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Impossible

by Nancy Werlin (Goodreads Author)

3.69 · rating details · 8,179 ratings · 1,748 reviews

Lucy has nine months to break an ancient curse in order to save both herself and her unborn daughter.

Inspired by the ballad ?Scarborough Fair, ? this riveting novel combines suspense, fantasy, and romance for an intensely page-turning and masterfully original tale.

Lucy is seventeen when she discovers that the women of her family have been cursed through the generations,

...more

Hardcover, 376 pages

Published September 18th 2008 by Dial Books

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2009 Printz Contenders

12th out of 49 books — 1,312 voters

Young Adult Romance

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May 20, 2009

Cara rated it

Recommended to Cara by: Valerie

Shelves: fantasy, awesome-covers

I wish I had thought of making a curse out of a song, that is an awesome idea and obviously worked for this novel. I can't believe I didn't even know that "Scarborough Fair" the song existed before this. Since reading this book I've listened to many versions of the song, and it is very enchanting but also kind of eerie. Perfect for a curse.

One of the best qualities of this story is that Lucy is so likable, and I'm glad to see a main character that has support from not only ...more

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Jan 27, 2011

Janina rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, fairy-tale, music, annoyed-me, read-in-2011, given-away, tbr-challenge

I have to admit that my expectations for his book weren’t too high. It has received mixed reviews and in general, I just don’t like novels dealing with teen pregnancy that much. But the fact that Impossible is based on a version of the folk song Scarborough Fair and the three almost impossible tasks it poses intrigued me enough to give it a try. Now I have to say that the part of the story that revolved around the song and its mystery was the only thing that kept me reading until the end.
...moreI have to admit that my expectations for his book weren’t too high. It has received mixed reviews and in general, I just don’t like novels dealing with teen pregnancy that much. But the fact that Impossible is based on a version of the folk song Scarborough Fair and the three almost impossible tasks it poses intrigued me enough to give it a try. Now I have to say that the part of the story that revolved around the song and its mystery was the only thing that kept me reading until the end.

I simply could not relate to the characters in this novel. Somehow, they were all too understanding, too perfect and too accepting of what happened to them. Always exceeding expectations with how supporting they were.
Most of all, Lucy. This girl has had to endure so much: She was raped by someone she considered a friend, and then finds out only weeks later that she is pregnant and will likely go mad after giving birth to her child. Nevertheless, there is not one moment where she is furious or angry. She accepts her fate unnaturally quickly and is even inclined to forgive her rapist. Also, she never once considers not having the child. I mean, she is seventeen, about to start her senior year in high school, she was raped and there is a 90% chance that she will go insane when she gives birth! Yet, she never doubts. I can fully understand that somebody would decide against an abortion, but to not even consider it in her situation?
Additionally, we have her long-time friend, Zach. A nineteen-year-old college student. Who suddenly declares his undying love (view spoiler)
And on top of all that, there is no chemistry between Lucy and Zach. I never felt any love between them. Their romance was just … lame. And strange. It went from zero to one thousand in sixty seconds.

The only part I enjoyed was the mystery of the three impossible tasks and the history of the women in the Scarborough family. I simply had to know how everything would work out. Yet, compared to the contemporary issues in the novel, the fantastic elements only play a subordinate role. And I think I would have enjoyed them even more if the summary hadn’t given away so much beforehand. Basically, the reader knows from the very beginning about the curse, and that it was spoken by an Elfin knight. So we can guess right from the start who this knight is and what Lucy will have to do to protect her unborn child and herself from insanity. But Lucy doesn’t find out about this until around page 150. That made the story drag on.
I also noticed that often important events happened off-screen and were only recounted later. For example, the making of the seamless shirt. Never fully understood how it was supposed to work. So all in all, not a book I personally would recommend.

#3 TBR Pile Reduction Challenge (Olivia)
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Jul 03, 2010

Anne Osterlund rated it

Impossible is the story of an ordinary teenage girl. Or so it would seem. Lucy is seventeen. Ready for her first date and her first trip to the prom. In a white dress, a candy necklace, and taking a big risk by wearing red hightops for irony.

