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All That Impossible Space
Amelia Westlake meets My Favorite Murder in this debut from a terrific new voice in Australian YA. Combines a realistic story about high school drama and toxic friendship with true crime - the endlessly fascinating Somerton Man or Taman Shud mystery.
15-year-old Lara Laylor feels like supporting character in her own life. She's Ashley's best friend, she's Hannah's sister-she's never just Lara.
When new history teacher Mr. Grant gives her an unusual assignment: investigating the mystery of the Somerton Man. Found dead in on an Adelaide beach in 1948, a half-smoked cigarette still in his mouth and the labels cut out of his clothes, the Somerton Man has intrigued people for years. Was he a spy? A criminal? Year 10 has plenty of mysteries of its own: boys, drama queen friends, and enigmatic new students. When they seem just as unsolvable as a 60-year-old cold case, Lara finds herself spending more and more time on the assignment. But Mr Grant himself may be the biggest mystery of all...
Interspersed with fictionalised snapshots of the Somerton Man investigation, ALL THAT IMPOSSIBLE SPACE is a coming of age novel exploring toxic friendships and the balance of power between teacher and student, perfect for fans of Cath Crowley and Fiona Wood.
15-year-old Lara Laylor feels like supporting character in her own life. She's Ashley's best friend, she's Hannah's sister-she's never just Lara.
When new history teacher Mr. Grant gives her an unusual assignment: investigating the mystery of the Somerton Man. Found dead in on an Adelaide beach in 1948, a half-smoked cigarette still in his mouth and the labels cut out of his clothes, the Somerton Man has intrigued people for years. Was he a spy? A criminal? Year 10 has plenty of mysteries of its own: boys, drama queen friends, and enigmatic new students. When they seem just as unsolvable as a 60-year-old cold case, Lara finds herself spending more and more time on the assignment. But Mr Grant himself may be the biggest mystery of all...
Interspersed with fictionalised snapshots of the Somerton Man investigation, ALL THAT IMPOSSIBLE SPACE is a coming of age novel exploring toxic friendships and the balance of power between teacher and student, perfect for fans of Cath Crowley and Fiona Wood.
280 pages, Paperback
First published June 25, 2019
8 people are currently reading
488 people want to read
About the author
Anna Morgan
2 books20 followersAnna was born in Sydney, but spent most of her childhood surrounded by mountains in Nepal and Tibet while her parents were part of an international community of health professionals. Navigating this cross-cultural life made her a curious observer of people, although most of her time was spent reading Enid Blyton and dreaming of going to boarding school. This did not cushion the shock of shifting from home-school in Tibet to an all-girls high school in Melbourne when her family returned to Australia. ALL THAT IMPOSSIBLE SPACE explores some of the intense and convoluted friendships that thrive in this setting. Anna completed a MA in Writing for Young People at Bath Spa University in 2015, and now lives in Melbourne with her husband. She works as a bookseller.
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December 5, 2019
All That Impossible Space by Anna Morgan
Fiction compliments Non-Fiction in this creative and well-written YA read. I loved it!
This story was more than I expected, I don’t doubt that you will google 'The Somerton Man' after you’ve read the book or maybe during, like I did.
Set in Melbourne and Adelaide, Australia, this is an engaging and addictive high school drama involving toxic friendships, a musical, low key family issues and true crime.
The characters are very realistically portrayed and I found the story really fascinating, especially the intriguing study of The Somerton Man.
Drama teacher Mr David Grant gives 15-year-old Lara an unusual history assignment investigating the mystery of The Somerton Man who was found dead on an Adelaide beach in 1948 and is still to this day an unsolved case. He had on him a small piece of paper in a hidden pocket from a Persian poetry book, The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Mr Grant also has a few secrets of his own to hide.
The story is cleverly populated with interesting and relatable characters. Anna Morgan did an amazing job at interweaving the mystery and the characters relationships. Written at a great pace, a recommended read!
Overall a story about finding yourself while you are trying to find someone else.
Many thanks to Hachette Australia for a copy of the book
Fiction compliments Non-Fiction in this creative and well-written YA read. I loved it!
This story was more than I expected, I don’t doubt that you will google 'The Somerton Man' after you’ve read the book or maybe during, like I did.
Set in Melbourne and Adelaide, Australia, this is an engaging and addictive high school drama involving toxic friendships, a musical, low key family issues and true crime.
The characters are very realistically portrayed and I found the story really fascinating, especially the intriguing study of The Somerton Man.
Drama teacher Mr David Grant gives 15-year-old Lara an unusual history assignment investigating the mystery of The Somerton Man who was found dead on an Adelaide beach in 1948 and is still to this day an unsolved case. He had on him a small piece of paper in a hidden pocket from a Persian poetry book, The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Mr Grant also has a few secrets of his own to hide.
The story is cleverly populated with interesting and relatable characters. Anna Morgan did an amazing job at interweaving the mystery and the characters relationships. Written at a great pace, a recommended read!
Overall a story about finding yourself while you are trying to find someone else.
Many thanks to Hachette Australia for a copy of the book
July 14, 2019
Lara Laylor has always been an afterthought, living in the shadow of her popular and enigmatic sister Hannah or best friend Ash, an aspiring Broadway actress. With Hannah travelling through Europe trying to find herself, Ash convinces Lara to join the annual Saint Margaret's College musical in conjunction with the local boys school. Lara's real passion is athletics, the freedom of running her own race in the crisp morning air and to perform in the school's production of Cinderella, she'll put her own needs aside for Ash. Again.
Ash and Lara have been friends since primary school, Ash coming to her rescue while Lara was having an asthma attack. Over the years, their friendship has bloomed but now becoming increasingly toxic. Ash is often fuelled by jealousy which results in her abrasive behaviour towards teachers, Lara and new student Kate, who has befriended Lara. Ash will often make decisions for both herself and Lara and lacking in confidence, Lara continuously looks to Ash for validation and approval.
When young history teacher David Grant begins at Saint Margaret's with his fondness for rule breaking and exchanges of ideas as equals, Lara feels she may have found a kindred spirit and throws herself into the group assignment, the mystery of the Somerton Man. The case of the Somerton Man has captivated Australia since the late forties, a deceased man found on the beach in South Australia. No identification. No possessions. A cigarette hanging out of his mouth and the labels removed from his clothing. His cause of death was undetermined and the mystery deepens as they found a small piece of paper in his pocket torn from a Persian novel, The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. The case still remains unsolved.
While Lara is navigating new friendships, a new crush and a demanding best friend, her new history teacher suddenly becomes his own mystery and disappears. The school refuses to provide Lara with any information. Frustrated and seeking answers, Lara begins to delve deeper into the Somerton Man mystery, believing the Somerton Man case may be why David Grant disappeared. Naturally Lara wants to know what happened to the new teacher despite those around her unable to understand the connection she felt towards David Grant. It wasn't a romantic relationship by any means but rather made Lara feel valued as an individual and not as Hannah's sister or Ash's friend.
The writing is spectacular, blending a contemporary narrative of friendship and finding your individuality with a decades old unsolved mystery entwined. It's incredibly genuine. I think we've all known an Ash growing up and experienced the varying levels of a toxic and codependent friendship, from backhanded compliments to outright hostility. I really enjoyed Lara's budding romance Jos, both Jos and Kate were wonderful supporting characters and I appreciated that they were able to become friends and that friendship existed independently from their friendships with Lara. It was a lovely touch. The writing itself was captivating and honest, it held an authenticity that Australian authors create so incredibly, without needing to dramatise the teen experience.
