Book Review: The Truth About Forever

The Truth About Forever

By: Sarah Dessen

Published By: Speak

Publication Date: June 2012 (originally published in 2004)

Page Count: 374

Buy it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or IndieBound

Source: Library

Audience: Young Adult - Contemporary

I'm working my way through Dessen's work slowly but surely. While some of her stories have just been okay, The Truth About Forever really shines. I think its one of my Dessen favorites for sure.

As always with a Dessen novel, the characters are what drive the story. Dessen always creates characters that are so real they could step from the pages and sit next to you. I can't help but imagine these fictional beings as people I could have been friends with during my teen years. Macy and Wes, in particular, are just the sort of people I would have loved to be around. 

Macy is still a little broken - understandably considering her father died in front of her a little over a year ago. She's trying to figure out how life is supposed to work without her dad around. Her family seems okay on the surface, but underneath things are a churning mess of emotion. Macy thinks this is normal and it isn't until she starts to work for Wish that she begins to realize that grief and moving on may look a lot different than what she expected.

Wes is one of those fictional males that makes you wish boys like him actually existed. Surely no boys I went to high school with were anything like him. Guys like him are rare commodities. You should read this one just to get to know Wes. He's pretty amazing and I love how he helps Macy open up. He doesn't let her hide behind her sorrow, but forces her to start moving on. Life can't stop when one person we care about stops breathing.

Dessen always has serious stuff happening in her books, but this one I feel is particularly relevant. Death is something that we all face. Few people haven't lost someone they love. I find it comforting to read about characters who are experiencing the same thoughts and feelings that I have experienced from time to time. I also think this novel could help teens who have lost a parent.

In spite of the focus on the aftermath of grief and loss, this book wasn't all doom and gloom. There is a lot of positive energy in this one.

One Last Gripe: I was frustrated by Macy's mom throughout the majority of this story.

My Favorite Thing About This Book: The friendship between Macy and Wes

First Sentence: Jason was going to Brain Camp.

Favorite Character: Macy

Least Favorite Character: The girls at the library - ugh...

Summary:

Expect the unexpected.

Macy's got her whole summer carefully planned.

But her plants didn't include a job at Wish Catering. And they certainly didn't include Wes.

But Macy soon discovers that the things you expect least are sometimes the things you need most.