But the Lucy at the beginning of the book has no idea what risk is.

And after the prom, her entire world is different. A place where curses exist. And shirts from the boy next door are magical shields. And letters from your mother can ...more

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Feb 25, 2009

laaaaames rated it

Recommends it for: prude idiots

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. OK so I read this bizarre interview over on Teen Reads where I thought Nancy Werlin was a certified kook: http://www.teenreads.com/authors/au-werl...
It sort of made me want to read it because I knew I'd hate it. I realize there is something wrong with me to have these sorts of thoughts. When I arrived home that night, I discovered I had an ARC of the book I must have grabbed at the Book Expo. Onto reading I went! Surprise me, kooky lady! Make this book actually GOOD!

Sorry, Nancy...moreOK so I read this bizarre interview over on Teen Reads where I thought Nancy Werlin was a certified kook: http://www.teenreads.com/authors/au-werl...
It sort of made me want to read it because I knew I'd hate it. I realize there is something wrong with me to have these sorts of thoughts. When I arrived home that night, I discovered I had an ARC of the book I must have grabbed at the Book Expo. Onto reading I went! Surprise me, kooky lady! Make this book actually GOOD!

Sorry, Nancy did not surprise me. This is basically sort of like Magic or Madness but not as well-written and without the ADORABLE. (Geez Larbalestier brings the adorable.)

NOTES:

1. Ohhhhmigosh "high" doesn't mean drinking from a flask, writer lady. It means HIGH as in DRUGS.
2. I should really have stopped reading this book because I found it irritating and not very good, but the story itself (according to the back cover and that interview I read) was so intriguing to me (again, in a very Magic's Child way) that I kept going. Masochist? Perhaps.
3. Many random scattered sloppy POVs. All read in the same voice.
4. Taking a page out of the Stephenie Meyer book of how to not write anything too challenging, lazy Werlin had lots of key scenes happen "offscreen".
5. Did you know marriage is LITERALLY HOLY? Even when you are teenagers only getting married to do some legal loopholey shit to prepare for the Elfin Knight to try to use magic rape on your unborn child in the future? WELL NOW YOU DO.
6. I hate Mary Sues forever and ever.
7. Hey did you also know if you have any problems with your inlaws a baby will magically fix all of them? It's a really great lesson for girls whose boyfriends' parents don't like them much.
8. I swear there's a scene where a dude acts jealous of a mannequin and then gets an erection (unrelated).
9. This quote about marriage which I will just type out for you: "He felt animal. He felt mated."
10. Totally also must have read Breaking Dawn because a character who had no desire for a baby AND WHO TALKED HYPOTHETICALLY ABOUT ENCOURAGING SOMEONE ELSE TO GET AN ABORTION is all nooooooo I could never get rid of my unborn child even though I am only seventeen and got magic-raped by the Elfin Knight and I could end this whole frigging family curse by a TOTALLY LEGAL MEDICAL PROCEDURE.

I'm gonna have to read a shitload of Meg Cabot to get over this one.(less)

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Dec 31, 2011

Emily May rated it

Shelves: young-adult, read-in-2011, urban-fantasy

I know three stars isn't the most helpful rating in the world, but I just feel like parts of this book were worth at least four and other parts made me want to abandon it completely. It will suit a few people's tastes perfectly, I'm sure, but I wouldn't rush out to recommend it to the masses.

The story is based upon the old folk song "Scarborough Fair", a song I am very familiar with because my nanna used to sing it to me all the time. In it a series of impossible tasks are pr...more

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Jan 14, 2010

Hannah rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: ya, 2010-reads

I vacillated between 2 stars and 3 stars in my rating. I ended up giving it 2 stars since 2 stars indicated "it was ok" and 3 stars indicated "I liked it", and I can't say that I wholeheartedly did.

