Researching historical creature accounts
Rundell spent hundreds of hours in the Bodleian and British Library consulting early encyclopedias, ancient manuscripts, and historical natural histories to find forgotten mythological creatures.
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Read Time
11 min read
Our age bandAges 10+ · Middle grade
Reader rating
4.5 · 3,273 Amazon ratings
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Impossible Creatures
Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell Review: A Landmark Fantasy Series Opener
Impossible Creatures is a #1 New York Times bestselling middle-grade fantasy novel by Katherine Rundell, illustrated by Ashley Mackenzie, in which two children — Christopher Forrester and Mal Arvorian — race across a hidden magical Archipelago to stop the fading of the world's magic and save its impossible creatures from extinction. Critics named it one of the Best Children's Books of the Year, calling it "a glorious fantasy adventure… brimming with intelligence, inventiveness and generosity of heart," and Kirkus Reviews, which awarded it a starred notice and placed it on its Best Books of 2024 list, called it "an epic fantasy with timeless themes and unforgettable characters." The first book in a planned trilogy, it arrives in a Yearling Deluxe paperback edition with stenciled edges.
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Best for
Middle-grade and adult readers aged 10 and up who want a serious, fully realised fantasy series with genuine moral stakes, a richly illustrated dual-protagonist quest, and a world dense with mythological creatures from global traditions.
Worth it if
You're ready to invest in an ambitious new fantasy trilogy that arrives with major critical validation on both sides of the Atlantic, and you want a book that pairs fast-moving adventure with real thematic weight and over 60 illustrations that bring its world to life.
Skip if
You're seeking the slow, contemplative world-immersion of Tolkien — critics note that action and momentum are Rundell's primary strengths, and the novel's grand themes are worn conspicuously enough that Kirkus flagged it as "more than a little full of itself."
What readers & critics say
Kirkus Reviews awarded the book a starred verdict and a place on its Best Books of 2024 list, calling it "an epic fantasy with timeless themes and unforgettable characters," while the New York Times noted it has prompted comparisons to Tolkien, Lewis, and Pullman, though it identified action rather than awe as Rundell's primary strength.
“Action, not awe, is Katherine Rundell's strong suit — the book has prompted comparisons to Tolkien, Lewis and Pullman.”
— nytimes.com4.5from 3,273 Amazon ratings— reader ratings, not a LuvemBooks score
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Impossible Creatures is Katherine Rundell's first full-fantasy novel and the opening volume of a planned trilogy, following Christopher Forrester and Mal Arvorian on an urgent quest across a hidden magical Archipelago to save the world's glimourie — and the impossible creatures that depend on it — from extinction. A #1 New York Times bestseller endorsed by Philip Pullman and Rick Riordan , it has earned a Waterstones Book of the Year in the UK, a starred Kirkus Reviews verdict, and according to Penguin Random House, the Wall Street Journal called it "a glorious fantasy adventure… brimming with intelligence, inventiveness and generosity of heart." It is the ideal choice for middle-grade and adult readers ready to invest in a serious, fully realised fantasy world — though readers seeking slow, contemplative world-immersion should note that momentum, not wonder, is Rundell's primary gear.
- Is it worth reading?
- By virtually every major critical measure, yes. Impossible Creatures is a #1 New York Times bestseller that won the Waterstones Book of the Year in the UK, earned a starred Kirkus Reviews verdict and a place on its Best Books of 2024 list, and was named one of the Wall Street Journal's Best Children's Books of the Year. Philip Pullman described Rundell as "a writer with an utterly distinctive voice and a wild imagination," and Rick Riordan recommended it heartily to readers of all ages. The key caveat is pacing: readers who want the slow, languorous world-immersion of Tolkien may find that Rundell prioritises momentum over contemplative wonder, and Kirkus also flagged that the novel can be "more than a little full of itself" in the way it wears its grand themes.
- Similar books
- Readers drawn to Impossible Creatures will find natural companions across a range of classic and contemporary fantasy. Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass is the most direct touchstone — Kirkus Reviews noted that Christopher and Mal's dual-protagonist structure is modelled on Lyra and Will from Pullman's His Dark Materials, with a similar sacrifice of innocence for experience. C. S. Lewis's The Magician's Nephew sits in the same Oxford children's fantasy tradition that Rundell consciously inhabits. For mythologically inventive middle-grade fantasy, Roshani Chokshi's Aru Shah and the End of Time offers a similar spirit, and Rick Riordan — who enthusiastically recommended Impossible Creatures — makes it a natural bridge to The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien for readers ready to go deeper into the epic fantasy tradition. For something quieter but with a similarly powerful sense of the magical and untamed, David Almond's Skellig rewards the same reader.
- Who should read this?
