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Six Impossible Things

(The Six Impossiverse #1)

Fiona Wood

3.75 · Rating details · 3,820 ratings · 441 reviews

1. Kiss Estelle.
2. Get a job.
3. Cheer my mother up.
4. Try not to be a complete nerd/loser.
5. Talk to my father when he calls.
6. Figure out how to be good.

Nerd-boy Dan Cereill is not quite coping with a reversal of family fortune, moving, 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 doo ...more

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Hardcover, 304 pages

Published August 11th 2015 by Poppy (first published August 1st 2010)

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Rating details

· 3,820 ratings · 441 reviews

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Sep 21, 2016 Cristina Monica rated it really liked it

Shelves: contemporary, masculine-pov

Six Reasons Why You Should Absolutely Read Six Impossible Things:

6. How many girl-boy YA contemporary romances are written entirely from the boy’s perspective? Not many. Fiona Wood knows how to be diverse in different ways.

5. Adorable case of insta-love. Seriously, this is not an adjective I thought I would ever use in the same sentence as ‘‘insta-love.’’ But it’s true. Dan’s crush on Estelle, the girl next door, makes him such a hug-worthy character. It’s too sweet for words.

4. It’s realistic w ...more

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Oct 13, 2010 Janina rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, contemporary

Six Impossible Things …

1. Not find Dan utterly charming and adorable and not cheer him on towards his well deserved happy ending.

2. Not laugh out loud at his musings.

3. Not like Howard, the psychic dog.

4. Not wish for Dan's mom to find happiness again.

5. Put the book down.

6. Not want to hug the book after having finished.

#8 Aussie YA Challenge 2011

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Jan 08, 2011 Flannery rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: aussie-ya-is-the-cats-meow, read-in-2012, read-on-tour, young-adult-teen, wishlist-for-dtbs-to-keep

Sometimes I like to think of my adventures in reading as an episode of MTV’s old show, Singled Out. Sure, that dates me as a human being but hear me out. I’m standing at the end of an extremely long pathway and all the books that have ever been written are at the beginning. Slowly, I start weeding them out. “Westerns, take a hike!”, I say to start things off. (or maybe some sort of awkward cowboyish saying would be more apt as I don’t know too many cowboys into hiking) “Self-help, I know you wan ...more

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Aug 16, 2011 Limonessa rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: australian, favorites, ya-lit

It is not exactly pleasant to wake up one day and find out that:
- your father has declared himself gay and ditched you and your mother;
- your dad's business has gone bankrupt and you and your mother are on your own without a penny to your names;

Add to that the fact that your house has been taken over by creditors along with furniture, clothes, personal belongings, EVERYTHING. You have to leave your good, private school, your friends, and swallow the bitter humiliation.

This is what happens to Da It is not exactly pleasant to wake up one day and find out that:
- your father has declared himself gay and ditched you and your mother;
- your dad's business has gone bankrupt and you and your mother are on your own without a penny to your names;

Add to that the fact that your house has been taken over by creditors along with furniture, clothes, personal belongings, EVERYTHING. You have to leave your good, private school, your friends, and swallow the bitter humiliation.

This is what happens to Dan and his mom. They would have probably ended up like bums on a road if, unexpectedly, mom's old aunt Adelaide hadn't died of old age and left them with the use of her huge house/museum.
Dan has to face a new school, new friends and new "broke" status, as well as his blooming obsession with Estelle, a girl who lives next door. All this while his mom desperately tries to start a new job to make to make ends meet and put the pieces of her life back together.

Dan is 14 going on 40. This book and I, because of him, were off to a bit of a bumpy start.
First, I had difficulties relating to his boy's voice.
Then I had difficulties with him being so young.
Then I had difficulties with him being so old inside.
Then I had difficulties with him being such a hopeless loser and a dork, then with him being a liar.
And then, after about 70 pages in in the book, I realized I had no difficulties with him at all.
Dan is an amazing voice, with a great self-deprecating sense of humor, witty, extremely intelligent and so, so mature for his age. He finds himself in a situation which would put to the test even an adult. It's not fair for a kid tormented by teen age and raging hormones to be burdened by so many responsibilities but Dan manages pretty well eventually. He completely conquered him and I ended up liking him a lot. He's so cute I want to ruffle his hair.
And not only him. The thing about this book is that I realized I liked all the characters, they are all so well portrayed, each with their own quirks. I wish I could be Dan's mom's friend. I wish I had a dog like Howard, with a psychotherapist look.

So don't be fooled by the girly cover or by the MC's young age. Ultimately, this book is about getting your shit together when you don't see the light at the end of the tunnel, possibly with a bit a of a sense of humor.
Very funny, fresh, well written and just downright amiable, it will be hard to resist the charm of Six Impossible Things' cast of characters.
Highly recommended!