Really, I wanted to love this book, because quite frankly the premise for Werlin writing it was very cool. I love authors who create a story out of an well known object (like a painting - shout out here to Tracy Chevalier!) or, in the case of Impossible, an old folk...more

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Jul 04, 2008

Diana rated it

Shelves: z-books-of-the-week, fantasy, teen, speculative-fiction, romance, z-bow-recent

Impossible is impossibly, irresistibly, enchantingly good. Werlin, whose last book The Rules of Survival was a National Book Award Finalist has outdone herself with this lush, beautifully told contemporary story of Lucinda, a young woman who is the victim of an ancient curse based on the ballad Scarborough Fair. Raised by loving foster parents after being abandoned as an infant by Miranda, her mentally ill teenage mother, Lucy has grown up to be a centered, sensible person who is the last perso...more

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Jun 09, 2008

Monica Edinger rated it

Shelves: fantasy, award-worthy

I've enjoyed every Werlin novel I've read, but this is definitely one of my favorites. The fantasy elements are new for her, but the intensity, the superb prose, the deft plotting, and the gorgeous characterizations are not.

The story involves a fairy (or elf) curse, a race against time to break it, a heartrending romance, teen pregnancy and marriage like you probably have never seen before, folk music, and a lot more.

Impossibly good!

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Aug 27, 2011

Jasprit rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011, wanted-to-love-but-didn-t, had-high-hopes-for-but-let-me-down

First half; 4
Middle; 3
End; 3

Overall; 3 stars (edit after thinking it over some more I've decided to change my rating to two stars)

I'm quite disappointed with giving Impossible 3 stars, as it was one of those books I was really looking forward to reading. It started off great and I found myself quite giddy with happiness, but then for me it kind of went downhill, I found myself getting quite annoyed with some of the characters. Because I couldn't stand it any longer ...more

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Oct 11, 2010

Heather rated it

Shelves: 2010, ya

Let’s call a spade a spade, and add Impossible to the ever increasing list of YA books that lead young girls astray by glorifying harrowing life altering situations. Like Stephanie Meyer before her, Nancy Werlin is flaunting teen pregnancy as a shortlist way to a happy ending with your very own prince charming. Worse, she piles on rape for good measure. I’m appalled.

No one can accuse me of not being able to suspend my reality. Present me a book containing a malicious, wanting fairy, ...moreLet’s call a spade a spade, and add Impossible to the ever increasing list of YA books that lead young girls astray by glorifying harrowing life altering situations. Like Stephanie Meyer before her, Nancy Werlin is flaunting teen pregnancy as a shortlist way to a happy ending with your very own prince charming. Worse, she piles on rape for good measure. I’m appalled.

No one can accuse me of not being able to suspend my reality. Present me a book containing a malicious, wanting fairy, who curses a long line of women out of spite, and I will buy into it tenfold. I can even accept a heroine who doesn’t find it difficult to suspend her own belief when presented with said fairy, but what I do find difficult, nay impossible, to accept is that an intelligent, logical, 17 year old girl, with a bright future ahead of her, not being devastated by being raped. Lucy doesn’t hole up, doesn’t act out, doesn’t shy away from physical contact, nothing. She even immediately expresses forgiveness for her rapist. Furthermore, she is immediately accepting when she discovers only weeks later that she is pregnant. Never once does she express one iota of blame, shame or guilt, all of which are standard emotions for rape victims to express. Never once, does Lucy display contempt for what was done to her, nor does she ever consider, even for a fleeting moment, not having the baby, and I’m sorry, but that is just too much. What we have here is blatant agenda pushing, and it makes me want to vomit. Sadly, this manipulated characterization isn’t even the worst fallacy contained in Impossible.

I wanted to rip my hair out when this tragic event was used as fodder for an ill-illusioned love story. Blasphemous. How many 19 year old boys would have it in them, not only to cope with a raped best friend, but a pregnant one? Not only does Zach cope, he proposes marriage. This dumbass actually believes that it is intelligent to marry someone he hasn’t even kissed, so that he can make all her worries (about the evil fairy, not being a pregnant teenager) disappear. A 19 year old, who is just completing his freshman year at college, with only a part time construction job to his name, is going to marry this burden. Yeah right. Sadly, for the intents of this story, Werlin not only paints this as a romantic gesture, but as a wise decision as well. Show of hands, how many of you know a professor who miraculously decided to spend a year abroad and therefore, is willing to loan you his house free of charge? How many of you have been able to secure a car loan with no credit, school loans, and only a part-time job to your name? Lucy even mentions being on her foster parent’s insurance, so we readers are supposed to assume healthcare isn’t an issue either, however, what Werlin fails to mention is that since her heroine has decided to get married, any help that her legal guardian’s could provide on that end ceased the second she said “I Do”. Granted, legislature has recently passed allowing any dependent 26 or younger to remain on their parents insurance, even if they are married, but that lovely bill won’t take effect until 2011. And what mid-wife mother, foster or no, sends a new co-worker to fetch her raped daughter’s prescription for Plan B? This book is just chock full of bullshit!