- Impossible Creatures is best suited to committed middle-grade readers aged 10 and up who are ready for a serious, fully realised fantasy series with real moral stakes and a large cast. It is particularly strong for lovers of magical creatures, fairy tales, and quest-driven narratives — Rick Riordan singled out animal-lovers, lovers of magic, and fans of fairy tales as its core audience. Adults who read widely in children's fantasy will find it equally rewarding. Readers who want slow, contemplative world-building in the Tolkien mould, or who are wary of epic fantasy that announces its grand themes boldly, may want to adjust expectations.
- What age is it for?
- Best for ages 10 and up. Kirkus Reviews places the book squarely in the 10–16 age range, and the publisher recommends it from Grade 5 onward. The novel's large cast, dense creature-lore, quest mythology, and themes of sacrifice and moral conviction suit confident readers who are ready to track accumulating complexity; younger readers at the lower end of the range may find it demanding. Adults who enjoy children's fantasy will find it equally rewarding — Rick Riordan recommended it to readers of all ages.
- About Katherine Rundell
- Katherine Rundell is an English author and academic.
- Does the book have illustrations?
- Yes — Impossible Creatures is extensively illustrated. Ashley Mackenzie contributed more than 60 illustrations throughout the book, along with a map of the Archipelago and a full bestiary of the magical creatures that populate the islands. This visual and physical depth was specifically praised by critics and contributes significantly to the world's tangibility. The Yearling Deluxe paperback edition also features stenciled edges.
- Has it won any awards?
- Impossible Creatures has an impressive awards record. In the UK it won the Waterstones Book of the Year; it debuted as a #1 New York Times bestseller in the US; Kirkus Reviews awarded it a starred verdict and placed it on its Best Books of 2024 list; and according to Penguin Random House, the Wall Street Journal named it one of the Best Children's Books of the Year. Philip Pullman and Rick Riordan have both publicly endorsed it, and it earned major critical recognition on both sides of the Atlantic upon publication.
Summarize this book
Is it worth reading?
Who should read this?
What age is it for?
About Katherine Rundell
Does the book have illustrations?
Has it won any awards?
Summarize this book
Impossible Creatures opens when Christopher Forrester, a boy from the ordinary world, travels to Scotland to stay with his grandfather, discovers a forbidden hill, and learns that his family are guardians of a passage to the Archipelago — a cluster of unmapped islands where magical creatures have thrived for thousands of years, sustained by glimourie, the world's magic flowing from the Glimourie Tree. There he meets Mal Arvorian, a girl from the islands who carries a flying coat and a baby griffin and is being pursued by a murderer. Together they race across the Archipelago — consulting sphinxes, battling kraken, negotiating with dragons, and travelling alongside a part-nereid woman, a ratatoska, and a Berserker — to reach the Immortal, the only being capable of reversing the draining of the glimourie. If they fail, magic and the creatures that depend on it will be lost entirely.
Follow up
Is there a sequel?
What magical creatures appear in the book?
What are the main themes?
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Impossible Creatures is a #1 New York Times bestseller and the opening volume of a planned trilogy — a fully realised middle-grade fantasy that has drawn comparisons to Tolkien, Lewis, and Pullman while staking out its own distinct territory.
Front cover featuring colorful artwork of figures among fantastical creatures and vibrant landscapes in orange, blue, and green tones.
What the Book Is and What Happens
Christopher Forrester, a boy from the ordinary world, travels to stay with his grandfather in Scotland, ventures up a forbidden hill, and discovers that his family are guardians of the passage to the Archipelago — a cluster of unmapped islands where magical creatures have thrived for thousands of years, sustained by glimourie, the world's magic, which flows from the Glimourie Tree at the Archipelago's heart. There he meets Mal Arvorian, a girl from the islands who is in possession of a flying coat and a baby griffin and is being pursued by a murderer.
Together they embark on an urgent quest across the Archipelago — consulting sphinxes, battling kraken, negotiating with dragons, and travelling with a part-nereid woman, a ratatoska, and a Berserker — to find the Immortal, the only being capable of reversing the draining of the glimourie. As one passage the book itself puts it, their journey is driven by the desire "to protect something worth protecting" and an "insistence that the world is worth loving."
The novel's central stakes are clear and large: if Mal and Christopher fail, the magic of the world — and the creatures that depend on it — will be lost entirely.
Interior illustration: a giant octopus with writhing tentacles emerges from turbulent water, embodying an impossible creature.
Place in the Genre and Rundell's Literary Context
Impossible Creatures represents a deliberate departure for Rundell: it is her first work of full fantasy, and her sixth novel for middle-grade readers. As critics noted, her previous novels contain fanciful elements, but this is the book where she steps fully into the tradition of Oxford's illustrious children's fantasy authors — a tradition that has prompted critics to place her alongside Tolkien and Lewis.
Rundell is a Fellow of St. Catherine's College, Oxford, and her non-fiction biography of John Donne, Super-Infinite, won the Baillie Gifford Prize; she has also received the British Book Award for Book of the Year and Author of the Year. Impossible Creatures became an instant bestseller in Britain upon its original publication and won the Waterstones Book of the Year.