And if you're still in doubt, I forgot to mention this is Australian YA. Enough Said.
...more

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Nov 28, 2010 Arlene rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommended to Arlene by: Street Corner Bookers - The Aussies

Shelves: read-2011, ya-contemporary, aussie, young-adult

Something large and happy has unfolded in my chest, erupting in a smile that won’t quit. I can’t remember ever feeling so light-hearted. Or is my heart full? Or bursting? Not aching, that’s for sure.

Wow! Have I ever wanted to tackle hug a protag! I have to say hands down Dan from Six Impossible Things has hijacked my heart! It’s not too often we get the luxury of reading a YA Contemporary in a guy’s POV, and this book is a perfect example of how awesome they can be. This story pulled at my hea ...more

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Aug 02, 2011 Reynje rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Guys, I kind of want to hug this book.

Funny and endearing, Fiona Wood’s loose interpretation of Cinderella has just the right balance of quirk and emotion. Narrated by fourteen year old nerd-boy Dan Cereill (anagrams FTW!), from the intriguing prologue to the grin-inducing last line, Six Impossible Things is a charming little novel.

It’s a light read, in the sense that the prose flows smoothly and the dialogue is snappy (Wood’s experience as a television scriptwriter shows), but it also has a t
Guys, I kind of want to hug this book.

Funny and endearing, Fiona Wood’s loose interpretation of Cinderella has just the right balance of quirk and emotion. Narrated by fourteen year old nerd-boy Dan Cereill (anagrams FTW!), from the intriguing prologue to the grin-inducing last line, Six Impossible Things is a charming little novel.

It’s a light read, in the sense that the prose flows smoothly and the dialogue is snappy (Wood’s experience as a television scriptwriter shows), but it also has a tremendous amount of heart. Dealing with family, first love, fitting in, finding yourself, the story is quite sweet and hopeful but also grounded in the realism of everyday life as a teenager.

I found myself connecting to Dan as he traverses the awkwardness of adolescence and the all consuming sensation of being overwhelmed by his problems:

I’m drowning. Everything feels so relentless and impossible. It’s like trying to run with no traction. There’s no one to depend on, no one solving problems, no one picking up the tab, no one to pass the buck to.

There’s a slightly whimsical feeling to the story as well, especially in the structure and the list writing and vague fairytale connection.

There’s this girl I know. I know her by heart. I know her in every way but one: actuality.

Like Dan himself, it’s a bit of an odd sock, a unique take on not uncommon events, related in Dan’s equally witty and touching voice.

For me, the characters are the highlight of this story: they’re relatable, ridiculous, real. Wood has a way of writing that makes each of her characters shine, from Dan’s Radiohead-loving Mum, the school bully I wanted to punch on Dan’s behalf, the elusive Estelle to the wise and all round winsome dog, Howard. (I want a Howard. Please.)

Six Impossible Things made me laugh. It made me cringe (in a ‘memories of Year 9’ kind of way). It made me want to cheer. It felt achingly familiar at times.

Suffice to say, I was delighted with this book.

(Except when I read that Dan ran from Fitzroy to the Tan and around. That just made me feel incredibly unfit.)
...more

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Aug 20, 2010 Nomes rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: you-make-me-smile, want-to-hang-out-with-the-gang, you-make-me-laugh-so, my-kind-of-awesome, aussie-ya, shining-with-genius-like-brilliance, crushing-on-the-writing, faves-of-2010, 2010, ya-male-pov

Just when I thought the Aussie YA scene couldn't get any hotter right now... along comes Fiona Wood's Six Impossible Things.

I couldn't put this book down.

And then, when I finished, I immediately wanted to go back to the beginning and read it all again from that start. (I settled for another hour of flicking through and re-reading classic moments and favourite lines)

There is so much to love about this book it's hard to know where to begin.

Dan is completely lovable, funny and cute in such an una ...more

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Jul 17, 2010 Nic rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommended to Nic by: Nomes

Shelves: young-adult, favourites, aussie-ya

Favourite Quotes: ‘Something large and happy has unfolded in my chest, erupting in a smile that won’t quit. I can’t remember ever feeling so light-hearted. Or is my heart full? Or bursting? Not aching, that’s for sure.’

5 stars is not a high enough rating for this. There is something special about Six Impossible Things. Maybe it is the extraordinary writing or the touching and funny plot or maybe it is the unforgettable characters but either way this book is absolutely brilliant.

One of the reason Favourite Quotes: ‘Something large and happy has unfolded in my chest, erupting in a smile that won’t quit. I can’t remember ever feeling so light-hearted. Or is my heart full? Or bursting? Not aching, that’s for sure.’