I just don’t have it in me to express proper contempt for this story, but publishers of such works should be ashamed. There is nothing romantic about the emotional hardships, prejudice, and financial struggle that Lucy and Zach will face were they actual people rather than characters in a charade. This book is disturbing on so many levels, ugh, just ugh.
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Marjorie I totally agree!! I dont know what seemed more ficticious, the fact theres an elf, or the fact that a guy who hadnt even kissed her, proposed!
Feb 04, 2011 02:23pm

Clickety A lot of the things you had trouble with I had figured were magical:

what mid-wife mother, foster or no, sends a new co-worker to fetch her r...more
May 23, 2011 08:19pm

Apr 26, 2010

Tatiana rated it

Shelves: 2010, ya, fairy-tales, ala-ya-2009

This book pleasantly surprised me. I've heard many good things about Werlin's other works, but "Impossible" received mixed reviews from my reading buddies.

The book started out rocky for me too, at about page 70 I was ready to retire it and move on to something else. The tone of the book - sort of a fairy-tale flare in describing events set in a contemporary world, the mix of folklore with reality, the fantastical madness, the Elfin Knight, the basis of the novel on a folkl...more

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Oct 25, 2008

Miss Kitty rated it

Shelves: alaannual2008freeschwag, fluffygirlstuff, scififantasy, miscsupernatural, schmatlzyschmoopy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Feb 01, 2009

Somebody rated it

Shelves: based-on-myths-folklore-legend, ya, really-really-bad

Wow, this is some bad writing. I picked up this book based on it's high ratings, and interesting premise. I had never read anything by Nancy Werling before, and I doubt I will again. The story itself is not too bad, but it, and all the characters are so underdeveloped that rather than pulling you into the world of the story, you are left aware that it is a bit far-fetched and reaching. The writing itself is clumsy and occasionally grammatically questionable if not incorrect. The switching bac...more

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Mar 16, 2010

Nancy rated it

· (Review from the author) · review of another edition

Shelves: nancy-s-novels

This is the first time that I've written the kind of book I most love to read.

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May 17, 2011

Ren rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: based-on-mythology, high-school-theme, paranormal, young-adult

I just want to say, for Young Adult book, this book captivated me
I cant stop reading this until morning. The story is sooo beautiful
The romance is sweet, yet romantic. I adore the author's idea to make the story based on "Scarborough Fair" song. or The ELFIN KNIGHT song

THE ELFIN KNIGHT

Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
Remember me to one who lives there
She must be a true love of mine

T...more

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Apr 04, 2009

Ash rated it

A very nice, sweet love story and although it's a little cheesy it's nice to see the support the main character gets from her family and friends. It seems like in all the young adult books that I read the family is completely broken. I'm happy to see that me and my siblings aren't the the only teens in the world who don't hate their parents.

I'll admit that Lucy, the main character, annoyed me at times. It seemed like she felt she was alone, which made her look ungrateful and bratty....more

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Sep 23, 2008

Jennifer Wardrip rated it

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com

Nancy Werlin uses a variation of the folksong "Scarborough Fair" as the backdrop for an interesting combination of mystery, fantasy, suspense, and the paranormal.

Generations ago an angry elfin knight placed a curse on the young women of the Scarborough clan. Each girl became pregnant as a teen and upon giving birth to a daughter, each girl went insane. The only way to break the curse was ...moreReviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com

Nancy Werlin uses a variation of the folksong "Scarborough Fair" as the backdrop for an interesting combination of mystery, fantasy, suspense, and the paranormal.