I absolutely loved it and now obsessed with the Somerton Man myself. Tamám Shud.
Ash and Lara have been friends since primary school, Ash coming to her rescue while Lara was having an asthma attack. Over the years, their friendship has bloomed but now becoming increasingly toxic. Ash is often fuelled by jealousy which results in her abrasive behaviour towards teachers, Lara and new student Kate, who has befriended Lara. Ash will often make decisions for both herself and Lara and lacking in confidence, Lara continuously looks to Ash for validation and approval.
When young history teacher David Grant begins at Saint Margaret's with his fondness for rule breaking and exchanges of ideas as equals, Lara feels she may have found a kindred spirit and throws herself into the group assignment, the mystery of the Somerton Man. The case of the Somerton Man has captivated Australia since the late forties, a deceased man found on the beach in South Australia. No identification. No possessions. A cigarette hanging out of his mouth and the labels removed from his clothing. His cause of death was undetermined and the mystery deepens as they found a small piece of paper in his pocket torn from a Persian novel, The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. The case still remains unsolved.
While Lara is navigating new friendships, a new crush and a demanding best friend, her new history teacher suddenly becomes his own mystery and disappears. The school refuses to provide Lara with any information. Frustrated and seeking answers, Lara begins to delve deeper into the Somerton Man mystery, believing the Somerton Man case may be why David Grant disappeared. Naturally Lara wants to know what happened to the new teacher despite those around her unable to understand the connection she felt towards David Grant. It wasn't a romantic relationship by any means but rather made Lara feel valued as an individual and not as Hannah's sister or Ash's friend.
The writing is spectacular, blending a contemporary narrative of friendship and finding your individuality with a decades old unsolved mystery entwined. It's incredibly genuine. I think we've all known an Ash growing up and experienced the varying levels of a toxic and codependent friendship, from backhanded compliments to outright hostility. I really enjoyed Lara's budding romance Jos, both Jos and Kate were wonderful supporting characters and I appreciated that they were able to become friends and that friendship existed independently from their friendships with Lara. It was a lovely touch. The writing itself was captivating and honest, it held an authenticity that Australian authors create so incredibly, without needing to dramatise the teen experience.
I absolutely loved it and now obsessed with the Somerton Man myself. Tamám Shud.
June 28, 2019
WIN a copy here: https://bookdout.wordpress.com/2019/0... Entries close July 5th 2019
Anna Morgan’s contemporary young adult novel, All That Impossible Space, is an engaging debut exploring the themes of identity, friendship, family, and coming-of-age, framed by the enigmatic mystery of Somerton Man.
I was vaguely aware of the Somerton Man case before reading All That Impossible Space, and it was one of the main reasons that I was persuaded to read the novel. Given the current popularity of true crime, evidenced by podcasts such as My Favorite Murder (which I personally enjoy), and the plethora of documentaries on streaming services such as Netflix, it’s a savvy inclusion from the author. The Somerton Man case cleverly reflects Lara’s search for her own identity, as someone other than Hannah’s sister, and Ashley’s best friend. This in part explains her attachment to Mr Grant, who as a new teacher has no knowledge of Hannah’s accomplishments, and acknowledges Lara as an individual, rather than part of ‘AshleyandLara’.
I appreciated Morgan’s realistic portrayal of her characters. My teenagers are all of a similar age and I feel Lara, Ashley, Kate and Jos demonstrated appropriate attitudes and behaviours for their age group, which isn’t always the case in young adult fiction.
There would be few among us who wouldn’t be familiar with a ‘friend’ like Ashley, and Morgan skilfully portrays the codependent dynamic of their toxic relationship. I really liked that the author showed how difficult it was for Lara to extricate herself from the situation, struggling with her sense of loyalty to Ashley, and not wanting to hurt her feelings. The author underscores how destructive the friendship is by contrasting it with Lara’s interactions with Kate, the new girl, and Jos, the love interest.
Lara’s issues with her family are relatively benign for the genre, but I liked that Morgan showed that family problems don’t have to be dramatic (eg abuse, drugs, neglect etc) to have an effect on a teen’s sense of self. Lara’s parents are loving but have in a way lost sight of her, focused on her sister’s drama, even in Hannah’s absence. It’s clear Lara misses her sister, who is travelling on a gap year, but is also hurt by Hannah’s lack of communication.
I enjoyed All That Impossible Space, particularly the thoughtful examination of teen friendships and the intriguing study of Somerton Man (be prepared to fall down that rabbithole when you are done reading).
“Tamám Shud”
#AllThatImpossibleSpace Blog Tour
Anna Morgan’s contemporary young adult novel, All That Impossible Space, is an engaging debut exploring the themes of identity, friendship, family, and coming-of-age, framed by the enigmatic mystery of Somerton Man.
I was vaguely aware of the Somerton Man case before reading All That Impossible Space, and it was one of the main reasons that I was persuaded to read the novel. Given the current popularity of true crime, evidenced by podcasts such as My Favorite Murder (which I personally enjoy), and the plethora of documentaries on streaming services such as Netflix, it’s a savvy inclusion from the author. The Somerton Man case cleverly reflects Lara’s search for her own identity, as someone other than Hannah’s sister, and Ashley’s best friend. This in part explains her attachment to Mr Grant, who as a new teacher has no knowledge of Hannah’s accomplishments, and acknowledges Lara as an individual, rather than part of ‘AshleyandLara’.
I appreciated Morgan’s realistic portrayal of her characters. My teenagers are all of a similar age and I feel Lara, Ashley, Kate and Jos demonstrated appropriate attitudes and behaviours for their age group, which isn’t always the case in young adult fiction.
There would be few among us who wouldn’t be familiar with a ‘friend’ like Ashley, and Morgan skilfully portrays the codependent dynamic of their toxic relationship. I really liked that the author showed how difficult it was for Lara to extricate herself from the situation, struggling with her sense of loyalty to Ashley, and not wanting to hurt her feelings. The author underscores how destructive the friendship is by contrasting it with Lara’s interactions with Kate, the new girl, and Jos, the love interest.
Lara’s issues with her family are relatively benign for the genre, but I liked that Morgan showed that family problems don’t have to be dramatic (eg abuse, drugs, neglect etc) to have an effect on a teen’s sense of self. Lara’s parents are loving but have in a way lost sight of her, focused on her sister’s drama, even in Hannah’s absence. It’s clear Lara misses her sister, who is travelling on a gap year, but is also hurt by Hannah’s lack of communication.
I enjoyed All That Impossible Space, particularly the thoughtful examination of teen friendships and the intriguing study of Somerton Man (be prepared to fall down that rabbithole when you are done reading).
“Tamám Shud”
#AllThatImpossibleSpace Blog Tour
June 10, 2019
This book was so addictive, I finished it in all of a day- and enjoyed it greatly! I think the author did an absolute riveting job presenting the mystery of The Somerton Man, who's body was found slumped on the Beach of the same name (hence the collective title of the mystery) and she blended fact with her own fiction so intricately!
A huge thank you to AusYABloggers for allowing me to be a part of this blog tour and to Hachette Australia for providing me with a copy of this book to review! Full review to come upon my posting date for the blog tour.
A huge thank you to AusYABloggers for allowing me to be a part of this blog tour and to Hachette Australia for providing me with a copy of this book to review! Full review to come upon my posting date for the blog tour.
March 17, 2021
"Maybe to be human, with all our friendships and connections and thoughts and fears and joys, is to be a web of unsolvable mysteries."
******************
3/3/20
Will this better better than the last book I read starring Mr Somerton? Looking at you Cedar Valley.