Philip Pullman, whose His Dark Materials trilogy is the most direct touchstone for the book's dual-protagonist structure and themes of sacrifice, described Rundell as "a writer with an utterly distinctive voice and a wild imagination."
Front cover featuring vibrant orange and blue artwork with a red mythical creature and decorative border pattern.
What the Book Does Well
Interior illustration spread showing a winged creature in a fantastical forest setting, accompanying narrative text about adventure and wonder.
The novel's worldbuilding is one of its most praised qualities. Its Archipelago is populated with an inventive bestiary — sphinxes, kraken, ratatoska, dragons, centaurs — and the book includes more than 60 illustrations by Ashley Mackenzie, a map, and a full bestiary of magical creatures, giving the world a physical and visual density.
Critics praised the book as "brimming with intelligence, inventiveness and generosity of heart," and Kirkus Reviews highlighted Rundell's skill in equipping her protagonists with both tangible tools — a casapasaran that always points home, a glamry blade that cuts through anything — and intangible ones rooted in moral conviction. Rick Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson series, recommended it heartily to readers of all ages, particularly animal-lovers, lovers of magic, and fans of fairy tales.
Critics, in assessing Rundell's broader body of work, identified her grand theme as "the vital necessity of wildness" — a description that fits Impossible Creatures precisely.
Interior spread from Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell: child watching white unicorn and fantastical creatures running down a hillside toward a dark lake
Genuine Limitations and Who May Be Frustrated
For all its ambition, the book is not without its tensions. Critics observed that action, not awe, is Rundell's strong suit — the novel moves at pace and prioritises momentum over contemplative wonder, which may disappoint readers expecting the languorous world-immersion of Tolkien.
Kirkus Reviews, while awarding the book a starred verdict and a place on its Best Books list, also noted in a separate assessment that the novel can be "ultimately more than a little full of itself" — a fair caution for readers wary of epic fantasy that wears its grand themes conspicuously. The novel's scale and the density of its creature-lore and quest-structure also mean it rewards committed readers willing to track a large cast and accumulating mythology; younger or more casual readers at the lower end of the recommended age range may find the complexity demanding.
Interior illustration from Impossible Creatures: A large octopus with textured tentacles attacking a small sailing vessel in turbulent water, rendered in grayscale
Who *Impossible Creatures* Is Genuinely For
Interior spread from Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell: open book pages with text and a sketch of a horned hare, leather binding visible
Kirkus Reviews places the book squarely in the 10–16 age range, and the publisher recommends it for readers from Grade 5 upward. It is designed for young readers ready for a serious, fully realised fantasy series — one with real stakes, moral weight, and a protagonist duo structured, as Kirkus observed, in the tradition of Lyra and Will from Pullman's His Dark Materials, sacrificing innocence for experience.
Adults who read widely in children's fantasy will find it equally rewarding; Riordan explicitly recommended it to readers of all ages. As the first of three books, it is an ideal entry point for readers looking to invest in a new long-form fantasy world — one that arrives already validated by major critical recognition and a robust reception on both sides of the Atlantic.
Interior spread from Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell: orange patterned background with white stars, cream-colored text box on left page, winged lion-like creature illustration on right page
Sources & Further Reading
The key facts and claims in this review are grounded in the retrieved, verified sources listed below.
- Cited in this review
- 1
rcwlitagency.com
- 2
shakespeareandcompany.com
- 3
penguinrandomhouse.com
- Further reading
- 4
Katherine Rundell, LuvemBooks
- 5
kirkusreviews.com
- 6
- 7
bookloverssanctuary.com
- 8
ethicsandculture.com
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
blogthatnobodyknows.com
- 13
dearstrangethings.substack.com
- 14
Age & Reading Level
Our age band
Ages 10+
Reading level
Middle grade
Amazon listing
Ages 9+ (set by customers) · Grade 5–6
Our age band groups books for browsing; it isn't an age a review gave.
Tropes
chosen one
From how readers describe it, not our own reading.
2 content notes · who it suits
Content to know about
peril and pursuit — a murderer hunts the protagonists
high-stakes creature and world extinction themes
Best for: Ages 10+ — large cast, accumulating mythology, and themes of sacrifice suit confident middle-grade readers; the publisher and Kirkus place the floor at Grade 5 / age 10
Skip if you want slow, contemplative world-immersion over action-driven momentum
Katherine Rundell on Impossible Creatures
Katherine Rundell sits down with Waterstones to discuss the world, creatures, and themes of Impossible Creatures.
Uploaded by Waterstones, 2023 · Watch on YouTube ·
The book's conservation message
Rundell highlights a key scene where a sphinx reminds the protagonist that creatures in our world could also vanish and become myths if not protected.
The voice of Jacques the jaculus
Rundell based the jaculus on Pliny's description of a tiny tree dragon and gave him the personality of an 1800s academic who has lost a bet at the races.
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