Generations ago an angry elfin knight placed a curse on the young women of the Scarborough clan. Each girl became pregnant as a teen and upon giving birth to a daughter, each girl went insane. The only way to break the curse was to complete three tasks described in the lyrics of the song. Until now it seemed the curse would carry on forever.

Lucy Scarborough, now seventeen, has always known her birth mother was Miranda Scarborough, but luck brought her into the lives of Leo and Soledad Markowitz. They have raised her since birth and understand the complications of her life story. Through the years they have been plagued by visits from Miranda. Her insanity has been the cause of many embarrassing situations. Now, as Lucy is approaching her last year in high school, she hopes that she can avoid anymore encounters with her crazy mother and get on with her life.

Early in the story, Lucy is preparing for her prom and her date with Gray Spencer. Her adopted parents are nervous about the date since it is one of her first, and they haven't actually met Gray. As the couple is posing for pictures and is about to leave for the evening, the unthinkable happens. Miranda shows up in her baggy T-shirt and flowing skirt, pushing her rusty shopping cart full of bottles and cans. Everyone is shocked when she begins to attack, throwing glass bottles at everyone in the yard. She is finally hauled away by the police, but not before Gray makes a get-away in his new car, leaving Lucy humiliated and dateless.

Just when Lucy is ready to give up on him and attend the prom with a long-time childhood friend, Gray returns, apologizes for running off, and begs her to still be his date. She happily accepts, but it proves to be the beginning of yet another horrible experience. As the two are leaving the prom later that evening, Gray takes Lucy aside and forces himself on her. The experience is not only terrible, but also puzzling as Lucy tries to connect the gentle high school boy with the vicious act and the sinister voice she hears during that attack.

Weeks after the prom, Lucy discovers she has followed in the footsteps of the Scarborough women and become a pregnant teen. Will her fate be the same? Will she give birth to a daughter, and will she lose her mind?

Werlin creates an interesting mix of past and present. Lucy seems one moment to be a typical teen, and the next, the victim of an ancient evil. The turning of each page reveals another fact about the family curse. The lyrics of the song provide the clues necessary to break the curse, but those clues are not crystal clear and require creative solutions from Lucy and her helpful family and friends. Encouraged by hope and love, Lucy fights to change the direction of her life at the same time as she learns to accept the hand fate has dealt. Werlin fans will not be disappointed.
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Oct 10, 2008

Becky rated it

Werlin, Nancy. 2008. Impossible.

If you haven't read one of Nancy Werlin's books...you really don't know what you're missing. Here are the books I have read (and loved): Rules for Survival, Double Helix, and Black Mirror. I can now add Impossible to the list. (If anyone is looking for books to read during the 24 Hour Read-a-thon, I'd definitely recommend Werlin!)

What can I say about Impossible? It's good. It's a page turner. It matches my high expectations in a Werlin nove...moreWerlin, Nancy. 2008. Impossible.

If you haven't read one of Nancy Werlin's books...you really don't know what you're missing. Here are the books I have read (and loved): Rules for Survival, Double Helix, and Black Mirror. I can now add Impossible to the list. (If anyone is looking for books to read during the 24 Hour Read-a-thon, I'd definitely recommend Werlin!)

What can I say about Impossible? It's good. It's a page turner. It matches my high expectations in a Werlin novel. But that doesn't really do it justice, does it? Lucy Scarborough is our heroine. She's seventeen. It's spring. She's preparing for prom. Little does she know just how at risk she is to falling prey to the old-family-curse. A curse that she, of course, has no knowledge of. She's got her foster parents. She's got her best girl friend, Sarah, and her best guy friend, Zach. She's got a prom date, Gray. She's not quite carefree. She's a bit bothered that her birth mother, Miranda, has popped up in town again. Lucy always finds it hard to deal with her mentally ill, emotionally unbalanced, and homeless mother. But Lucy is full of hope for the future...

Back cover:

From the sting of my curse she can never be free Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme Unless she unravels my riddlings three She will be a true love of mine

Jacket copy: Lucy has only nine months in which to break an ancient curse.