April 2, 2025
All That Impossible Space by Anna Morgan is a young adult novel about Lara Laylor, a teenage girl in Year 10 at a school in Melbourne. It doesn't sound like the type of book I usually read does it? But when I tell you Lara's history teacher gives each of his students an unsolved mystery from history as part of an assignment and Lara chooses the Somerton Man, you can see the instant appeal.
The Somerton Man was an unidentified man found dead on a beach in Somerton Park near Glenelg, Adelaide in December 1948. He didn't have any ID and the labels on all of his clothing had been removed. His cause of death couldn't be determined, but he died propped up and reclining with his legs crossed which made him look like he was resting or sleeping with a cigarette in his hand. Police circulated a photo of the man's corpse in suit and tie in an effort to identify him but his remains were never claimed. A plaster death mask was also taken of his body from the shoulders up prior to burial to assist in identification. This cast still includes hairs from his body which have since been DNA tested.
Adding to the mystery, a tiny scrap of paper with the printed words 'Tamám Shud' (meaning it is finished or it is done) was found rolled up in his pocket. The scrap had been torn from the page of a book which was eventually handed into Police after being found on the front seat of a car. What are the chances? The book had a series of letters inscribed in the back which have never been decoded as well as a phone number. The phone number was traced back to a nurse who lived 400m from where the Somerton Man's body was found but denied knowing him.
In the novel, Lara researches the mystery of the Somerton Man and considers the theories he was a European immigrant or a spy. Lara is ultimately glad the nurse chose to keep any knowledge she had to herself but I was yelling at the page while enjoying the reports and testimonials about the case interspersed throughout her first person narrative.
Naturally, the assignment takes a back seat as Lara negotiates problems in her social life, auditions for the school musical, deals with the absence of her older sister and looks into the mystery disappearance of her history teacher.
All That Impossible Space by Anna Morgan is a young adult epistolary coming of age novel but I'll admit being mostly there for the connection to the Somerton Man. Who do you think he was? I think he was a spy and knew the nurse.
The Somerton Man was an unidentified man found dead on a beach in Somerton Park near Glenelg, Adelaide in December 1948. He didn't have any ID and the labels on all of his clothing had been removed. His cause of death couldn't be determined, but he died propped up and reclining with his legs crossed which made him look like he was resting or sleeping with a cigarette in his hand. Police circulated a photo of the man's corpse in suit and tie in an effort to identify him but his remains were never claimed. A plaster death mask was also taken of his body from the shoulders up prior to burial to assist in identification. This cast still includes hairs from his body which have since been DNA tested.
Adding to the mystery, a tiny scrap of paper with the printed words 'Tamám Shud' (meaning it is finished or it is done) was found rolled up in his pocket. The scrap had been torn from the page of a book which was eventually handed into Police after being found on the front seat of a car. What are the chances? The book had a series of letters inscribed in the back which have never been decoded as well as a phone number. The phone number was traced back to a nurse who lived 400m from where the Somerton Man's body was found but denied knowing him.
In the novel, Lara researches the mystery of the Somerton Man and considers the theories he was a European immigrant or a spy. Lara is ultimately glad the nurse chose to keep any knowledge she had to herself but I was yelling at the page while enjoying the reports and testimonials about the case interspersed throughout her first person narrative.
Naturally, the assignment takes a back seat as Lara negotiates problems in her social life, auditions for the school musical, deals with the absence of her older sister and looks into the mystery disappearance of her history teacher.
All That Impossible Space by Anna Morgan is a young adult epistolary coming of age novel but I'll admit being mostly there for the connection to the Somerton Man. Who do you think he was? I think he was a spy and knew the nurse.
June 27, 2019
Originally posted at my blog.
--
My personal measure of a book’s quality is whether a) I read it in one sitting, or b) if it compelled me to stay up ridiculously late to finish reading it. All That Impossible Space achieved BOTH. I wouldn’t have started it at 9pm at night if I had any idea it would keep me up past midnight, but I have no regrets!
What I marveled over the most is how quickly I became invested even though on the surface, the storyline is pretty chill, there’s no huge bombshells with surprise pregnancies or sudden deaths or melodrama to punch up the plot. The central mystery of the Somerton Man isn’t a life-or-death puzzle that needs to be solved in a race against time. So that’s why I thought this would be a simple book that I could wind down with for an hour or so before going to bed AND YET.
I found myself gripped right from the start despite the comparatively low stakes – yes, this is definitely a cozy comfort read, but it’s also super addictive and sneakily hooks you in! It would’ve been so easy for the author to veer into a more sensationalized version of this book (especially in the subplot with Mr Grant), but instead she relied on crafting realistic likable characters and graceful elegant storytelling to reel the audience in. There were numerous times I stopped to re-read a turn of phrase that stood out to me or wince at a passage that hit particularly close to home.
And that was a big part of the appeal to me – our protagonist Lara is so agonizingly relatable. I’ve been in her shoes, I’ve lived through many of her experiences! The toxic friendship with Ashley was very well-portrayed as a frustratingly real dynamic that so many girls are a part of and struggle to escape. Reading about Lara making herself smaller and reshaping her identity in order to retain Ash’s friendship was so sad, but I loved seeing her growth throughout the story as she finds her own feet and starts to define herself as an individual in spite of other people’s expectations.
In case you’re wondering if the sole appeal is because I saw myself reflected in Lara, fret not! It definitely elevated the reading experience because of how closely I related to Lara in some of the social aspects, but I’m totally the opposite of this athletic history nerd second child songstress! It’s more that the author has skillfully depicted universal teenage themes that every one of us has been through, and created a protagonist who is so earnestly endearing that you root for her whole-heartedly and want to see her succeed. Lara is a precious little bean I just want to squeeze and tell her that she IS good enough, damn it. I would’ve loved to have a friend like her in high school!
Moving on from Lara – all the other characters, no matter how small a role they played, were completely believable and three-dimensional. I had to check again that this was Anna Morgan’s debut novel because it stunned me how easy she made it look to populate the book with characters who were as interesting and frustrating and unpredictable as real human beings. No cliche stereotypes here and certainly no one-note antagonists! I really enjoyed that you would think you knew a character and then some new aspect would be revealed and it’s so true to life where you never really know someone 100%.
The growing friendship with new girl Kate, the blossoming romance with fellow castmate Jos, the funny postcards from globe-trotting Hannah…I was fully invested in all of these relationships. Mr Grant was a bit of a puzzle to me, I had a feeling where that plot thread was going and ended up being proven right, but it was very subtly woven and had me holding my breath and second-guessing myself. Musical director Ms Drummond was an utter delight, I cackled every time she made a scathing comment and honestly I kept picturing Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly in Devil Wears Prada, which made the whole thing even funnier. (“Lara Laylor, are you expecting the audience to call your name three times on opening night before you’ll make your entrance, or is that a privilege just for me?”)
Including snippets of Lara’s History assignment and fictionalized scenarios based on the Somerton Man mystery was such a unique and interesting stylistic choice. I’m not one for true crime, but I appreciated how it was incorporated here in service of Lara’s character arc and I also came to be curious about the mystery for its own sake. Some readers may not be a fan of the lack of closure towards the end, both with regards to the Somerton Man and Mr Grant, but I thought that the open ending felt more appropriate and realistic. We don’t always get the answers we want in life, but the important part is the journey we’ve gone through during the search.
As you can gather, I had an absolute blast reading this book – it’s heartwarming, thought-provoking, really funny (I loved the banter between the teens, and specifically the Harry Potter references!) and I’m so excited to see more from this author after such an impressive debut.