5 stars is not a high enough rating for this. There is something special about Six Impossible Things. Maybe it is the extraordinary writing or the touching and funny plot or maybe it is the unforgettable characters but either way this book is absolutely brilliant.

One of the reason I loved this book is because of the writing - interesting, quirky, witty, humorous and engaging. Fiona Wood has been writing television script for popular Aussie TV shows for the last ten years. And you can tell that she is an experienced writer as she knows how to draw you into Dan's world and make you never want to leave. I could happily stayed surrounded by this wonderful bunch of characters.

And what well crafted characters they are, even the secondary. Dan, is a sweetheart. Why didn't I know any boys like that when I was teenager? He is impossible not to love. I really empathize with him as his world is turned upside. Being a teen is hard enough without you Dad declaring his gay, your Mum's business failing, moving house, changing school, suddenly becoming poor and of course crushing on the impossible girl, Estelle. But despite all those struggles Dan is a hopeful character. You will be cheering him on, laughing with him (okay sometimes at him) and want to hug him when things go wrong.

And his crush on Estelle is super sweet. He likes her for more than just because she is beautiful but because she is interesting and smart. I love the prologue where Dan talks about Estelle and list all these little crazy facts about her. And that kissing her is always at the top of his list of things to do even if it seems impossible. The romance just makes you smile.

Overall, AMAZING. Please Fiona Wood hurry up and write more books. I want more!

And because I loved the writing so much I going to leave you with another favourite quote: 'My problems are like waves - just as one disappears with a snarl and a hiss there’s another shaping up to knock me down'. ...more

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Aug 03, 2011 Jasprit rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, read-in-2011, ya

I’ve been on a Aussie book binge as of late, the last couple of books I read were full of awesomeness, but they have also been quite intense The Piper’s Son and Raw Blue, so I needed something light and easy going, a couple of my great Goodreads friends suggested Six Impossible Things and it was exactly what I needed.

Dan’s life has quickly been turned upside down, from living with his parents and attending a private school with his friend Fred, he’s just found out his dad’s gay, their family b I’ve been on a Aussie book binge as of late, the last couple of books I read were full of awesomeness, but they have also been quite intense The Piper’s Son and Raw Blue, so I needed something light and easy going, a couple of my great Goodreads friends suggested Six Impossible Things and it was exactly what I needed.

Dan’s life has quickly been turned upside down, from living with his parents and attending a private school with his friend Fred, he’s just found out his dad’s gay, their family business has gone bankrupt and consequently their house and most of their possessions have been re-possessed. He and his mum have been forced to move into his mum’s great aunt Adelaide’s house, he has to find a job as they have hardly any money and are just managing to scrape by. On top of that he has to try and get his mum out of the slump she’s in and cheer her up somehow, try and keep a low profile at the new school he will be attending and he also has a crush on his next door neighbour Estelle, the “unattainable one!”

Some of the situations and mishaps Dan found himself in were absolutely hysterical, from trying to keep a low profile at school and responding to when someone called him “dickhead” on the first day, to fainting in front of the girl he liked, snooping through Estelle’s things and organising the school social. Also the lists he kept, I absolutely adored them!

I’m grateful to my Goodreads friends for pushing me to read this book, as it was a really quick and easy book to get into, the characters were amusing and funny and it was basically one of the funniest books I’ve read in a while!

Favourite quotes
“The only things anyone could possibly know about me are: tall, sometimes answers to ‘dickhead’, silent in class, frowns, slouches, surname pronounced ‘surreal’ not ‘cereal’, chews with mouth shut.
Might be easier to get loser/loner tattooed on my forehead and be done with it!”

“You’re a dickhead Cereal”, Jayzo says
“It’s Cereill”, I manage.
“Cyril next time you’re feeling faint, please sit down with
your head between your knees or go out for some fresh air”
“Okay?” Ms. Peale says
“It’s Dan, not Cyril”
...more

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Jul 19, 2010 oliviasbooks rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to oliviasbooks by: Nic

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, ya-contemporary, swapped-or-given-away, author-from-down-under, read-2011, high-expectations, male-point-of-view, laugh-a-little, love-story-romance

This fulfilling story of friendship, loneliness, loyalty and love has two important ingredients going for it:

1. Awfully sweet, but realistic characters (There is no need to emphasize his unquestionably cute infatuation with his next door neighbor Estelle, because I loved 15-years-old hero Dan for caring so much about his inherited and footsore dog Harold and for trying to pull his freshly divorced and impoverished mom out of her misery and her imagined talks to her idol Thom Yorke anyway. Said m This fulfilling story of friendship, loneliness, loyalty and love has two important ingredients going for it:

