Synopsis:
A young woman discovers that she is cursed to go mad on the birth of her first child unless she can complete three impossible tasks.
Review:
Woven from the lyrics of the ballad Scarborough Fair, made famous by Simon and Garfunkel, Impossible successfully places a fairy tale in the context of modern life without sacrificing any magic at all.
Lucy Scarborough was raised by foster parents after her mother, Miranda, went mad on Lucy’s birth. Now Lucy finds herself pregnant at 17, and discovers a diary kept by Miranda during her pregnancy claiming that unless Lucy can complete the tasks named in the ballad, Lucy will go mad when her own daughter is born. Lucy chooses to believe, and sets out to weave a seamless shirt with no needles, find an acre of land between the saltwater and the sea strand, and plow it with one grain of corn using a goat’s horn. In the backdrop lurks the figure of the Elfin King, who seems to rule over Lucy’s plight, though she does not know yet exactly how.
I tore through this book. It’s fast paced, romantic, magical, and skillfully plotted. I’m not always a fan of updated fairy tales but this one really worked, I think because Werlin didn’t try to make it too contemporary. There was just enough realism for me to connect with the characters, and just enough magic for me to buy the premise.
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14 responses so far ↓
1 Janet // Oct 3, 2008 at 11:44 pm
Grain of corn? Goat’s horn? What happened to the leather sickle? And I thought I knew that song…
Sounds like an intriguing book.
2 links for 2008-10-04 « YA Fabulous! // Oct 4, 2008 at 4:03 am
[...] Impossible by Nancy Werlin I tore through this book. It’s fast paced, romantic, magical, and skillfully plotted. I’m not always a fan of updated fairy tales but this one really worked, I think because Werlin didn’t try to make it too contemporary. There was just enough realism for me to connect with the characters, and just enough magic for me to buy the premise. (tags: blog-reviews nancy-werlin impossible) [...]
3 Superfast Reader // Oct 4, 2008 at 7:38 am
It’s a variant of the song–she gets into your question as part of the story.
4 Jeane // Oct 5, 2008 at 10:32 am
That sounds pretty cool. I used to know all the words to that song, and often puzzled over them. I want to read this book now!
5 Jupiter // Oct 5, 2008 at 5:08 pm
This sounds really intriguing. I may have to check it out.
6 Susan Helene Gottfried // Oct 5, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Hey, Superfast! Just dropping in to say hi; I have been away from you for too long.
7 Em // Oct 17, 2008 at 8:36 pm
I’ve heard good things about this one and can’t wait to check it out. Great review!
8 Mellisa // Nov 2, 2008 at 2:21 am
I am reading this book and so far i like it, but when i get to the part when she decides to keep the baby it gave me kind of anger because Lucy had pass through many things and then the pregnancy?? i think the pregnancy went too far and when i want to read more, i don’t do it because now it gives me anger because she won’t be the same, neither zack, and i don’t want to feel that reading this book, i think it would have been better without the baby she is having, but besides that it is an excellent book, just that tiny detail, in my opinion.
9 Superfast Reader // Nov 2, 2008 at 7:40 am
But she had to get pregnant-that’s the curse of her family. The book wouldn’t exist without that element.
10 Black Mirror, Nancy Werlin « Jenny’s Books // Mar 7, 2009 at 1:22 pm
[...] catalogue for a book that I did read about – in this case, Nancy Werlin’s Impossible, which Superfastreader said was good – and when I find they don’t have it in, I get another book by the same [...]
11 amanda // Dec 16, 2009 at 8:02 pm
i loved this book. it was so compelling and if everyone promises not to kick my butt i’ll even say this confidently. i loved it more than twilight
12 Superfast Reader // Dec 17, 2009 at 8:45 pm
nice to hear from someone else who read it!
13 hayl // Aug 18, 2010 at 8:21 pm
both my mother and i recently read this book. i read Are You Alone On Purpose a few years ago and she reckognized the author and bought it for me. i thought it was amazing. i especially enjoyed how well written the characters are. i liked how Lucy is incredibly down to earth and i loved how honest and loving Zack is. sometimes it was painful to read! (in a good way) deffinatly one of my favorite books.
14 Superfast Reader // Aug 20, 2010 at 6:35 am
I haven’t read that one–will look it up.
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