Lucy Scarborough is seventeen when she discovers that the women of her family have been cursed through the generations, forced to attempt three seemingly impossible tasks or to fall into madness upon their child's birth. How can Lucy succeed when all of her ancestors have tried and and failed? But Lucy is the first girl who won't be alone as she tackles the list. She has her fiercely protective foster parents beside her. And she has Zach, whose strength amazes her more each day. Do they have enough love and resolve to overcome an age-old evil? Inspired by the ballad "Scarborough Fair," this spellbinding novel combines suspense, fantasy, and romance for an intensely page-turning and masterfully original tale.(less)

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Jul 08, 2008

Tasha rated it

Shelves: teen

Lucy is a normal teen, heading out to her prom, as long as she can ignore her mad birth mother, who is homeless and every so often returns to shout warnings at Lucy. Lucy tries to protect her adoptive parents and her friends from her birth mother, but in doing so doesn't hear the warnings in time. Lucy comes from a long line of women, cursed for generations by an evil being. At age 18, they are all pregnant with daughters and forced to try to undo the curse. They have all tried alone until L...more

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Jun 03, 2008

Molly rated it

Shelves: ya

I'd never actually read any Nancy Werlin till reading this. And I'm totally impressed by her writing and will have to read more. (Clearly, the National Book Award Committee figured this out a number of books ago--I'm just slow to catch up!)

I'm a sucker for any novel that's a re-telling, and honestly, the more obscure, the better. I totally admire how much her OWN Nancy Werlin made this thin shell of a fable/song. It wasn't an easy novel to read, and I imagine not easy to write, either....more

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Jul 16, 2008

Elizabeth rated it

Shelves: fantasy

What happens when you discover that your whole notion of self is wrong? Your mother isn't actually just a nutcase that abandoned you -- she was driven insane by the same curse that affected every female in your line? She was affected by the curse that says that you will be impregnated at the age of sixteen, given three tasks you cannot possibly fulfill during the course of your pregnancy and when you cannot do them you, too, will go insane...
WOW. Nancy Werlin's new book is a complete depar...more

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Jan 22, 2009

Kelly rated it

Shelves: young-adult, fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 21, 2008

GraceAnne rated it

An intensely wrought romance, and yummy to read. Weaving two versions of the Scarborough Fair folk song (and one of her own devising), Nancy Werlin makes a contemporary love story with elements of Faerie. I loved many things about this book: I loved that the marriage takes place mid-book, that erotic passion figures elegantly but discreetly, that the tropes of date rape and teenage pregnancy are given a scary supernatural twist that still grounds those events in reality.

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Sep 28, 2008

Gabby rated it

A fabulously imagined story of modern true love transposed over an ancient tale of curses and forced love. Also, Zach is super dreamy! :)

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Nov 26, 2008

Wendy rated it

Recommended to Wendy by: Melody and Constance

What a good book! Very difficult to put down. I mean, it's definitely a little campy, but so well-plotted, and all the characters are so lovable. There's even humor (how funny is it when she has to keep exercising in order to be in good shape for plowing an acre with a goat's horn?). People who get irritated with TAM LIN for not having enough faery stuff might like this better (although I see from other reviews that there's still not enough faery stuff for some of those people; well, maybe t...more

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Sep 07, 2011

Melissa Jackson rated it

· review of another edition

I bought this book ages ago and it's just been taking up space on my bookshelf. But I kept hearing about it (people comparing it to other books I've enjoyed), so I figured it was time to dive in. "An epic love story," they claimed. To be honest, ever since Twilight I've been scared of anything labeled as an "epic love story." But this one apparently had faeries. One can only resist the call of faeries for so long. Impossible, thankfully, is about love. And not just between a ...moreI bought this book ages ago and it's just been taking up space on my bookshelf. But I kept hearing about it (people comparing it to other books I've enjoyed), so I figured it was time to dive in. "An epic love story," they claimed. To be honest, ever since Twilight I've been scared of anything labeled as an "epic love story." But this one apparently had faeries. One can only resist the call of faeries for so long. Impossible, thankfully, is about love. And not just between a boy and a girl, but also between children and their parents, between best friends.