Disclaimer: Physical copy provided by the publisher free for an unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
--
My personal measure of a book’s quality is whether a) I read it in one sitting, or b) if it compelled me to stay up ridiculously late to finish reading it. All That Impossible Space achieved BOTH. I wouldn’t have started it at 9pm at night if I had any idea it would keep me up past midnight, but I have no regrets!
What I marveled over the most is how quickly I became invested even though on the surface, the storyline is pretty chill, there’s no huge bombshells with surprise pregnancies or sudden deaths or melodrama to punch up the plot. The central mystery of the Somerton Man isn’t a life-or-death puzzle that needs to be solved in a race against time. So that’s why I thought this would be a simple book that I could wind down with for an hour or so before going to bed AND YET.
I found myself gripped right from the start despite the comparatively low stakes – yes, this is definitely a cozy comfort read, but it’s also super addictive and sneakily hooks you in! It would’ve been so easy for the author to veer into a more sensationalized version of this book (especially in the subplot with Mr Grant), but instead she relied on crafting realistic likable characters and graceful elegant storytelling to reel the audience in. There were numerous times I stopped to re-read a turn of phrase that stood out to me or wince at a passage that hit particularly close to home.
And that was a big part of the appeal to me – our protagonist Lara is so agonizingly relatable. I’ve been in her shoes, I’ve lived through many of her experiences! The toxic friendship with Ashley was very well-portrayed as a frustratingly real dynamic that so many girls are a part of and struggle to escape. Reading about Lara making herself smaller and reshaping her identity in order to retain Ash’s friendship was so sad, but I loved seeing her growth throughout the story as she finds her own feet and starts to define herself as an individual in spite of other people’s expectations.
In case you’re wondering if the sole appeal is because I saw myself reflected in Lara, fret not! It definitely elevated the reading experience because of how closely I related to Lara in some of the social aspects, but I’m totally the opposite of this athletic history nerd second child songstress! It’s more that the author has skillfully depicted universal teenage themes that every one of us has been through, and created a protagonist who is so earnestly endearing that you root for her whole-heartedly and want to see her succeed. Lara is a precious little bean I just want to squeeze and tell her that she IS good enough, damn it. I would’ve loved to have a friend like her in high school!
Moving on from Lara – all the other characters, no matter how small a role they played, were completely believable and three-dimensional. I had to check again that this was Anna Morgan’s debut novel because it stunned me how easy she made it look to populate the book with characters who were as interesting and frustrating and unpredictable as real human beings. No cliche stereotypes here and certainly no one-note antagonists! I really enjoyed that you would think you knew a character and then some new aspect would be revealed and it’s so true to life where you never really know someone 100%.
The growing friendship with new girl Kate, the blossoming romance with fellow castmate Jos, the funny postcards from globe-trotting Hannah…I was fully invested in all of these relationships. Mr Grant was a bit of a puzzle to me, I had a feeling where that plot thread was going and ended up being proven right, but it was very subtly woven and had me holding my breath and second-guessing myself. Musical director Ms Drummond was an utter delight, I cackled every time she made a scathing comment and honestly I kept picturing Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly in Devil Wears Prada, which made the whole thing even funnier. (“Lara Laylor, are you expecting the audience to call your name three times on opening night before you’ll make your entrance, or is that a privilege just for me?”)
Including snippets of Lara’s History assignment and fictionalized scenarios based on the Somerton Man mystery was such a unique and interesting stylistic choice. I’m not one for true crime, but I appreciated how it was incorporated here in service of Lara’s character arc and I also came to be curious about the mystery for its own sake. Some readers may not be a fan of the lack of closure towards the end, both with regards to the Somerton Man and Mr Grant, but I thought that the open ending felt more appropriate and realistic. We don’t always get the answers we want in life, but the important part is the journey we’ve gone through during the search.
As you can gather, I had an absolute blast reading this book – it’s heartwarming, thought-provoking, really funny (I loved the banter between the teens, and specifically the Harry Potter references!) and I’m so excited to see more from this author after such an impressive debut.
Disclaimer: Physical copy provided by the publisher free for an unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 1, 2021
Trigger warnings: toxic friendships, murder (in the past), bullying, .
31/3/2021
I stand by everything I said last time. The end.
2/8/2019
This is an unusual book, being equal parts a straight up contemporary story about a 15 year old girl struggling with friendship issues and her changed family dynamic, and the story of the same 15 year old girl being given an assignment to research the case of the Somerton Man and forming a bond with her history teacher as a result.
As a history nerd from a very young age, I loved getting to see the characters engaging with history and becoming invested in doing research through being handed an assignment like this. But as a school employee, a solid chunk of my reading experience was "....................this is not how curriculum works" with a side of "uh, history teacher dude, you are ASKING for trouble here wtf are you doing??".
All of that being said, I loved the straight up contemporary side of the story as much as I loved the way history and true crime is woven into things. Lara is a delightful character and it's difficult to see her falling into line with whatever Ashley tells her to do, and struggling to deal with her older sister swanning off overseas and effectively creating a whole new life without her. I loved that the school musical is at the core of the story. I loved the friendship she develops with new girl, Kate, and the romance that crops up because they were both adorable.
I really liked the way things played out in the end although part of me feels like the whole thing could have been done without the disappearance of her teacher and the backstory that goes along with him. But that's probably a Me Thing more than a Book Thing.
31/3/2021
I stand by everything I said last time. The end.
2/8/2019
This is an unusual book, being equal parts a straight up contemporary story about a 15 year old girl struggling with friendship issues and her changed family dynamic, and the story of the same 15 year old girl being given an assignment to research the case of the Somerton Man and forming a bond with her history teacher as a result.
As a history nerd from a very young age, I loved getting to see the characters engaging with history and becoming invested in doing research through being handed an assignment like this. But as a school employee, a solid chunk of my reading experience was "....................this is not how curriculum works" with a side of "uh, history teacher dude, you are ASKING for trouble here wtf are you doing??".
All of that being said, I loved the straight up contemporary side of the story as much as I loved the way history and true crime is woven into things. Lara is a delightful character and it's difficult to see her falling into line with whatever Ashley tells her to do, and struggling to deal with her older sister swanning off overseas and effectively creating a whole new life without her. I loved that the school musical is at the core of the story. I loved the friendship she develops with new girl, Kate, and the romance that crops up because they were both adorable.
I really liked the way things played out in the end although part of me feels like the whole thing could have been done without the disappearance of her teacher and the backstory that goes along with him. But that's probably a Me Thing more than a Book Thing.
July 9, 2019
I'm fascinated by the Somerton Man case, and so when I heard there was a YA book based on it I was desperate to read it. I think All That Impossible Space is a brilliant mix - partly the story of Lara as she navigates her often difficult and toxic school life, and partly the story of the Somerton Man, which Lara becomes just as interested in as I am. I really enjoyed it, and I'm more bewildered by the Somerton Man's story than I was before. Please, someone solve it! (14+)
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. If you use it in any marketing material, online or anywhere on a published book without asking permission from me first, I will ask you to remove that use immediately. Thank you!*
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. If you use it in any marketing material, online or anywhere on a published book without asking permission from me first, I will ask you to remove that use immediately. Thank you!*
June 25, 2019
Thankyou to Hachette Australia for providing me with a copy of All that Impossible Space, in exchange for an honest review.
Lara is navigating her way through high school in year ten, dealing with a toxic friendship with her best friend Ash, rehearsing for a musical she didn’t want to be in, exploring her feelings for a boy she’s just met, plus a whole bunch of other stuff – not that her parents, or anyone, notice, because Lara is just Lara. Always in someone else’s shadow. On top of that, her new history teacher has handed her a real life mystery to try and solve, one that no-one else seems quite as invested in as she is.
