Impossible Creatures opens with a bestiary of gorgeous mythological beasts, both traditional and invented by Rundell, and then plunges immediately into a fast-paced adventure with characters relatable and colourful -- Christopher comes from our own world, and is the unwitting heir to a guardianship he knew nothing about, while Mal comes from the walled-off Archipelago, a hidden part of our world where the magical creatures live. Mal herself is another unwitting heir to a weighty legacy. Helping these two young people in their quest are an array of supporting cast, human and not human, but in the end, Christopher and Mal have to reach deep to stop the leaking of magic from the other realm.
This is a novel I wish I'd written myself -- vivid, moving, pacy and magical. It's wonderful stuff.