The book follows seventeen-year-old Lucy Scarborough, who is being raised by foster parents. They adore her, she adores them. Aside from Lucy’s crazy biological mother Miranda, who pops up every now and again to wreak emotional havoc, everything else is peachy in Lucy’s life. A little too peachy, to be honest. That is, until the day Lucy finds out she’s cursed. If she doesn’t break it, she will go insane. Just like her mother did. Just like all of the Scarborough women. There is a way to break the curse, but none of her ancestors have been successful. And Lucy’s time is running out. As the name of the book would suggest, Lucy’s situation seems impossible. Or... it’s supposed to.

The first sixty or so pages feel forced; the plot laid out in a way that’s almost too obvious. The flow of the writing is what kept me invested in these first sixty pages. Which says a lot, because there was a disconnect between the "normal" elements of Lucy's life and the "fantasy" elements that felt jarring at times. Sometimes downright silly! I found it hard to latch on and really believe what was happening. When Miranda shows up on the night of Lucy’s prom and starts chucking glass bottles at Lucy, it was hard to keep from laughing. I just kept thinking, "My god! This is ridiculous!"

When Zach, one of Lucy’s closest friends, began to play a more vital role in the story, I got hooked and devoured most of the book in one sitting. I couldn’t put it down. The love did feel pretty epic. And I was buying it. But then came the proposal and Werlin started to lose me again...

Although the circumstances Lucy finds herself in are awful, I still didn’t feel for Lucy the way I wanted to. There's a complete lack of conflict within her relationships. While I’m as much for love conquering all as the next girl, there wasn’t much for love to conquer. Everyone was behind Lucy, fell all over themselves to help her, and didn’t ask too many questions. Or any, really. I wanted to feel her struggle. I wanted to be right there with her, consumed with her hardship. I wanted to truly feel like it was impossible for her to succeed. I wanted the odds to be so against her that I felt I was going to collapse under the weight of it... and then have love pull her out of the wreckage.

The story was told well, but the race against time felt more like a leisurely walk to the finish line. As readers, we always assume--and hope!--that our hero/heroine will ultimately succeed. But we want the urgency, the fear, the threat of impossibility. What if she doesn’t succeed? What then! Those questions--and needing to know their answers--are what makes us turn the page. I never doubted that Lucy would succeed. Which, somehow, made me feel a little less invested in her plight.

Would I suggest it? I’m on the fence. It was an entertaining read, and I gobbled it up in only a few days. But I was left feeling a little cheated. (less)

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Jan 08, 2010

Morgan F rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, romance, 2000s, goodreads-author, own, multiple, read-2010, medium-sized

I first got interested in this book because I love the song Scarborough Fair. The premise seemed interesting and unique.
Unfortunately there were many things in this novel that prevented me from giving it five stars.
First of all, every character was too perfect, too nice, and too understanding. In a book that was slow plot wise, there should have been more character drama to make it more interesting. But everyone was just too perfect. No one seemed to make mistakes or do thin...more

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Sep 10, 2009

Nely rated it

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Shelves: own

Lucy has been raised by her foster parents - since her biological mother went insane shortly after her birth. Now at 17 she finds herself in quite a predicament... she is pregnant and has just discovered that she is cursed to follow in her mother’s footsteps and succumb to insanity after the birth of her daughter. The only clue is the ballad that her mother passed down to her, which is a more sinister version of the song "Scarborough Fair". With the help of her foster parents and the b...more

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Oct 04, 2009

Julie rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: fans of Scarborough Fair, or anyone who likes YA

Recommended to Julie by: Scott Westerfeld, I think! And GoodReads.

Shelves: 2009, fantasy, paranormal, young-adult, signed-out

I have been waiting to read this for some time! Now that I finally got the opportunity, I'm glad I did.

The premise of this book is interesting - using a well-known folk song ("Scarborough Fair," made most famous by Simon & Garfunkel) as the basis for a modern-day fairy tale with a curse and a puzzle all in one. Werlin researched the song, its origins and its many versions before crafting one that accomplished what she needed while still remaining true to its origins. I'm fa...more

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Apr 04, 2010

Misty rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: excited-for, folklore-myth-fable-fairy-tall-tale, juvenile-ya, own, read-in-2010, retold-fairytales, cover-appeal

Slightly under a 4 due to the style and some issues, but all in all, I liked it.

