Book review: The Truth About Forever
The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen
Sixteen year old Macy Queen has gotten pretty used to being known as That Girl - the one who was unlucky enough to see her father die in front of her. A year and a half after his sudden passing, Macy has also gotten used to rigidly ordered life: helping out her genius boyfriend Jason in all his extracurricular activities; studying her SAT vocab words; in short, doing all that’s required to seem perfect. But everything changes when Jason puts their relationship on hold, leaving her on her own for the first time. On a whim, and bored by the library job she agreed to take over for Jason, she decides to work for a family-run catering company, and meets people completely different from her: Delia, the often frazzled owner (who’s also very pregnant); Kristy, one of the servers with a flair for wild outfits; and the intriguing Wes, who is reputed to have been sent to reform school. During her summer with them, life suddenly becomes very unpredictable, but also, very, very interesting.
By all rational reckonings, The Truth About Forever is too perfect. Sickeningly perfect. Ready-for-a-Disney Channel-movie perfect. Grieving, complicated girl realizes she’s lonely and needs a change; she finds a quirky, wacky, yet lovable crew of friends and coworkers who take her in, no questions asked; upon realizing that life isn’t perfect, nor is it ever meant to be, she finally begins to grapple with the grief she’s an expert at shoving aside. Oh, and of course, there’s just the perfect guy to understand what she’s going through. And yet… it’s still an enjoyable read.
Despite its perfectly-packaged exterior, Dessen’s genuine and honest characterization makes the story engaging instead of insipid. Macy is a bundle of conflicting emotions and desires, not just because she’s a teenager, but also because that’s the nature of grieving, too. Perhaps because I’m learning it myself, Dessen’s quiet observations about mourning and loss ring true, from the sadness you feel at seeing familiar places to the happiness you feel at thinking this is something he/she would have enjoyed, too. The emotions Macy feels never come across as fake and contrived, even if the situations she’s in do. Although I could have done with less “carpe diem”-esque moments, Macy is a girl who learns the difference between just getting by and truly living, and for that alone I find it a worthwhile read.
Sixteen year old Macy Queen has gotten pretty used to being known as That Girl - the one who was unlucky enough to see her father die in front of her. A year and a half after his sudden passing, Macy has also gotten used to rigidly ordered life: helping out her genius boyfriend Jason in all his extracurricular activities; studying her SAT vocab words; in short, doing all that’s required to seem perfect. But everything changes when Jason puts their relationship on hold, leaving her on her own for the first time. On a whim, and bored by the library job she agreed to take over for Jason, she decides to work for a family-run catering company, and meets people completely different from her: Delia, the often frazzled owner (who’s also very pregnant); Kristy, one of the servers with a flair for wild outfits; and the intriguing Wes, who is reputed to have been sent to reform school. During her summer with them, life suddenly becomes very unpredictable, but also, very, very interesting.
By all rational reckonings, The Truth About Forever is too perfect. Sickeningly perfect. Ready-for-a-Disney Channel-movie perfect. Grieving, complicated girl realizes she’s lonely and needs a change; she finds a quirky, wacky, yet lovable crew of friends and coworkers who take her in, no questions asked; upon realizing that life isn’t perfect, nor is it ever meant to be, she finally begins to grapple with the grief she’s an expert at shoving aside. Oh, and of course, there’s just the perfect guy to understand what she’s going through. And yet… it’s still an enjoyable read.
Despite its perfectly-packaged exterior, Dessen’s genuine and honest characterization makes the story engaging instead of insipid. Macy is a bundle of conflicting emotions and desires, not just because she’s a teenager, but also because that’s the nature of grieving, too. Perhaps because I’m learning it myself, Dessen’s quiet observations about mourning and loss ring true, from the sadness you feel at seeing familiar places to the happiness you feel at thinking this is something he/she would have enjoyed, too. The emotions Macy feels never come across as fake and contrived, even if the situations she’s in do. Although I could have done with less “carpe diem”-esque moments, Macy is a girl who learns the difference between just getting by and truly living, and for that alone I find it a worthwhile read.