All That Impossible Space combined teenage drama and a true mystery seamlessly. Lara’s friendship with Ash was infuriating (I always find it a little hard to relate when it comes to those sorts of toxic friendships, because I’m the type that has no problem walking away, but I do acknowledge that’s not the case for everyone), it was clear Lara felt as though she owed Ash something because Ash had ‘rescued her’ from a heartbreaking incident in primary school, but ugh, I hope if my daughter develops a friendship like that, I will take notice and tell her to get out of there!
Apart from toxic friendships, there were other interesting topics explored in the book too, such as finding where you fit in the world as a second child. Lara’s older sister’s reputation has teachers assuming she’s cut from the same cloth and her parents focus most of their time on Hannah, the more “teenagery” teenager, missing the fact that their quieter child might have issues to discuss too.
As well as the main mystery of the history assignment (a true crime case known as The Somerton Man), there was another underlying mystery involving the history teacher, Mr Grant. Although I saw the answer to that mystery coming, it still provided an extra level of intrigue to the story.
I’d recommend this one for lovers of high school mystery type books, like One of Us is Lying!
MY BLOG ~ INSTAGRAM
Lara is navigating her way through high school in year ten, dealing with a toxic friendship with her best friend Ash, rehearsing for a musical she didn’t want to be in, exploring her feelings for a boy she’s just met, plus a whole bunch of other stuff – not that her parents, or anyone, notice, because Lara is just Lara. Always in someone else’s shadow. On top of that, her new history teacher has handed her a real life mystery to try and solve, one that no-one else seems quite as invested in as she is.
All That Impossible Space combined teenage drama and a true mystery seamlessly. Lara’s friendship with Ash was infuriating (I always find it a little hard to relate when it comes to those sorts of toxic friendships, because I’m the type that has no problem walking away, but I do acknowledge that’s not the case for everyone), it was clear Lara felt as though she owed Ash something because Ash had ‘rescued her’ from a heartbreaking incident in primary school, but ugh, I hope if my daughter develops a friendship like that, I will take notice and tell her to get out of there!
Apart from toxic friendships, there were other interesting topics explored in the book too, such as finding where you fit in the world as a second child. Lara’s older sister’s reputation has teachers assuming she’s cut from the same cloth and her parents focus most of their time on Hannah, the more “teenagery” teenager, missing the fact that their quieter child might have issues to discuss too.
As well as the main mystery of the history assignment (a true crime case known as The Somerton Man), there was another underlying mystery involving the history teacher, Mr Grant. Although I saw the answer to that mystery coming, it still provided an extra level of intrigue to the story.
I’d recommend this one for lovers of high school mystery type books, like One of Us is Lying!
MY BLOG ~ INSTAGRAM
October 11, 2019
Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Brooklyn Saliba
Anna Morgan’s All That Impossible Space is so addictive and I finished it all in one day! I think the author did an absolute riveting job presenting the mystery of The Somerton Man, whose body was found slumped on the beach of the same name and she blended fact with her own fiction so intricately! In fact, my knowledge of The Somerton Man case is relatively non existent, but as soon as I heard about this book, I couldn’t wait to learn more.
I instantly adored Lara, our amazing main character and I initially really enjoyed the friendship between her and her best friend, Ash, although I must admit that I was slightly disappointed at the path that Ash took over the course of the novel, although I must admit I’m not altogether surprised. See, Lara has always been supportive of Ashley and she’d even knock back her own goals of wanting to run marathons and practice to instead audition for the school’s musical play, Into the Woods, which she ends up succeeding rather well in.
You start to see cracks forming in this close friendship with Ashley being unnecessarily spiteful when Lara grows closer to Kate, the new student at the school, and when the three of them team up to investigate the case of the Somerton Man, Ashley is rudely disrespectful of the opinions of the other two. I mean, she was never a hardcore history student and that’s fine, but she didn’t need to belittle Lara’s interest, or judge her for meeting with their history teacher, Mr Grant and sharing enthusiasm about the case.
It’s funny, I was totally surprised at the path that was taken too with Mr Grant’s character, but looking back, I should’ve realised that his actions towards Lara and his enthusiasm about the case that was assigned to them was slightly a bit too enthusiastic, even for someone who was clearly passionate about the case.
I loved how the author added case notes throughout the story, even if they were fictionalised accounts, I just feel like they tied together so well with the lead up and aftermath of the body being found on Somerton Beach. There were even a few pages from the gentleman who performed the autopsy on the man and I just thought that was so brilliant and emotionally constructed. It really added to the raw emotion of the fact that this man that could have been murdered, doubtful suicide, or possibly poisoned. However, no traces of poison in his system and no dental records matching his from anywhere in the US, UK, or Australia so he could well have just been a lone soul, navigating the waves and crashes of everyday life. I really enjoyed Lara’s own metaphor, stemmed from her own experience and panic about once being swept up in extremely strong currents when at the beach with her family.
Aside from the brilliant take on this eternally fascinating mystery,one of which I’ll definitely be looking at more information about!, I really enjoyed Lara’s friendships with Kate and Jos. All of their interactions were just so much fun and they could all be themselves with one another – I even thought Kate and Ash were becoming tolerant of one another. However, that’s really all down to a dodgy bully move from Ash, though I can definitely say Kate came out on top of that, and I definitely think Ash got what she deserved. It was just so unfortunate to see her turn into such a brat! The misery that she caused Lara at times was just awful!
Honourable mention to Hannah, Lara’s absent sister, who is most certainly still present even when she doesn’t initially appear throughout the story! Lara had always felt in her elder sister’s shadow, which was completely understandable, but I definitely enjoyed their scenes together. As for Lara’s parents, they were so loving, albeit sometimes distracted, and I can’t not mention Jos’ book hoarding tendencies! He’s even quoted (well, his mum is), saying that he rescues books from thrift stores, my bookish heart was very happy!
Overall, an outstanding debut from a refreshing and exceptionally talented author! I cannot wait to see what comes next from Anna Morgan! A huge thank you again to Hachette Australia and AusYABloggers for providing me with a copy of this book to review and for having me as part of this amazing tour!
Anna Morgan’s All That Impossible Space is so addictive and I finished it all in one day! I think the author did an absolute riveting job presenting the mystery of The Somerton Man, whose body was found slumped on the beach of the same name and she blended fact with her own fiction so intricately! In fact, my knowledge of The Somerton Man case is relatively non existent, but as soon as I heard about this book, I couldn’t wait to learn more.
I instantly adored Lara, our amazing main character and I initially really enjoyed the friendship between her and her best friend, Ash, although I must admit that I was slightly disappointed at the path that Ash took over the course of the novel, although I must admit I’m not altogether surprised. See, Lara has always been supportive of Ashley and she’d even knock back her own goals of wanting to run marathons and practice to instead audition for the school’s musical play, Into the Woods, which she ends up succeeding rather well in.
You start to see cracks forming in this close friendship with Ashley being unnecessarily spiteful when Lara grows closer to Kate, the new student at the school, and when the three of them team up to investigate the case of the Somerton Man, Ashley is rudely disrespectful of the opinions of the other two. I mean, she was never a hardcore history student and that’s fine, but she didn’t need to belittle Lara’s interest, or judge her for meeting with their history teacher, Mr Grant and sharing enthusiasm about the case.
