“The thing about impossible things is that they’re not impossible. They just haven’t happened yet.”
— Main character Dan is reflecting on the title's meaning and the possibility of change.
Archivist's Choice
Six Impossible Things
Fiona Wood (2010)
Genre
Young Adult / Romance
Reading Time
350 min
Key Themes
See below
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After his family falls apart, fourteen-year-old Dan navigates new schools, a struggling family, and a crush on the girl next door, all while dealing with the 'six impossible things' that shape his life.
Synopsis
Fourteen-year-old Dan Cereill deals with adolescence after his family loses money. He moves to a new house, starts a new school, and lives with his mother's failing wedding cake business and his father's recent coming out. Dan develops a strong crush on his new neighbor, Estelle. He struggles to talk to her, adjust to new friendships, and understand his family's new situation. As Dan and Estelle work together on a school project and prepare for the school dance, he sees her vulnerabilities and realizes his own misunderstandings. The story ends with Dan facing the 'six impossible things' he believes define his life, leading him to a new view on love, friendship, and family as he accepts imperfections and moves on.
Reading time
350 min
Difficulty
Easy
Pacing
Moderate
Mood
Heartwarming, Humorous, Relatable, Tender
✓ Read this if...
You enjoy coming-of-age stories with a blend of humor, romance, and family drama, featuring an endearingly awkward protagonist.
✗ Skip this if...
You prefer high-stakes plots or stories without significant focus on domestic and relational challenges.
Plot Summary
The Move and the Crush
Fourteen-year-old Dan Cereill's life changes when his family loses their money, forcing them to move from their big house to a smaller cottage. This also means a new school, which Dan dreads. At their new home, Dan sees the girl next door, Estelle, and is instantly smitten. She seems confident and out of his league. He learns she is the daughter of his mother's new boss, adding more awkwardness to his life. His parents also have their own problems; his mother, Felicity, starts a struggling wedding cake business, and his father, Phillip, has recently come out as gay.
New School and New Friendships
Dan's fears about his new school, North Balmoral High, come true. He feels like an outsider, constantly judged and awkward. His attempts to fit in or make friends largely fail, leading to teasing and isolation. However, he starts a surprising friendship with Alex, a smart girl who is also new to the school and feels like an outsider. Alex is direct, observant, and does not care about fitting in, which both challenges and comforts Dan. Their shared experiences of high school social challenges begin to form a strong bond, giving Dan a much-needed connection.
The Wedding Cake Business and Family Tensions
Dan's mother, Felicity, tries to start her wedding cake business, 'Felicity's Fantasies,' from their small kitchen. Despite her passion, the business struggles, causing more financial stress. This stress is worse because of the ongoing tension between Felicity and Phillip after his coming out and their separation. Dan often finds himself caught in the middle, seeing his parents' strained interactions and worrying about their future, as well as his own. The failing business becomes a symbol of their family's decline, adding to Dan's feeling of helplessness and the sense that everything is falling apart.
Estelle's World and Dan's Awkward Attempts
Dan's crush on Estelle grows as he watches her from afar and has occasional, awkward talks. Estelle is in different social circles, appearing popular and confident, often with friends who seem cooler than Dan. He makes several clumsy attempts to impress her or talk to her, which often fail, leaving him feeling more embarrassed and invisible. He dreams of a romantic connection, but their different social statuses and his self-consciousness create a barrier, making her seem like an 'impossible' dream.
Phillip's New Life and Dan's Confusion
Dan's father, Phillip, begins to live his new life after coming out as gay. He moves into a smaller apartment and starts dating, which is a big change for Dan. While Dan loves his father, he struggles to understand this big change in his family and his father's identity. He feels confused, sad, and a sense of loss for the family he once knew. Phillip tries to stay close to Dan, but the change creates an emotional distance. Dan also worries how his father's sexuality might affect his own social standing at school, adding to his teenage worries.
The School Project and Unexpected Collaboration
Dan and Alex are assigned to work together on a big school project. This forces them to spend more time together outside of school. As they work, Dan starts to see past Alex's unique exterior and appreciate her intelligence, wit, and kindness. Alex, in turn, sees Dan's good nature and vulnerability. Their talks during the project go beyond the assignment, covering personal problems, family issues, and their shared feelings of being outsiders. This time marks a turning point in their friendship, deepening their bond and giving Dan a much-needed sense of belonging and understanding.
Estelle's Vulnerability and Dan's Realization
Through watching and overhearing conversations, Dan starts to see flaws in Estelle's seemingly perfect life. He learns she also has her own problems, including pressure from her parents and insecurities about her popularity. He sees her vulnerable moments and realizes her life is not as easy as it seems. This new view challenges Dan's perfect image of her, making her seem more human and less like an unattainable goddess. While his crush does not immediately disappear, this insight helps him see her as a person with her own complexities, not just an object of his impossible affection.
