The Impossible Fortress
A Novel
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4.2 • 58 Ratings
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
From the author of the New York Times bestseller The Last One at the Wedding—a sweet coming-of-age story about young love that’s an “endearing, full embrace of the late 1980s” (USA TODAY) and a delightful blend of humor, heart, and the universal experience of growing up.
Fourteen-year-old Billy Marvin is living the dream of every nerd in New Jersey. His days are filled with endless debates over pop culture icons, late-night video game programming on his beloved Commodore 64, and the simple joys of friendship. But when Playboy magazine releases photos of Wheel of Fortune’s iconic Vanna White, Billy's world is turned upside down.
Enter Mary Zelinsky, a brilliant and equally geeky girl who challenges Billy in ways he never expected. As their friendship blossoms, Billy finds himself navigating the complexities of first love, all while hatching a plan with his friends to get their hands on the coveted magazine.
Described by Newsweek as " thoroughly escapist joy," The Impossible Fortress is a testament to the power of nostalgia and the timelessness of falling in love. Fans of Stranger Things and those who cherish pop culture and 80s nostalgia will find themselves transported back to a time when life was simpler, yet full of joyful anticipation.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
This joyous thrill ride of a novel follows three 14-year-old boys in 1987 as they embark on a daring quest to steal a copy of Playboy. And not just any copy: the issue featuring Wheel of Fortune goddess Vanna White. The Impossible Fortress is a giddy coming-of-age tale about teen friendships, coding and crushes—and a love letter to an age just before the Internet changed our lives. There’s plenty to enjoy here no matter when you were a teenager.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Infused with 1980s music, pop culture, and plenty of the BASIC computer programming language, Rekulak's debut offers a charmingly vintage take on geek love, circa 1987 in New Jersey. Fourteen-year-old Billy Marvin's aspiration is to be a premier video game designer. When Billy and his friends' plans to obtain the desirable Vanna White issue of Playboy from a local stationery shop backfire, Billy meets his match in the owner's daughter, Mary, a brilliant computer programmer. She and Billy join forces to improve Billy's flawed game designs in the hopes of winning a contest. Billy's embarrassed to admit his attraction to somewhat chubby Mary, instead allowing his friends to believe he's just using her to get close to Vanna. The interplay between Billy and his loser friends is amusing, and Mary's character quietly excelling at what's viewed as a boy's pastime is sympathetically drawn. A late-in-the-game caper to penetrate an Impossible Fortress ups the ante. Rekulak's novel will have readers of a certain age waxing nostalgic about Space Invaders and humming Hall and Oates, but it's still a fun ride that will appeal to all.
Customer Reviews
amazing
yet another amazing book from Jason! i fell in love with the characters, felt the sadness for them but by the end i felt nothing but happiness (and saddness it was over) im so glad i read this book.
Creepy and misogynistic
Did I read the same book as other reviewers? Does anyone even know what romance is anymore? This isn’t sweet or romantic at all. It’s an incel’s wet dream.