Book Review

“The Truth About Forever” by Sarah Dessen

We teens often attempt to bury ourselves in our school work or other activities to forget our problems or fears. In her novel “The Truth About Forever,” author Sarah Dessen tells the story of a teen girl, Macy, who tries to hide her true feelings and winds up facing the consequences of holding things in for too long.

Macy’s father just died and she feels lost in a world that is changing too quickly. She copes by throwing herself into her academics and her boyfriend, the school genius and perfectionist who she clings to for stability. When he leaves for “brain camp” during summer break, Macy feels even more isolated and desperate for a connection. That is, until she gets curious about a company called Wish Catering that’s run by an extremely pregnant woman and a band of eccentric servers. She follows them to a catering job one day and what she encounters turns her whole life completely around.

Dessen’s novel is about being brave enough to look at what’s hurting underneath and going for what you want despite the fear. The author also examines what a true human connection is, and how getting hurt is sometimes the price of love. Dessen’s writing is short and to the point, but with enough detail and care to give the characters depth. I found her colorful characters loveable and they made me want to keep reading to see what they’d do next. The plot kept this reader on her toes with twists that were both comical and exciting. I missed my MARTA stop because I was so immersed in the novel.

I would highly recommend this book for teen girls — guys probably won’t like it — who are looking for a feel-good read. This is not one of those deep thinking novels, yet it captures teen life and makes us wonder about why we’re so afraid of the things we want so much. I particularly liked how Dessen gives power to her character’s voices, and delivers unexpected surprises along the way to a satisfying ending.

By Allison McWaters/VOX Staff