Six Impossible Things by Fiona Wood

Friday, August 20, 2010

A funny, emotionally honest story of first love, with a fairytale backbeat.

Fourteen year old nerd-boy Dan Cereill is not quite coping with a reversal of family fortune, moving house, new school hell, a mother with a failing wedding cake business, a just-out gay dad, and an impossible crush on Estelle, the girl next door. His life is a mess, but for now he’s narrowed it down to just six impossible things…


This review demands itself be written as a list. Six things. Which is going to be difficult because I have a whole lot more to say than just that (and it's also going to be difficult not to litter this entire review with spoilers. The reviews I write tend to just be one massive spoiler). But humour me.

1. I love Dan Cereill (and that's 'surreal' not 'cereal'). I also love his friends, Lou and Fred. Perhaps more than I love him. I would read a whole other book about Lou and Fred. Lou and Fred 4evs.
2. I love the Cinderella theme. That was just plain awesome.
3. Dan's crush on Estelle is the sort of thing that I think every weird and nerdy person who has ever had a crush on someone who seems perfect and untouchable will be able to relate to. Which is, you know, pretty much everybody. (I think infatuation would probably be a better word.)
4. I kind of wish I lived in a house adjoining Estelle's or Dan's and had an awesome attic hiding space and snuck out to go to socials (socials! They call them formals where I live, but I think socials sounds nice. It sounds social). Oh, to be fourteen again! (I cannot remember being fourteen at all. I imagine I would have been innocent and adorable, though. Kind of like I am now.)
5. Okay, so Dan's mum kind of frustrated me (i.e. why must you be so silly, Dan's mum?). And Estelle did, a bit (i.e. why are you not falling for Dan's adorable awkward charms, Estelle?). And Dan, a bit, too (i.e. why don't you return your dad's calls, Dan?). None of them answered my questions, perhaps on account of the fact that they are fictional characters. Or maybe they're just being rude. I don't know. (But they frustrated me because I liked them and I wanted life to be good for them. *sniffs*)
6. I recommend this to teens on the younger end of the age spectrum (the characters are around fourteen or fifteen, and usually kids seem to like reading about characters older than them), though of course older ones can like it as well. It's funny and adorable and full of lists and awkward teen romance. Exactly the kind of book I love.

On the publisher website
On the author website

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