is not from our world. Additionally, the different creatures are interesting as well. Otherwise, I do not remember a whole ton about this story. I think when the second book comes out, I may end up re-reading this with my eyes instead of my ears as a refresher.

How’s The Narration?

I may not remember the plot, but I certainly remember Samuel West’s narration. The appeal to me is that the narration really reminded me of Jim Dale’s voice. So, I found that I was in a good place for listening to a fantasy middle grade book, as this felt so familiar. West is a superb narrator – easy to listen to – and with a storybook quality to his voice. The audiobook is 8 hours and 50 minutes long, which was a perfect length for the story.

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April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

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