1. Awfully sweet, but realistic characters (There is no need to emphasize his unquestionably cute infatuation with his next door neighbor Estelle, because I loved 15-years-old hero Dan for caring so much about his inherited and footsore dog Harold and for trying to pull his freshly divorced and impoverished mom out of her misery and her imagined talks to her idol Thom Yorke anyway. Said mom gets over her ex-husband's confession to be broke and gay by unintentionally talking all the bridal customers of her recently started wedding cake business "I Do Cakes" out of wanting to marry at all. A whole army of exceptional minor characters - sweet, funny, excentric, true-to-life - compose the wholesome filling.)
2. On-the-spot, humorous, crafty and perceptive language that melts on your tongue but is still not unlikely for a nerdy, funny and considerate teenaged boy. Before I hand this book over to the next in line I have to save a few quotes, like for instance:
"Stress level: extreme. It's like she was a jar with the lid screwed on too tight, and inside the jar were pickles, angry pickles, and they were fermenting, and about to explode."
or
"Fred is staying with his mother these holidays. She's living in London for six months, in Chelsea, studying Georgian underwear at the National Art Library. It's a thesis, not a fetish."
or
"'... you cow,' Estelle added. 'I heard that.' 'Give the woman the geriatric audiology medal,' Estelle said. 'I heard that, too', her mother said, from the other side of the door."

I really enjoyed "Six Impossible Things" (it grew on me from chapter to chapter) and I hope I have been making that sufficiently clear, but I think you have to wait for my friend Janina's (I'm counting on you, Janina!) review to put her finger onto the exact spot which makes this book just right.

Thank you so much, lovely Nic, for being our Corner's Australian Book Angel!

One book down for the Aussie Book Challenge 2011! It's not too late to sign up, Goodreaders. ...more

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Jun 17, 2011 Emily rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: funny-stuff, prose-envy, aussie-ya, i-want-to-hug-the-author, characters-i-love, so-much-fun

There's this book I like.

Well, like might be a bit of an understatement. I LOVE Fiona Wood's Six Impossible Things with a fiery passion. If, in some sort of unforeseeable situation, I needed to take a bullet for this book? Well it was great knowing you guys.

This is a book full of not-so-secret diaries, wedding cakes, ancient houses, hidden attics, pretty shoes and pretty girls, Radiohead (with an unhealthy Thom Yorke obsession thrown in), sneaking out and a loveable dog named Howard.

In a not- ...more

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Jul 06, 2015 Alyssa rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2015-releases

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Six Impossible Things by Fiona Wood
Book One of the Six Impossible Things series
Publisher: Poppy
Publication Date: August 11, 2015
Rating: 2 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

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 ...more

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Aug 19, 2011 Maggie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommended to Maggie by: Cath Crowley

Shelves: aussie-aussie-aussie-oi-oi-oi, reviewed, i-ve-just-read-you-and-i-love-you, 2011, oi-with-the-poodles, debut-novels

Meet Dan Cereill.

Fourteen, smart, and totally adorkable. He’s also dealing with:

1. His parents’ divorce
2. ...on account of his father being gay.
3. Having to move and start a new school
4. ...because dad lost their savings.
5. Trying to shed his loser image and impress the girl next door
6. ...as he ends up answering to ‘dickhead’ in front of her on the first day of school.

Needless to say, things aren’t going well. After moving into his deceased aunt's house, the person he talks to the most is Howa ...more

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Sep 03, 2011 Ari rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommended to Ari by: JoJo - JJJ (Jo Anna) Janesko

Shelves: favorites, laugh-aloud, aussie-and-nz, great-books

Rating: 5 shiny stars from the midnight sky and a litlle moon :)

Now six Impossible facts about me:
✔ not to want to read an Aussie book
✔ not to love a witty main character
✔ not to enjoy sarcasm and good humor
✔ not to love young love stories that make me ~~smile~~ laught until my cheeks hurt
✔ not to LOVE this story
✔ not to give a big thanks to my book fairy for bringing this piece of joy into my life
✔ not to realize that this is the seventh item on my list.

Dan put the cute into the cuteness and if I h ...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Jenna rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, aussie

This book is adorable. Wood deals with even the trickiest subject matter with heart and compassion and a good dose of humour. Six Impossible Things is funny, witty, lighthearted and just a lot of fun. Read it. Read it now!

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Jul 29, 2010 Cath Crowley rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I sat all afternoon today and read this book. It is so beautiful and hilarious and sad and sweet. I love it. I am sitting with it next to me because I am not ready to leave Dan and Estelle just yet.

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Feb 23, 2016 Laura rated it really liked it

Six Impossible Things by Fiona Wood is adorable, emotionally honest, and hilarious. I had fun from beginning to end! Sorry but…I’m taking the list route with this review. How could I not?! Dan’s love of lists is contagious. :D

Here are my 6 reasons to LOVE this book.