It’s funny, I was totally surprised at the path that was taken too with Mr Grant’s character, but looking back, I should’ve realised that his actions towards Lara and his enthusiasm about the case that was assigned to them was slightly a bit too enthusiastic, even for someone who was clearly passionate about the case.
I loved how the author added case notes throughout the story, even if they were fictionalised accounts, I just feel like they tied together so well with the lead up and aftermath of the body being found on Somerton Beach. There were even a few pages from the gentleman who performed the autopsy on the man and I just thought that was so brilliant and emotionally constructed. It really added to the raw emotion of the fact that this man that could have been murdered, doubtful suicide, or possibly poisoned. However, no traces of poison in his system and no dental records matching his from anywhere in the US, UK, or Australia so he could well have just been a lone soul, navigating the waves and crashes of everyday life. I really enjoyed Lara’s own metaphor, stemmed from her own experience and panic about once being swept up in extremely strong currents when at the beach with her family.
Aside from the brilliant take on this eternally fascinating mystery,one of which I’ll definitely be looking at more information about!, I really enjoyed Lara’s friendships with Kate and Jos. All of their interactions were just so much fun and they could all be themselves with one another – I even thought Kate and Ash were becoming tolerant of one another. However, that’s really all down to a dodgy bully move from Ash, though I can definitely say Kate came out on top of that, and I definitely think Ash got what she deserved. It was just so unfortunate to see her turn into such a brat! The misery that she caused Lara at times was just awful!
Honourable mention to Hannah, Lara’s absent sister, who is most certainly still present even when she doesn’t initially appear throughout the story! Lara had always felt in her elder sister’s shadow, which was completely understandable, but I definitely enjoyed their scenes together. As for Lara’s parents, they were so loving, albeit sometimes distracted, and I can’t not mention Jos’ book hoarding tendencies! He’s even quoted (well, his mum is), saying that he rescues books from thrift stores, my bookish heart was very happy!
Overall, an outstanding debut from a refreshing and exceptionally talented author! I cannot wait to see what comes next from Anna Morgan! A huge thank you again to Hachette Australia and AusYABloggers for providing me with a copy of this book to review and for having me as part of this amazing tour!
July 18, 2019
I'm not even going to lie but I was surprised I liked this as much as I did. It's not really my genre: mystery however this novel was intertwined with contemporary particularly focusing on toxic friendships and on first loves.
The book is a #loveozya and set in both Melbourne and Adelaide surrounding the case of the Somerton Man in 1948 and of a young girl named Lara who is trying to discover more about him for an assignment given to her by her history teacher: Mr Grant. Who was he? How did he die? Did anyone know him? while juggling the struggles of year 10, the school musical production, her friend Ash and the mysterious new girl at school.
What can I say except I loved it? I honestly wished the book continued. I loved the characterisation of all the characters and how they all seemed the age they were portrayed to be. The book was said to be "Perfect for fans of Cath Crowley and Fiona Wood" and I can see that. I read Take Three Girls last year and I can definitely see the similarities between the two. There was a heap of content about toxic friendships turned to bullying and about standing up for yourself. I could even see the change in the characterisation of Lara and how she went from passive: quiet, shy and unwilling to speak her mind to make her friends happy to speaking up and being brave and confident.
Also I loved how the case of the Somerton Man was left unsolved. In YA or books in general mysteries tend to be solved. Even when they are real life mysteries the author makes some sort of ending that seems logical or makes sense to the murder/disappearance etc. But with All That Impossible Space Anna Morgan didn't try to tie loose ends and I really respected her for that. Come on, the best mysteries are left unsolved (because then we'd get a heap of Buzzfeed Unsolved Episodes ;) )
All in all, a wonderful debut. I loved it so much and wished for it to continue! I can't wait to discuss this with my book club later this month!
ACTUAL RATING: 4.5 STARS
The book is a #loveozya and set in both Melbourne and Adelaide surrounding the case of the Somerton Man in 1948 and of a young girl named Lara who is trying to discover more about him for an assignment given to her by her history teacher: Mr Grant. Who was he? How did he die? Did anyone know him? while juggling the struggles of year 10, the school musical production, her friend Ash and the mysterious new girl at school.
What can I say except I loved it? I honestly wished the book continued. I loved the characterisation of all the characters and how they all seemed the age they were portrayed to be. The book was said to be "Perfect for fans of Cath Crowley and Fiona Wood" and I can see that. I read Take Three Girls last year and I can definitely see the similarities between the two. There was a heap of content about toxic friendships turned to bullying and about standing up for yourself. I could even see the change in the characterisation of Lara and how she went from passive: quiet, shy and unwilling to speak her mind to make her friends happy to speaking up and being brave and confident.
Also I loved how the case of the Somerton Man was left unsolved. In YA or books in general mysteries tend to be solved. Even when they are real life mysteries the author makes some sort of ending that seems logical or makes sense to the murder/disappearance etc. But with All That Impossible Space Anna Morgan didn't try to tie loose ends and I really respected her for that. Come on, the best mysteries are left unsolved (because then we'd get a heap of Buzzfeed Unsolved Episodes ;) )
All in all, a wonderful debut. I loved it so much and wished for it to continue! I can't wait to discuss this with my book club later this month!
ACTUAL RATING: 4.5 STARS
January 31, 2021
We are so blessed with Australian YA literature. I completely devoured this book. Not only was the writing of such a high, enjoyable, addicting quality, but the story and mystery itself grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. I loved the connection between Lara and the Somerton Man, how she could apply so many things to her own life and work out the toxic parts there to free herself and be happy. Everything about it was just so good, and I loved sinking back into an Australian high school experience again - even all it’s nervousness and awkwardness.
June 23, 2019
I enjoyed this book so much!! Fiction meets non fiction are the most interesting books to read and this one was written perfectly! The Somerton man was a mystery I’d heard of in the past and it was such an amazing twist on a murder mystery. Highly recommend this book!!!
July 29, 2019
This one was a quick read. Very well paced, and some great twists and turns. A real nostalgia trip in many ways.
May 21, 2019
Okay, so you’ve finished reading a Karen McManus novel (One of Us is Lying) or an Alice Pung (Laurinda) and your left with that ‘OMG-I need-another-juicy-story-or-I’ll-die-waiting’ feels? Well, look no further because ‘All That Impossible Space’ by Anna Morgan will astound you. I was instantly hooked by the first page.
I love when new authors come out with a bang, and you know the future of publishing will continue to thrive. Well, thank you Anna Morgan for bringing us this delightful story.
Other than scary, growing up can be traumatic and wonderful all at once, and for our main girl Lara Laylor, surviving high school has been somewhat easy. Lara is an ambitious runner who, besides acting in as the responsible younger sister, Lara lives in the shadows of her toxic best-friend Ashley, a dominating character that utilises possession to take advantage of Lara’s homely-self. Basically, without Ash, Lara wouldn't of had a shield to protect her from the big and bad world of unhealthy friendships and no social life. However, after Ash scams Lara into auditioning for the school’s musical production, and Lara accepts an assignment about the Somerton Man from the inscrutable new teacher, Mr Grant, Lara is swept into a world of mystery, murder and irreversible change. And sometimes, we must experience the worst in order to see the best in ourselves and what we truly deserve.
The underlying message is about facing your fears and challenging yourself in new ways, and that to reach for the stars and fully blossom into our true selves, we mustn’t allow others to pull us down. The people we choose to surround ourself with should ultimately make us rise above, rather than discourage us from being the person we want to be. And this theme of ‘discovery’, ‘coming-of-age’ and ‘relationships’, are cleverly expressed in the novel that will have our YA audience asking for more books with the same contemporary subculture vibe and flare we get from ‘All That Impossible Space’.
