Six Impossible Things in Aussie Readers

Jun 19, 2020 LauraW rated it really liked it

Shelves: family-issues, australian, young-adult, owned, gender-sex_orientation

It is real to life, affirming and fun. I am not the target audience for it, but I enjoyed it, for the most part. Teen hijinks make me nervous, but I am a nervous reader, anyway.

This is another book that adds to my perception of difference between Australian books for teens and American books for the same age group. Here the mother is decidedly present and treated as a person in her own right. In American books, the parent(s) are often absent entirely or somehow sidelined.

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Oct 20, 2010 Janelle rated it it was amazing

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, aussie-ya-reading-challenge-2011, aussie-author

This was my choice for my annual Boxing Day read-a-book-whilst-hubby-watches-cricket.

I truly loved this book. Fiona Wood has channelled the 15 year old male psyche beautifully, and has crafted a tale of loss - and being found again.

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 the house in addition to sarcasm

We look at each other with shy relief. It's the look two odd socks give when they recognise each other ...more

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Jul 18, 2010 Romy rated it really liked it

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 07, 2010 Jodie rated it really liked it

This book was so adorable. I dare anyone not to love Dan who reads this. It is a super quick and touching coming of age story. It has its share of boy meets girl cliches, but the humour around it is what makes this book stand out. A totally feel good read.

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Jun 05, 2014 Lauren rated it liked it

Shelves: library, ya, 2014

This is sweet and believable and nicely written. May have been a bit too cute and too young for me though - better suited to a younger audience. Feel like this is the YA book that will nudge me back to more adult reading. (not to get too deep into current online outrage against 'that' slate article, but all books are for anyone who wants to read them and anyone who says otherwise should be banned from reading) ...more

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