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3.37 AVERAGE
3.37 AVERAGE
So far, it's really boring. But I'm reading it anyway.
Yeah. It was boring.
Yeah. It was boring.
I mean, nothing life shattering. But maybe it would have been if I had read it as a kid. ;)
I feel somewhat guilty for rating this a 3, but for me that is the best I can do. I'm a 67-year-old woman and this is a book written from the perspective of a 17-18 year old girl, for young girls and boys. The book is dated. I chose to read it based on the news that Judy Blume's books are being banned by right wing republicans. You know, the people who pretend that abstinence is an option and everyone should practice it (resulting in massive teenage pregnancy rates in red states).
Anyhow. It's no more explicit than many other books I read when I was younger than Katherine and Michael. It's a story of young love that turns out to be lust. It's a story that played in countless young lives and continues to do to this day. The writing was surprisingly pedestrian; surprisingly, because I have understood Judy Blume to be a great writer. So?
So maybe, just maybe, this was a great book at the time it was written and for the audience intended. I'm just too old to approach it from that perspective and in all honesty, I finished the book because I felt as if I must. No regrets, and no more young adult fiction for this old woman.
Anyhow. It's no more explicit than many other books I read when I was younger than Katherine and Michael. It's a story of young love that turns out to be lust. It's a story that played in countless young lives and continues to do to this day. The writing was surprisingly pedestrian; surprisingly, because I have understood Judy Blume to be a great writer. So?
So maybe, just maybe, this was a great book at the time it was written and for the audience intended. I'm just too old to approach it from that perspective and in all honesty, I finished the book because I felt as if I must. No regrets, and no more young adult fiction for this old woman.
Teenage love often times a mystery towards the general public. Its children in love presumably for the first time, so it should be innocent yet for a few people, it is not. It involves them exploring a part of themselves with another person. Figuring out what they like and what they do not like. Judy Blume handled this topic in a mature light in Forever. She explored what it means to fall in love and lose ones’ virginity through the lens of Katherine Danziger. Blume was pretty progressive for her time, where she wrote her book in a feminism light. This book does not shame young women for what they choose to do with their bodies. She has female characters of many kinds. Virgins, teenage motherhood. She even has two women with different opinions of sex be best friends. Erica believed that sex is just a physical thing whilst Katherine believes it should be out of love.
Blume has made sure to highlight the importance of sexual education by inserting Katherine’s parents to be open about their sex lives and allowing their daughter to explore her sexuality in their house, where she would be presumably safe rather than in a parking lot. Even though Katherine’s father is shown to be pretty frightened about his older daughter growing up, he never stops her. But he does try to put some boundaries towards her relationship with her boyfriend, Michael Wagner by making her get a job at the tennis camp with her little sister, Jamie, instead of letting her stay here for the summer. He does it again with his wife when they refused to let their daughter go to another school based on Michael’s convenience. Not only is she open about the subject with her parents, but she is also open towards it with her grandparents. In fact, it was her grandmother who sent her a Planned Parenthood pamphlet in the mail. With this Katherine was given the courage to call up the women's facility and go to it during her trip to New York City. There she was presented with various birth control options. Blume even had a bittersweet ending where Katherine breaks up with Michael because of the infidelity that came with the consequences of falling in love at such a young age.
Through all of this, Blume made sure to give the right information in telling teenagers that it is okay to fall in love with someone. It is okay to have sex, especially for females. She made sure kids knew the consequences of it, but she let them know that it does not make them dirty nor stupid nor sinful. She also inserted it is okay if you end up with the person you lost your virginity to or not because it is all a part of growing up. There may be other books that can explain this topic better to teens, however, I do not see anything wrong in this book and I do not see this as controversial at all as it is just about life. You cannot keep someone young and innocent forever.
Blume has made sure to highlight the importance of sexual education by inserting Katherine’s parents to be open about their sex lives and allowing their daughter to explore her sexuality in their house, where she would be presumably safe rather than in a parking lot. Even though Katherine’s father is shown to be pretty frightened about his older daughter growing up, he never stops her. But he does try to put some boundaries towards her relationship with her boyfriend, Michael Wagner by making her get a job at the tennis camp with her little sister, Jamie, instead of letting her stay here for the summer. He does it again with his wife when they refused to let their daughter go to another school based on Michael’s convenience. Not only is she open about the subject with her parents, but she is also open towards it with her grandparents. In fact, it was her grandmother who sent her a Planned Parenthood pamphlet in the mail. With this Katherine was given the courage to call up the women's facility and go to it during her trip to New York City. There she was presented with various birth control options. Blume even had a bittersweet ending where Katherine breaks up with Michael because of the infidelity that came with the consequences of falling in love at such a young age.
Through all of this, Blume made sure to give the right information in telling teenagers that it is okay to fall in love with someone. It is okay to have sex, especially for females. She made sure kids knew the consequences of it, but she let them know that it does not make them dirty nor stupid nor sinful. She also inserted it is okay if you end up with the person you lost your virginity to or not because it is all a part of growing up. There may be other books that can explain this topic better to teens, however, I do not see anything wrong in this book and I do not see this as controversial at all as it is just about life. You cannot keep someone young and innocent forever.
In high school, I read an article about this book being on the banned list. So of course, I went to the library to check it out and they didn't have it. Luckily, my mother didn't care about banned books and took me to a bookstore to buy this. It is such a real account of first love. First, true and heartbreaking love that you truly think will last forever. This book stands the test of time and is still an excellent read today.
Isn't this how every girl who grew up in the '80's learned about sex?
I had to read this for a YA Lit class that I am taking right now. I remember, however, that I read this a LONG time ago when I was in 8th or 9th grade.
Still relevant for teens, this Blume book is poignant and true. She does not romanticize the feelings and power of Kathleen's first sexual relationship. Rather, Blume artfully opens a window into the uncertainty, awkwardness, seriousness and confusion of sexual curiosity and commitments.
Glad I re-read it. Good to know that it still rings true and that it can still provide some non-preachy insights for teens today.
Still relevant for teens, this Blume book is poignant and true. She does not romanticize the feelings and power of Kathleen's first sexual relationship. Rather, Blume artfully opens a window into the uncertainty, awkwardness, seriousness and confusion of sexual curiosity and commitments.
Glad I re-read it. Good to know that it still rings true and that it can still provide some non-preachy insights for teens today.
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm really more of a paranormal romance/ fantasy reader however at a younger age I read Forever and more recently I decided to get a copy. I thought I would be consumed into the text as I once was but that was not the case. I found the more heated scenes to be tasteless and a little random. I feel as if a younger reader would be more inclined to enjoy this book. Maybe around 14/15. However, As an older reader I would choose something with a little more going on.