I love when new authors come out with a bang, and you know the future of publishing will continue to thrive. Well, thank you Anna Morgan for bringing us this delightful story.
Other than scary, growing up can be traumatic and wonderful all at once, and for our main girl Lara Laylor, surviving high school has been somewhat easy. Lara is an ambitious runner who, besides acting in as the responsible younger sister, Lara lives in the shadows of her toxic best-friend Ashley, a dominating character that utilises possession to take advantage of Lara’s homely-self. Basically, without Ash, Lara wouldn't of had a shield to protect her from the big and bad world of unhealthy friendships and no social life. However, after Ash scams Lara into auditioning for the school’s musical production, and Lara accepts an assignment about the Somerton Man from the inscrutable new teacher, Mr Grant, Lara is swept into a world of mystery, murder and irreversible change. And sometimes, we must experience the worst in order to see the best in ourselves and what we truly deserve.
The underlying message is about facing your fears and challenging yourself in new ways, and that to reach for the stars and fully blossom into our true selves, we mustn’t allow others to pull us down. The people we choose to surround ourself with should ultimately make us rise above, rather than discourage us from being the person we want to be. And this theme of ‘discovery’, ‘coming-of-age’ and ‘relationships’, are cleverly expressed in the novel that will have our YA audience asking for more books with the same contemporary subculture vibe and flare we get from ‘All That Impossible Space’.
January 18, 2021
If it wasn't given to me, I never would have picked up a book about a white teenage girl going to a private school in a western country. I can't say reading this book has changed that for the future.
However, it's an easy fast read, it's well-written and there is a decent attempt at characterisation. It's just that there is only so much to care about when the characters are who they are:
Lara, the second daughter who feels invisible, gives way too much to a pushy best friend and gets obsessed with a history assignment about a mysterious man.
Kate the new girl with an artistic streak who teaches her about friendship.
Jo's the new boyfriend, Ash the pushy best friend, Hannah the rebellious older sister on her gap year, etc.
How much can you really feel for those characters considering they're the same ones that have dominated media for eons?
So the verdict is, I did enjoy this book. I thought the quality was high for what it was. But I wouldn't have picked it up and I don't recommend it, because these characters don't need any help, they're probably already in the books and movie that are in front of you right now.
P.S: All that being said, the history assignment itself, based on the real mystery of the Somerton man was the most interesting thing about the book. So much so, that I'm finishing this review to go google related facts for the indeterminable future!
However, it's an easy fast read, it's well-written and there is a decent attempt at characterisation. It's just that there is only so much to care about when the characters are who they are:
Lara, the second daughter who feels invisible, gives way too much to a pushy best friend and gets obsessed with a history assignment about a mysterious man.
Kate the new girl with an artistic streak who teaches her about friendship.
Jo's the new boyfriend, Ash the pushy best friend, Hannah the rebellious older sister on her gap year, etc.
How much can you really feel for those characters considering they're the same ones that have dominated media for eons?
So the verdict is, I did enjoy this book. I thought the quality was high for what it was. But I wouldn't have picked it up and I don't recommend it, because these characters don't need any help, they're probably already in the books and movie that are in front of you right now.
P.S: All that being said, the history assignment itself, based on the real mystery of the Somerton man was the most interesting thing about the book. So much so, that I'm finishing this review to go google related facts for the indeterminable future!
September 15, 2019
Super digestible, original YA read that was perfectly entertaining and light while still dealing with some real issues. Loved the way the Somerton man mystery was woven through the story, although the ending required more than a little suspension of disbelief to bring the two plots together. Lara was a likeable and interesting heroine who rang true for me, and Jos a wholesome love interest. I loved the way the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, while not specifically referenced, came alive through the author’s confident familiarity with the landscape. I’d have no issues recommending this story and its characters to my students, knowing they’d probably gain some great insight and perspective from it, while still finding it totally relatable. If I have one criticism, it’s that this novel needed one last proof-read for minor inconsistencies that 99% of readers wouldn’t pick up on, but that caused minor irritation for a consistency-stickler like myself. Also, and probably only because I’m a teacher, I found the way the school initially dealt with the staffing issue somewhat sketchy, but understood the need to use a little creative licence for the sake of plot progression. Can’t wait to read whatever you write next, Morgs.
August 11, 2019
A heart-warming story about finding yourself while you're trying to find someone else.
I really enjoyed the different layers of this story. The mystery of the Sommerton Man, the disappearance of Lara's History teacher (I picked that coming), and the friendships; the terrible and the sweet.
Obviously the story of the Sommerton Man remains a mystery as it has for 70 years, but I loved reading the little excerpts about him, and Anna Morgan's creative interpretation to some of the elements of the story were a lovely addition. And the way his story was seamlessly weaved into the current day one to create the overarching theme was beautifully done.
I really enjoyed the different layers of this story. The mystery of the Sommerton Man, the disappearance of Lara's History teacher (I picked that coming), and the friendships; the terrible and the sweet.
Obviously the story of the Sommerton Man remains a mystery as it has for 70 years, but I loved reading the little excerpts about him, and Anna Morgan's creative interpretation to some of the elements of the story were a lovely addition. And the way his story was seamlessly weaved into the current day one to create the overarching theme was beautifully done.
August 10, 2019
A compelling read that was wonderfully written, with Morgan seamlessly blending an Australian coming of age story with true crime. I would definitely recommend for any fans of Melina Marchetta.
June 15, 2019
My bookshop assistant friend gave me an advance reader copy of this because she knows I'm into YA genre. Also, I'm acquainted with the author Anna Morgan through an online writers group so I was very curious to read her debut novel.
All That Impossible Space did not disappoint.
The story is spun around the real life unsolved mystery of the Somerton Man (Look it up! It's really interesting). Lara becomes obsessed with finding out his identity but the author has cleverly used this device to mirror Lara's own inadequacies. With a pushy best friend and a talented older sister, Lara feels like a supporting character in her own life.
That all changes when her sister Hannah takes off for a gap year, leaving Lara to navigate a starring role in a high school musical, a new friendship with Kate the artist and her budding romance with musical co-star, Jos.
Lara's search for her identity is genuine, funny and quintessentially Australian. I could relate to so much of her experiences in a fancy, private girl high school. I thoroughly enjoyed the realistic characterisation of Lara, Kate and Ash. I often feel that characters in YA novels are aged up so that they act too much like uni students in their early twenties (the new teens category) rather than fifteen or sixteen year olds.
I'm not sure who first said Pride and Prejudice is a novel about manners but that is exactly what I feel a contemporary YA should be at its heart. Yes, it can have fantasy, adventure and mystery elements but the drawing card for this genre is about young people growing up and learning to how to act, experimenting with 'good' and 'bad' behaviour, being true to yourself while navigating impossible spaces.
Anna Morgan's debut novel wraps a coming-of-age story within a murder mystery. It puts me in the mind of Gone Home, a beautiful narrative game about two sisters and a spooky house (look that one up to... because readers should be gamers and this is a great game to start on). Some hardcore crime fiction fans might be disappointed at its openendedness but in my opinion, this is the perfect blend of YA and mystery.
All That Impossible Space did not disappoint.
The story is spun around the real life unsolved mystery of the Somerton Man (Look it up! It's really interesting). Lara becomes obsessed with finding out his identity but the author has cleverly used this device to mirror Lara's own inadequacies. With a pushy best friend and a talented older sister, Lara feels like a supporting character in her own life.
That all changes when her sister Hannah takes off for a gap year, leaving Lara to navigate a starring role in a high school musical, a new friendship with Kate the artist and her budding romance with musical co-star, Jos.