1. Dan. This boy! He killed me. Dan Cereill, our guide through this story, was brave, mature, oblivious and downright adorable. Even dealing with huge, difficult issues—new school, new home, money worries, divorce, bullies, and one bi ...more

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Sep 14, 2011 Tina rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, romance, borrowed, contemporary, ya

Original post at One More Page

Six Impossible Things by Fiona Wood is a loose retelling of the Cinderella fairy tale with a guy as the main character. Dan Cereill's life just kind of fell apart. His parents split after his dad came out, they lost their family fortune, he moved to a new-old house and transferred to a new school and his mom opened a wedding cake business that was doomed to fail from the start. And then there's his neighbor, Estelle, who's caught his eye and his heart from the m Original post at One More Page

Six Impossible Things by Fiona Wood is a loose retelling of the Cinderella fairy tale with a guy as the main character. Dan Cereill's life just kind of fell apart. His parents split after his dad came out, they lost their family fortune, he moved to a new-old house and transferred to a new school and his mom opened a wedding cake business that was doomed to fail from the start. And then there's his neighbor, Estelle, who's caught his eye and his heart from the moment he saw her, but had absolutely no idea that he exists.

Oh what a cute, cute book this was. Despite the dreary set-up of Dan's new life, his voice was quite the contrary. Dan was sarcastic yet real, and he dealt with his problems with the best way a fourteen-year-old can. The humorous approach makes the entire situation just hilarious instead of pitiful, and at the back of my mind, I just thought that they would eventually get through this. As for how, that was the thing I was supposed to find out in the story. Since this is kind of a retelling of Cinderella, I liked figuring out what character was equivalent to that character in the fairy tale, even if it took me a while to figure out who was who. But even if you know how Cinderella turns out, the events in this story still took me pleasantly by surprise that, well, you just end up sighing happily by the last page. :)

The writing in Six Impossible Things was fresh and light and so readable that I never had a hard time connecting with Dan. Dan is awkward and dorky but still so lovable that I wanted to adopt him as my little brother or something. I think his may be the first time I will use it but if there was any character that fits the word "adorkable", it's Dan. Even if his crush on Estelle kind of qualified as "insta-love", at least on his side, it was still quite realistically done. Come on, don't tell me you've never had a "crush at first sight" moment with someone! :P Major plus points on how Dan and Estelle's relationship was developed -- it was about ten parts awkward most of the time, but about a hundred parts cute and "aww" inducing.

The other characters surrounding Dan and Estelle were a hoot too. I loved Dan's mom, in all her Radiohead singing glory (although I'm not really a fan of the band). I loved their friends and the guy who lived in the house behind Dan's new house and the bully. But most especially, I loved the presence of Howard the dog. Dogs in stories always wins my heart.

Let me repeat what I first said about this book: Six Impossible Things is a cute, cute book. This is a perfect book to read when you want to relax and laugh and feel the feeling of wanting to hug a book when you get to the end. Because that is really what you'd end up wanting to do when you're done with this. :)
...more

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Apr 24, 2013 Paula Weston rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: australian, young-adult, my-favourites

I loved this. Read it in almost a single sitting (stopping only for food). Simmone Howell is right: Dan is an absolute sweetheart. I love that he has such little hope of success, but commits fully to every challenge. And yes, I loved sweet little Howard too.

Fiona Wood's writing is sharp and witty, and her characters are so likable and believable. I laughed out loud more than once and enjoyed the way all the emotional strands came together. Like I said: I loved it.

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Jul 22, 2011 Holly rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, contemporary, aussie

Fourteen-year-old Dan Cereil’s life couldn’t be more upside down. Not only has his father come out of the closet but he’s left Dan and his mum to move house and find another source of income after his company folded and he’s moved out. Luckily it would seem Dan’s great aunt Adelaide has just so conveniently died leaving them her historic home. Unfortunately it’s in various states of disrepair and needs to be refitted for his mother’s new wedding cake business. Compounded by Dan’s geeky and shy t Fourteen-year-old Dan Cereil’s life couldn’t be more upside down. Not only has his father come out of the closet but he’s left Dan and his mum to move house and find another source of income after his company folded and he’s moved out. Luckily it would seem Dan’s great aunt Adelaide has just so conveniently died leaving them her historic home. Unfortunately it’s in various states of disrepair and needs to be refitted for his mother’s new wedding cake business. Compounded by Dan’s geeky and shy tendencies and his hopeless crush on the girl next door, Dan is doomed to never fit in at his new school. Being the straight, honest yet hopeful guy that he is, Dan has boiled down his life to six impossible things that may or may not turn out to be so impossible to achieve after all.

