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Impossible

(2008, Fiction - Fantasy, Written by Nancy Werlin)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 13, age appropriate for kids over 16; suggested age 13.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0

  • Common Sense says

    Well-written, twisted fairytale has mature themes.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 13–16

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Lucy's mother is mentally ill and homeless. She throws glass bottles at Lucy and her family. Despite taking medication to prevent it after the rape, Lucy becomes pregnant as a senior in high school. Her parents and friends bring up the option of abortion, but Lucy is determined to keep the baby. Lucy stays in school while pregnant and makes up her missed work after the baby is born. Lucy realizes "how the adults had been right that, under normal circumstances, marriage and a baby would possibly not have been the right choice at this time in life."
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Lucy is raped by her prom date while he is possessed by an evil Elfin Knight. It's clear what's happening but it's not graphically described. Her date dies that night when his car smashes into a tree in a supposed drunk-driving accident. Lucy's friend says he hopes the deceased boy's last moments were full of pain and he is gang-raped in hell. The Elfin Knight threatens to punish Lucy for getting married, saying, "Perhaps I will make you kill him for me."

  • Sex:

    There is an oblique reference to a young man's erection. Lucy's teenage friend refers to her own sexual experience with an ex-boyfriend before offering to answer any of Lucy's questions (nothing explicit). On their honeymoon, Lucy alludes to two showerheads in a shower and asks her new husband if he wants her to scrub his back. Miranda has sex with a boy to please a beautiful man (the Elfin Knight).

  • Language:

    Not an issue.

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    The family drinks champagne in celebration; the Elfin Knight (disguised as a human) offers wine to underaged Zach, who refuses it. Miranda drinks a beer at a party, then wonders if she had sex because she was drunk.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Impossible

Parents need to know that while this book is a contemporary fairytale, it has dark undercurrents, including date rape, teen pregnancy, mental illness, sexual slavery, and supernatural curses. Two young people wed very young despite parental objections; this is presented as romantic though admittedly not ideal.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the idea of true love and how rarely people find their soul mates in high school. They can also discuss how much work it takes to care for a baby. Families might also want to listen to the Simon & Garfunkel version of the ballad and talk about how Werlin adapted the traditional folk song for her novel.
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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Parent Reviewer
    infinity2
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 4.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Good role models

    Flag as inappropriate

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