Review – Impossible Creatures

I was extremely lucky to be sent a beautiful exclusive, signed proof of this, but I have also bought the even more stunning finished copy. All views and opinions are my own.

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 fantasy was something new from her – what would it be like? How would it compare to her previous adventures?

The answer of course is that it’s more than their equal; each book seems to get better than the last, when this wouldn’t have seemed possible on finishing its predecessor. Indeed, I’m already desperate to see where she takes us in the second book in this series…but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

This is a book about Mal, about Christopher and about a secret world of impossible creatures. All those mythical creatures you’ve heard about? They’re not mythical, they’re just hidden in the Archipelago – a sealed off, hidden part of the world, guarded by glimourie… and by Christopher’s grandad Frank.

Mal lives there with her aunt Leonora, Gelifen – the last and best Griffin – and a magical coat given to her on her naming day which allows her to fly with the winds. Everything is fine – until someone arrives to try and murder Mal, and until Christopher finds himself in her part of the world helping her escape from a murderer whilst also investigating the mysterious deaths illness and movements of so many of the creatures there.

And so begins what, in most writers’ hands would be the start of a thrilling, magical adventure, but which Rundell takes to an entirely new level of awe and wonder and emotion.

There has been much hype about this book, and many comparisons to Pullman, which I have to join the chorus for; it’s quite spectacularly written, with clever references, subtle nods, whispers, symbols and imagery from all sorts of places – classic literature (both children’s and adults, especially “one of your old poets, John Dun, John something”), mythology, religion, storytelling traditions, our current world and climate, and of course a wealth of imagination.

It is written with a rare tenacity and wit, and it has that most marvellous quality that all Rundell’s books have in that it has such respect for its young readers; it dumbs nothing down, yet retains a playfulness, humour and snot-level that sees an understanding of the adventurers being swept along in its pages. It is also one of the bravest books for children I’ve read – there are some fabulous (and devastating) twists and the ending might just be one of the finest endings to a children’s book (to any book?) I’ve read. I didn’t dare think she’d do it, but she did. And it elevates the entire book yet again.

Illustration by Tomislav Tomíc

There are creatures you’ll have heard of, creatures you won’t inhabiting this book – fascinating, terrifying, cute, wild, powerful, shrewd, elegant, magnificent, dangerous… all beautifully depicted and described in the Bestiary at the beginning of the book; Tomislav Tomíc’s illustrations are the perfect accompaniment to Rundell’s text, as is the stunning map by Virginia Allyn and that incredibly striking cover art from Daniel Egneus.

Illustration by Virginia Allyn

As with all the best adventures, there’s a quest and a journey and danger and the best of adventuring partners – Nighthand and Irian are the perfect pair to join Mal and Christopher, and I always cheer to see an adult of some sort brought in on the action rather than them all being off dying or working or invisible somewhere.

And Nighthand and Irian are exactly the sort of adults you’d want – a fearless, gruff Beserker and a quietly practical scientist (who, forgive me for mentioning Pullman once more couldn’t help but remind me somewhat of Mary Malone). Ratwin must also be mentioned here, as must the wonderful Jac, but I shall say no more on Jac so as not to give the game away; suffice to say he is small but mighty and may be my favourite from the book!

I love this book so much. It is unquestionably my book of the year. I am already bursting to reread it and to read the next in the series, which I need IMMEDIATELY.

This is an impossibly dazzling book, written by an impossibly erudite author, illustrated by some impossibly skilled artists. It’s phenomenal.

And hearing Katherine speak at the launch was something else -what a way with words she has!