I was excited for this one because of this gorgeous cover. And in some ways, it lived up to my excitement, while at the same time, falling short in others. Werlin presents a very modern, disturbing slant on the age old ballad. She layers the book with enough realism and negativity (nothing is ever falsely sugar-coated; Lucy is a realist, if nothing else) that I was able to believe that things may not...moreSlightly under a 4 due to the style and some issues, but all in all, I liked it.

I was excited for this one because of this gorgeous cover. And in some ways, it lived up to my excitement, while at the same time, falling short in others. Werlin presents a very modern, disturbing slant on the age old ballad. She layers the book with enough realism and negativity (nothing is ever falsely sugar-coated; Lucy is a realist, if nothing else) that I was able to believe that things may not be wrapped up with the expected "happily ever after." I like having that doubt when I read a story, because I like thinking that an author is going to do what's right for the story and the characters they have created, and not cop out with an easy, happy ending. Because of this realistic streak and clearheadedness from Lucy, the magical elements of the story, no matter how far-fetched, seemed more balanced and true, which I definitely liked. Lucy felt real, and I cared about her and the plight of the Scarborough women.

And I liked what Werlin did with the ballad. In her afterword, Werlin talks about how the book came about, saying she loved the Simon and Garfunkel version as a kid, but as she got older and really listened to the words (in which a man requests that a woman complete impossible tasks to be his true love), she had an epiphany: he doesn't love her, he hates her. Faced with this new 'understanding' of the ballad, Werlin set about fleshing out their story; clearly, there was once something between them, but something soured it. Her story of Impossible grew from this seed. This idea really struck me. I liked the idea that she was revisiting something and approaching it from a fresh angle, and that whole "thin line between love and hate" element was brilliant, I think, and a very adult take for a YA novel. I really liked this aspect.

Unfortunately, it was inconsistent. Werlin's adult application to the story wasn't carried throughout. Sometimes the writing was very adult and forward, and sometimes it was almost juvenile and a bit weak for me. The characters, too, were inconsistent. The Elfin Knight (bad guy of yore) was very villainous, for sure; at times he made my skin crawl, which was great*. But there are more fine lines than the one between ♥/hate, and his villain-line was occasionally crossed into cheese territory. I wish she would have dialed it back just a bit at the end. And though Lucy felt fleshed out and real to me, the other important characters felt occasionally cardboard. Not always, by any means, but I just found myself wishing for a little more from them.

Now, all this being said, I didn't dislike the story. It didn't live up to the excitement generated by its cover or the subject matter, or to the really good threads I saw running through it -- but it wasn't a failure, either, and I don't regret buying it. I could tell it was well researched and plotted out, but it just had a tendency, especially in the beginning, to feel a little clunky and young. In spite of this, I found myself engaged, and I didn't ever not want** to read it; I found myself thinking about Lucy and the tasks, and the story in general, and that's a good sign. With a little more finesse, I think I'd give it an enthusiastic recommend, but instead it's a reserved one. If you like fairytale retellings and stories that make you a little uncomfortable, you'll like this one and will likely be able to overlook the issues; if you don't, I'm just not sure...

*Yep. Great skin-crawling. But that means it was effective, so that's a + in my opinion.
**If that made any sense...
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About Nancy Werlin

Nancy Werlin was born and raised in Peabody, Massachusetts, USA and now lives near Boston. She received her bachelor's degree in English from Yale.

Since then, she has worked as a technical writer and editor for several computer software and Internet companies, while also writing fiction. She was a U.S. National Book Award finalist for THE RULES OF SURVIVAL in 2006, and won an Edgar Awa...more

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“When you first fall in love, it's supposed to be awful. Awful, uncertain, scary, wonderful, confusing, all at once. That's how you know it's real. You have to care deeply. Passionately. That hurts.” — 159 people liked it

“It is absolutely okay with me if you need to keep some secrets. I've been thinking about this and I decided that a best friend is someone who, when they don't understand, they still understand.” — 152 people liked it

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