Loosely based on the story of Cinderella, Six Impossible Things is a cute, fun, lighthearted and readable novel. It was not only Dan’s witty, dry sarcasm and his bullet-pointed lists that made it likable and easy to fall into but also Fiona Wood’s concise, popping prose. The writing stood out as both effortless and striking, read with ease until you come across one of the many witty one-liners that stops and strikes you with its brilliance. As an experienced TV scriptwriter, Wood pens these so well. Some of my favorites from early on:

“Guys, please, one life-changing shock at a time.”

'She’s going to be making wedding cakes. It wouldn’t occur to everyone in the throes of a marriage breakdown, but we do irony in this house in addition to sarcasm.”

"My mother didn’t obviously hear my agonized moaning over Radiohead’s agonized moaning or I’m sure she would have been upstairs in a flash."

Further on I began to notice that many of these lines ended a chapter or started a new one and I looked forward to them with pleasure. From the get-go Dan is hard not to like. He’s geeky and kind and thoughtless and unexpected. His hopeful self-deprecation is endearing and makes his awkward encounters at school and his struggles to make his mom happy ever entertaining. A laugh-out-loud passage between Dan and the bully Jayzo:

He sits down groaning. We’re both panting and drenched in sweat.

“Are you okay?” I ask.

A sound escapes his blood covered lips. It couldn’t be, could it? A snort of laughter?

“You wimp, you don’t ask the guy you’re bashing if he’s ‘okay’,” he says.

“Not really, no.” I say.

I take off my shirt and hand it to him. He balls it up and sticks it under his nose.

“I’d keep going, only I’m a bleeder,” he says.

“That’s fine,” I say. I’m alive, and it feels like a miracle.

“That was a lucky punch for a loser like you,” he says. “You can’t fight for shit.”

“I know.”

As you can tell Wood also has a knack for writing dialogue that just shines. Dan makes light of absolutely everything, especially the fortune reversal that is his life. While this makes the novel easy to read, mid-way through I didn’t feel a real urgency to finish the book, I wanted him to take his problems more seriously at times. But Dan is 14 years old so his reaction to weighty topics such as his dad’s sexuality, his divorced mother’s mental state, and their lack of income is natural and appropriate. I’m glad I kept on reading because the ending was sweet and just as it should be. Six Impossible Things is recommended for fans of quirky writing, younger YA, modern happily ever afters and retellings.

...more

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May 22, 2015 Bonnie marked it as dnf

Shelves: arcs

So first there was:

It feels as though I'm thinking about Estelle most of the time. As though someone has changed my default setting to "Estelle" without my permission, or she's become my brain's screen saver. Desire has merged with a (completely alien) noble feeling of wanting to be able to offer Estelle my absolutely best self. The power of this is undercut by not really knowing what my best self is. But it's got to be more than the current sum of parts.

All this churning, and I haven't even met ...more

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Oct 10, 2015 Kinga rated it really liked it · review of another edition

6 things to treasure: love, friendship, family, forgivness, belonging, goodness.

This book portreys difficult times very well. For kids especially it's always hard when it comes to moving and anything that has to do with çhanging. The making friends part doesn't work for all of as that smoothly.
I love the aussie writing style. These types of books always leave behind a box of good. You know, it smells like the perfect combination of flowery perfume, some ornate left behind jewelry, an old coffe ...more

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Nov 22, 2010 Nicole rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2010, books-i-own, favorites

What a great book! If Dan wasn't 14, I'd be majorly crushing. Instead I get to remind myself that I'm pretty much a creepy old lady now. Aussie YA is impressing the hell out of me lately. I can't believe Fiona Wood wasted any of her writing talent on Neighbours, practically sac-religious when you can write books this magic! Read this, you will love it!

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Jul 14, 2015 rachel ☾ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, 4-star, young-adult-lit

3.5 stars

I am so glad that I made myself reread this book. The first time I picked it up - over two years ago - I disliked it. The writing was too quirky, the protagonist a tad too weird, the plot duller than a blunt knife... it wasn't a happy reading experience. But when I got my hands of the sequel - a companion book really, but let's not be picky - I knew that I'd have to reread this. It been too long and I didn't want to jeopardise liking Wildlife because I couldn't remember the characters f ...more

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Jun 12, 2015 Kelly added it

Shelves: ya-fiction, read-in-2015

In Australia, this came out before Wildlife did, and I kind of wish the same thing happened here. While this is great read -- and I love that Dan's voice feels so 14-year-old boy -- it's not as strong as Wildlife and suffers a bit because of that.