The School Dance and Shifting Dynamics
The school dance becomes a focus for the growing romantic and social tensions. Dan, hoping to impress Estelle, finds himself dealing with the awkwardness of the event. He sees Estelle with other boys and feels the familiar pangs of inadequacy. However, an important moment happens when Alex, who has been supportive throughout, is also there. The dance shows the difference between Dan's unrealistic crush on Estelle and the real connection he shares with Alex. It is a night of emotional ups and downs, forcing Dan to face his feelings and the reality of his relationships.
Family Reconciliation and Moving Forward
Despite their separation, Felicity and Phillip find a new, friendlier way to parent and interact. They start talking more effectively, focusing on Dan's well-being and supporting each other. Phillip's new relationship seems stable, and Felicity's cake business, though still hard, starts to improve. This gradual reconciliation, not of their marriage but of their roles as parents and friends, gives Dan a much-needed sense of stability. He starts to understand that family can change and adapt, and that love can appear in different ways, giving him hope for his own future.
Confronting the 'Impossible Things'
Dan slowly faces the six 'impossible things' he listed at the start of the book: his crush on Estelle, his family's money problems, his parents' separation, his dad being gay, his new school, and his own identity. He realizes some things, like his parents' relationship, are out of his control, but he can adapt. He understands that Estelle might never like him back, but that does not lessen his worth. He learns to handle his new school and appreciate the friends he has made. By accepting these realities, Dan starts to lose some of his worry and embrace a more hopeful outlook, realizing that 'impossible' does not always mean 'never'.
A New Perspective on Love and Friendship
As Dan's obsession with Estelle fades, he starts to truly see Alex. He recognizes her constant support, her understanding of him, and her real affection. He realizes that his connection with Alex is far more real than his fantasy of Estelle. This change in perspective is a big step in Dan's emotional growth. He understands that love is not always about big, unattainable crushes, but often about shared experiences, mutual respect, and deep friendship. This realization opens the way for a possible romantic future with Alex, built on a foundation of real connection.
Principal Figures
Dan Cereill
The Protagonist
Dan evolves from a self-pitying, insecure boy fixated on an unattainable crush to a more self-aware and accepting young man who values genuine connection and faces his life's challenges with growing maturity.
Alex
The Supporting
Alex remains steadfast in her character, serving as a catalyst for Dan's growth, while her consistent presence deepens her bond with him, hinting at a future romantic relationship.
Estelle
The Supporting
Estelle remains largely static, serving as the object of Dan's initial infatuation, but her revealed vulnerabilities help Dan mature in his understanding of love and people.
Felicity Cereill
The Supporting
Felicity moves from a state of emotional turmoil and financial anxiety to finding a more stable footing in her business and a new, amicable relationship with her ex-husband.
Phillip Cereill
The Supporting
Phillip transitions from a man hiding his true self to openly embracing his identity, finding happiness in a new relationship while striving to maintain his paternal bond.
Mrs. Henderson
The Supporting
Mrs. Henderson remains a static character, serving primarily as an external pressure point for Felicity and a representation of Estelle's family background.
Mr. Harrison
The Mentioned
Static, serves as a background character.
Themes & Insights
The Nature of Love and Crushes
The novel explores the difference between idealized crushes and real, developing love. Dan's strong crush on Estelle is initially a main force, representing a classic teenage fantasy. However, as the story goes on, he learns that true connection is often found in shared experiences, mutual understanding, and deep friendship, like his relationship with Alex. The book shows how initial attraction can be superficial, while real love requires seeing and appreciating a person's true self, flaws and all, as Dan eventually does with Alex.
“It’s hard to tell what’s real and what’s not when you’re fourteen and everything feels like the end of the world.”
Identity and Self-Acceptance
Dan's story is about finding and accepting his own identity amidst big life changes. He struggles with being a 'nerd,' an outsider at a new school, and the son of divorced parents, one of whom is gay. His struggle to fit in and his self-consciousness define much of his early character. The novel also touches on Phillip's journey of accepting his own identity as a gay man. Through these stories, the book emphasizes the importance of self-acceptance and finding one's place, even when it feels hard or unusual. Dan learns to be comfortable with himself, rather than always trying to be someone he is not.
“Maybe the impossible things aren't so impossible after all, if you just stop trying to change them.”
Family Redefinition and Resilience
The Cereill family changes a lot due to money problems and Phillip's coming out. The traditional family unit breaks, forcing Dan, Felicity, and Phillip to adjust to new roles and relationships. The theme explores how strong family bonds can be, showing that family does not always have to fit traditional structures to be loving and supportive. It highlights the complexities of divorce, co-parenting, and the emotional impact these changes have on children, suggesting that love and connection can last and grow even through big changes.
“Families don't break, Dan. They just… rearrange themselves.”
Navigating Social Hierarchies and Outsider Status
Dan's experience at his new school, North Balmoral High, is a small example of teenage social groups. He feels like an outsider, struggling to understand and fit into the established social dynamics. His friendship with Alex, who also accepts her outsider status, becomes a central part of this theme. The novel critiques the superficiality of popularity and highlights the value of real connections over social climbing. It shows how hard it can be to find one's place in a new environment and the strength found in being oneself rather than conforming.
“I was invisible. I was a ghost. And it was exactly what I wanted, and exactly what I hated.”