Lara's search for her identity is genuine, funny and quintessentially Australian. I could relate to so much of her experiences in a fancy, private girl high school. I thoroughly enjoyed the realistic characterisation of Lara, Kate and Ash. I often feel that characters in YA novels are aged up so that they act too much like uni students in their early twenties (the new teens category) rather than fifteen or sixteen year olds.
I'm not sure who first said Pride and Prejudice is a novel about manners but that is exactly what I feel a contemporary YA should be at its heart. Yes, it can have fantasy, adventure and mystery elements but the drawing card for this genre is about young people growing up and learning to how to act, experimenting with 'good' and 'bad' behaviour, being true to yourself while navigating impossible spaces.
Anna Morgan's debut novel wraps a coming-of-age story within a murder mystery. It puts me in the mind of Gone Home, a beautiful narrative game about two sisters and a spooky house (look that one up to... because readers should be gamers and this is a great game to start on). Some hardcore crime fiction fans might be disappointed at its openendedness but in my opinion, this is the perfect blend of YA and mystery.
July 28, 2024
Five stars wasn’t enough for this book. It deserves so many more.
I binged it in a day, and it left me feeling more satisfied than any of the other books I’ve read in the last few months.
I don’t even know where to start. The thing that’s coming to mind is the absolutely adorable romance that takes place during this book, but that’s so not the main point, I’m just a sucker for romance.
The main character is gorgeous. A beautifully written person with wants and needs and skills and strengths and weaknesses that build and shape her into someone who reminds me of me in so many ways while also being someone I’m almost nothing like. And her relationships with parents, siblings, and her “friends” (and her friends too) just hit a chord somewhere that means something very special that I can’t put into words.
This book is stunning and engaging and beautiful and painful in all the best ways. If you’re a high school student or a parent or anyone in between this book is something that I would highly recommend, and I hope you find a little piece of yourself in it, and maybe learn something new and important along the way.
I binged it in a day, and it left me feeling more satisfied than any of the other books I’ve read in the last few months.
I don’t even know where to start. The thing that’s coming to mind is the absolutely adorable romance that takes place during this book, but that’s so not the main point, I’m just a sucker for romance.
The main character is gorgeous. A beautifully written person with wants and needs and skills and strengths and weaknesses that build and shape her into someone who reminds me of me in so many ways while also being someone I’m almost nothing like. And her relationships with parents, siblings, and her “friends” (and her friends too) just hit a chord somewhere that means something very special that I can’t put into words.
This book is stunning and engaging and beautiful and painful in all the best ways. If you’re a high school student or a parent or anyone in between this book is something that I would highly recommend, and I hope you find a little piece of yourself in it, and maybe learn something new and important along the way.
July 23, 2019
All That Impossible Space is an interesting well written YA contemporary with complex characters, relatable moments and an intriguing mystery at its core. I loved this book by Australian debut author Anna Morgan and at times found it impossible to put down. I liked how she wrote about toxic friendships, high school, family, first love and growing up in the shadow of a sibling.
Despite growing up in Adelaide I didn’t know that much about the Somerton Man, a true Australian mystery of an unidentified man found dead at Somerton beach in 1948. It was interesting learning about the theories surrounding the case and Anna Morgan did a great job at blending the facts with fiction.
I really liked Lara Laylor, a year 10 student who is looking into the Somerton Man mystery for a history assignment. She is also dealing with the sudden departure of her sister Hannah and growing apart from her best friend Ashley. I liked how Anna Morgan showed how toxic the friendship was from the start and how it keeps growing throughout the story.
The book also deals with the teacher-student relationship and how the line can be blurred between innocence and inappropriate behaviour. To Lara she thinks Mr Grant likes her as a student and is understandably angry when he suddenly disappears without an explanation. To her, he was a great teacher who was interested in her theories. As she becomes more obsessed in solving both mysteries, it helps her to navigate her own problems. So, it was sad when the truth finally came out about Mr Grant and how it caused her to rethink her interactions.
Overall, I loved this book and highly recommend it.
Despite growing up in Adelaide I didn’t know that much about the Somerton Man, a true Australian mystery of an unidentified man found dead at Somerton beach in 1948. It was interesting learning about the theories surrounding the case and Anna Morgan did a great job at blending the facts with fiction.
I really liked Lara Laylor, a year 10 student who is looking into the Somerton Man mystery for a history assignment. She is also dealing with the sudden departure of her sister Hannah and growing apart from her best friend Ashley. I liked how Anna Morgan showed how toxic the friendship was from the start and how it keeps growing throughout the story.
The book also deals with the teacher-student relationship and how the line can be blurred between innocence and inappropriate behaviour. To Lara she thinks Mr Grant likes her as a student and is understandably angry when he suddenly disappears without an explanation. To her, he was a great teacher who was interested in her theories. As she becomes more obsessed in solving both mysteries, it helps her to navigate her own problems. So, it was sad when the truth finally came out about Mr Grant and how it caused her to rethink her interactions.
Overall, I loved this book and highly recommend it.
June 15, 2019
I received this book from Hachette Australia in exchange for an honest review. I didn't know what to expect when I started this, but I can definitely say that it hooked me. I was interested in the Somerton Man mystery, and even though growing up in Australia, I was never made aware that that mystery existed. It's an unsolved case and it's rather interesting.
I actually don't know what made me love this book. But I know I really liked the discussion on toxic friendships. Ash and Lara have been best friends ever since Ash helped Lara with her first asthma attack, but she's a tad bit controlling. I think, in a way, I could relate to Lara, how she felt she had to stay friends and defend Ash because she was a friend from primary school (elementary for my international readers). Lara grows a lot as a characters. She starts as someone who's timid and will do whatever Ash says, and she changes in the end, making her own decisions.
Okay, but the one thing I don't like about this was how unrealistic the ending was. I don't know, but like my parents would never allow me to do what Lara did at the end. And the pacing was a little slow, but overall the book was good and intriguing and I think it's worth a read. I read it in a dayish and I'm honestly surprised with how much I enjoyed it.
I actually don't know what made me love this book. But I know I really liked the discussion on toxic friendships. Ash and Lara have been best friends ever since Ash helped Lara with her first asthma attack, but she's a tad bit controlling. I think, in a way, I could relate to Lara, how she felt she had to stay friends and defend Ash because she was a friend from primary school (elementary for my international readers). Lara grows a lot as a characters. She starts as someone who's timid and will do whatever Ash says, and she changes in the end, making her own decisions.
Okay, but the one thing I don't like about this was how unrealistic the ending was. I don't know, but like my parents would never allow me to do what Lara did at the end. And the pacing was a little slow, but overall the book was good and intriguing and I think it's worth a read. I read it in a dayish and I'm honestly surprised with how much I enjoyed it.
July 21, 2019
RATING: 3.5/5 stars
This was a well written debut novel however I also expected something more from it. I liked how Anna Morgan melded the factual mystery of the Somerton Man with fiction and the everyday life and struggles of teenagers.
This was a well written debut novel however I also expected something more from it. I liked how Anna Morgan melded the factual mystery of the Somerton Man with fiction and the everyday life and struggles of teenagers.
October 25, 2020
I enjoyed the book. Even though it was quite obvious what Mr Grant was up to... And how did a 15-year-old girl pay for an air ticket?
July 10, 2019
Clever and intriguing novel with layers of stories cleverly interwoven. Couldn't put it down.
July 10, 2019
YA at it's best!
August 20, 2019
I love how the author combined the mystery of the Somerton Man and Lara's life
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