This is a funnier read, but it has a lot of heart. It's a bit of a twist on Cinderella, down to Dan's name. There's a sweet romance that blooms, and the things Dan has to tackle, including moving, his parents' split, his father's coming out, entering a ...more

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Oct 22, 2015 Nora-Kate rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: good-audiobook, read-2015, favorite-authors, oh-the-prose, stayed-up-late-to-read, favorite-series, i-will-read-whatever-you-write

I read the companion novel to this first and loved it. I expected to love this one even more. But I don't. Still really good though. Just wonder if I would have loved it more if I'd read them in the right order.

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Sep 16, 2011 ALPHAreader rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Dan Cereill (pronounced ‘surreal’, not ‘cereal’) has undergone a rude awakening. At the same time that his mother inherited a heritage-listed house from her dead great-aunt Adelaide, she discovered that her husband was both gay and bankrupt and they would have to move into said heritage-listed abode because the bank was repossessing everything else.

And so, Dan finds himself living in a piss-smelling, run-down relic, not talking to his ‘out’ dad, about to start on the bottom rung at a new high sc Dan Cereill (pronounced ‘surreal’, not ‘cereal’) has undergone a rude awakening. At the same time that his mother inherited a heritage-listed house from her dead great-aunt Adelaide, she discovered that her husband was both gay and bankrupt and they would have to move into said heritage-listed abode because the bank was repossessing everything else.

And so, Dan finds himself living in a piss-smelling, run-down relic, not talking to his ‘out’ dad, about to start on the bottom rung at a new high school.

The only thing getting him through this teenage mid-life crisis is the girl next door, Estelle, a hidden doorway leading into her attic, and a list of six impossible things;

The List:

1. Kiss Estelle. I know. I haven’t met her yet. Technically. But it gets top spot regardless.
2. Get a job. We’re in a complete mess financially. It’s down to me to tide us over money-wise if my mother’s new business crashes.
3. Cheer my mother up. Better chance of business not crashing if she’s half okay.
4. It’s not like I expect to be cool or popular at the new school, but I’m going to try not to be a complete nerd/loser.
5. Should talk to my father when he calls. But how, when the only thing I want to ask is something I can’t bear to hear the answer to: How could you leave us like this?
6. The existential one. Figure out how to be good. I don’t want to end up the sort of person who up and leaves his family out of the blue.

‘Six Impossible Things’ is a stand-alone YA novel from Australian author, Fiona Wood.

I loved this book for its simplicity. On the surface there’s a lot of things happening in Dan’s life – his gay dad, bankrupt family, new school and first real crush. The book could have buckled under the weight of so many issues – but Wood handles them with a deft hand and earnest male perspective.

Dan is our narrator, and it’s lovely to get a male perspective in Aussie YA, for a change. He’s starting year nine when all his familial issues implode – he’s a sensitive soul who has spent the holidays crying under his doona and avoiding his dad’s phone calls. Perhaps to distract himself from the things he can’t change – no money, divorced parents, gay dad – he becomes a teensy bit consumed with his crush on the girl next door, Estelle.

This was a great and realistic way For Wood to explore such catastrophic issues. His mum’s coping mechanisms creep into the story, as does his avoidance of his dad’s olive branches and monetary decline. But for Dan, Estelle is centre stage in his new life.

I loved Dan. He’s a smart and sensitive young man, with a cracking wit that especially shines through when he observes the social structure of his new public school. Like his nick-naming of the transposable bracket girls (omigod).

‘Six Impossible Things’ was a wonderful Australian young adult novel exploring cutting-edge issues through a voice of lovable innocence.
...more

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Jul 18, 2010 Romy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, books-i-read-in-2010, realistic-contemporary-fiction

Congratulations are in order for Fiona Wood she has written a thoroughly entertaining debut YA novel which I devoured in only a couple of days. Six Impossible Things is a funny and poignant coming of age novel with a nerdy yet loveable protagonist who I have to say I have a bit of a soft spot for.

Dan’s had a bad couple of months, his mother is broke due to his fathers bankruptcy, his father just ‘came out of the closet’, he’s moved with his mother into an old house that’s cold and smells like ur Congratulations are in order for Fiona Wood she has written a thoroughly entertaining debut YA novel which I devoured in only a couple of days. Six Impossible Things is a funny and poignant coming of age novel with a nerdy yet loveable protagonist who I have to say I have a bit of a soft spot for.

Dan’s had a bad couple of months, his mother is broke due to his fathers bankruptcy, his father just ‘came out of the closet’, he’s moved with his mother into an old house that’s cold and smells like urine, his mother’s new wedding cake business is not going too well especially when she’s talking all the brides out of marriage and to top it off Dan’s had to move from his private school to the local secondary school. It’s during this upheaval when Dan meets Estelle, does some morally questionable activities in her attic and comes up with his list of Six Impossible Things, but are they really impossible?