The Power of Perspective
Dan's journey is heavily influenced by his changing perspective. Initially, he sees his life with despair, viewing Estelle as perfect and his own situation as hopeless. As he grows and gains new insights, especially through his friendship with Alex and watching Estelle's own struggles, his perspective shifts. He begins to understand that appearances can be misleading, that everyone has their own problems, and that not everything is as 'impossible' as it seems. This theme shows how a change in viewpoint can change one's understanding of self and the world.
“Maybe the impossible things aren't so impossible after all, if you just stop trying to change them.”
Plot Devices & Literary Techniques
The 'Six Impossible Things' List
A literal list Dan creates to encapsulate his insurmountable problems
This is a recurring motif and structural device. Dan's list of 'six impossible things' (e.g., getting Estelle to like him, his parents getting back together) serves as a tangible representation of his anxieties and the seemingly insurmountable challenges he faces. It provides a clear framework for his personal journey, as he gradually confronts and re-evaluates each item on the list. The device allows the reader to track his progress and understand the internal and external obstacles he perceives, ultimately showing how his perspective on 'impossible' changes.
First-Person Narrative (Dan's Voice)
The story is told entirely from Dan's perspective, offering intimate access to his thoughts
The novel is narrated solely by Dan. This allows for deep immersion into his teenage anxieties, self-consciousness, and internal monologues. We experience his crush on Estelle, his struggles at school, and his family's upheaval directly through his unfiltered thoughts and feelings. This subjective perspective highlights his initial naiveté and self-pity, and effectively showcases his growth as he gains maturity and a broader understanding of the world around him. It makes his journey relatable and his emotional arc particularly impactful.
The Neighborly Proximity
Dan and Estelle live next door, creating constant, unavoidable encounters
The fact that Dan and Estelle are next-door neighbors is a crucial plot device. It forces their paths to cross repeatedly, fueling Dan's crush and providing opportunities for awkward interactions and observations. This proximity prevents Dan from easily escaping his infatuation and creates a constant source of tension and longing. It also allows for the gradual revealing of Estelle's character beyond Dan's initial idealization, as he witnesses her life from a closer, albeit still external, vantage point.
Felicity's Wedding Cake Business
A struggling venture that mirrors the family's financial and emotional state
Felicity's 'Felicity's Fantasies' wedding cake business serves as a symbolic and practical plot device. Practically, its struggles directly contribute to the family's ongoing financial stress, which impacts Dan's daily life. Symbolically, the often-failing business, focused on celebrations of love and union, contrasts sharply with the Cereill family's own fractured state. Its eventual, albeit slow, signs of improvement mirror the family's gradual healing and adaptation, suggesting hope and resilience even in difficult circumstances.
Critical analysis
Notable Quotes
“It was impossible to be cool and wear your heart on your sleeve at the same time. I was definitely doing the latter.”
— Dan is experiencing strong emotions and struggles with how to express them, particularly regarding Estelle.
“Sometimes you just have to jump, even if you don't know where you're going to land.”
— Dan considers taking a risk, both in his personal life and potentially with his creative pursuits.
“The worst part about liking someone is wondering if they like you back, and the worst part about not liking someone is knowing they like you.”
— Dan contemplates the complexities and anxieties of unrequited and reciprocal crushes.
“Being a teenager was like being stuck in a permanent state of almost. Almost an adult, almost in love, almost figuring things out.”
— Dan reflects on the transitional and often confusing nature of adolescence.
“Maybe the secret to life wasn't about finding the right answers, but about asking the right questions.”
— Dan is trying to make sense of his feelings and the situations he finds himself in.
“There’s a difference between being alone and being lonely.”
— Dan experiences periods of isolation but also finds comfort in his own company.
“My brain was a giant, messy knot of thoughts, and most of them were about Estelle.”
— Dan is consumed by his feelings for Estelle, a common experience for a first crush.
“It’s funny how you can think you know someone, and then they do something that completely surprises you.”
— Dan's perceptions of his friends and the people around him are challenged.
“Sometimes a little bit of awkward silence is okay. It means you’re thinking.”
— Dan finds himself in uncomfortable social situations but learns to accept them.
“The world didn’t stop just because my heart felt like it had.”
— Dan experiences heartbreak or a significant disappointment, but life continues around him.
“You can’t force someone to feel something they don’t.”
— Dan confronts the reality of unreciprocated feelings or a difficult relationship dynamic.
“I was learning that trying to be someone you're not is exhausting.”
— Dan attempts to fit in or impress others, leading to a sense of inauthenticity.
“There are some moments you want to bottle up and keep forever.”
— Dan experiences a particularly happy or significant memory that he cherishes.
“Even impossible things can happen, if you just believe in them hard enough.”
— A final reflection on the central theme of the book, combining hope with action.
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Key Questions (FAQ)
Dan initially identifies six impossible things: getting his old life back, getting his parents back together, making his mom happy, getting a girlfriend, becoming popular, and finding a purpose. These impossible things frame his aspirations and anxieties throughout the narrative, though their specific meanings evolve.
About the author
Biography coming soon.