I just have to say that I adored this book, Dan was such a loveable character. It was really amazing seeing his transformation throughout the novel from a socially awkward teenage boy trying to make sense of his current situation to a confident and happy teenager. Dan never felt sorry for himself and he cared for the people around him, when he realised the financial black hole his mother was in he took it on himself to find a part time job, when his mother wanted him to hand flyers out at school for her cake business he did even though he knew it would be social suicide if he got caught. I found myself laughing out loud a number of times throughout the book at many of the things Dan did or said. My personal favourite was when walking to school for his first day, Jayzo, the school bully who takes a particular shine to Dan, calls out dickhead to get Dan’s attention and big mistake Dan responds by turning around, hmm now that I’m writing this down it doesn’t sound as funny but trust me it is I’m just not conveying it very well.

Whilst we only get Dan’s point of view we were introduced to a fabulous cast of supporting characters, who I loved just as much as Dan, including Estelle, Dan’s dream girl, Jazyo the school bully, Fred, Dan’s best friend and my particular favourite Howard, the dog who came with the house. I loved Dan and Howard’s interactions, it put a smile on my face when Dan would talk to him this really endeared Dan to me, I’ll admit I too talk to my dog sometimes.

Also, I just have to say that I loved that this book was set in Melbourne, my home town, I actually knew where some of the places were.

The Good

* Dan’s voice, caring and self deprecating with a really sharp wit = hilarious
* Supporting characters
* The setting *go Melbourne!*

The Not So Good

* Too short!
...more

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Nov 22, 2010 Chachic rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: retelling

Originally posted here.

Six Impossible Things is a loose Cinderella retelling, written from a guy's perspective. I don't think I read enough male POV books and I enjoy reading retellings. As if that isn't enough to convince me to read this, Aussie book bloggers have been raving about this book in their reviews. Dan feels like his life has fallen apart when his parents split because his gay dad suddenly decides to come out of the closet and admit that the family business is also bankrupt. Dan even Originally posted here.

Six Impossible Things is a loose Cinderella retelling, written from a guy's perspective. I don't think I read enough male POV books and I enjoy reading retellings. As if that isn't enough to convince me to read this, Aussie book bloggers have been raving about this book in their reviews. Dan feels like his life has fallen apart when his parents split because his gay dad suddenly decides to come out of the closet and admit that the family business is also bankrupt. Dan even wants to say "Guys, please, one life-changing shock at a time." out loud because of all the changes in his life. The only positive thing is he now lives next door to the unattainable one, Estelle. He even transfers to her school. Dan is determined to change his image at his new school, he doesn't want to be known as geeky and smart anymore and he wants to hang out with the cool crowd. Things don't go exactly as he planned.

This is such a quirky and fun novel to read, the writing is beautiful and the characters are so distinct. Dan is utterly charming in an offbeat and nerdy way. He's smart, sensitive and tries to be as honest and good as he can be. Yay for good guys! It was interesting being inside Dan's head because like I said, I don't get to read enough books with male protagonists narrating the story. He's also an introspective type so he's more quiet than outgoing. I loved that the book showed his weaknesses like fainting whenever he sees or imagines something gross like raw eggs. Instead of being unfavorable, those vulnerabilities actually added to his charm. Even though things don't work out the way he wanted them to, he did gain a couple of friends along the way and they're all unique and original, even Howard the dog. The book isn't all about the romance even if Dan has a major crush on Estelle. This delightful book is about growing up and changing as you learn how to cope and adapt with the problems that life throws your way. I've heard that this book already has a US publisher but there's no set date on when it's going to be published. If you can order a book from Australia or have someone buy it for you then I highly recommend that you get this one. It's a great contemporary YA debut and I can't wait to read more of Fiona Wood's work. I just have to worry about how I'll get it when the time comes. ...more

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Aug 29, 2011 Choco rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 0-loved

I enjoy YA books, but hardly ever have I swooned over male love interests in them (because I'm older?). Having finished Six Impossible Things, I so wish I were a teenager because I would have obsessed with Dan the main character. He is my kind of guy. Just LOVED him. To tell you the truth I may have even swooned a little bit.

Another thing I loved about the book is tiny details, like Estelle the girl next-door's preference for banana milkshakes with syrup rather than actual bananas. I don't know ...more

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About Fiona Wood

Fiona Wood

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Fiona Wood is the author of young adult novels, Six Impossible Things and Wildlife. Her third book, Cloudwish, will be published in the US in October. Before writing YA fiction, Fiona worked as a television scriptwriter for twelve years, writing everything from soap, and one-hour adult drama, to children’s drama. Prior to this she dropped out of law and completed an arts degree, both at Melbourne ...more

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“We look at each other with shy relief. It's the look two odd socks give when they recognise each other in the wild.” — 70 likes

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