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elementary221b 's review for:
Once and for All
by Sarah Dessen
Having read several of Sarah Dessen’s novels, I was eager to dive into the latest. Similar to her past novels, this one did not disappoint in its in-depth development of characters. While the main character Louna was at times too wise/cynical for a teenager, her mother and William along with their wedding business helped the reader to understand how her character had developed in this way. Ambrose and Jilly were musts in terms of balance and levity. 3 things I will remember:
1. How meaningless and random acts of violence can have a lasting impact of even those who are acquaintances with the dead. In this novel, while you learn much later that her boyfriend died in a school shooting, Sarah Dessen does a good job showing you how heavy that weighs on Louna.
2. How crazy people can be about weddings and how crazy weddings can make them. This could be overplayed a bit but it was interesting to see how Ambrose helped the wedding planning company have an appreciation for the love and magic of the moment.
3. At a higher level, appreciating living in the moment versus dwelling on the past or worries about the future. Louna was able to come into herself more as she learned to have fun through Jilly and Ambrose.
1. How meaningless and random acts of violence can have a lasting impact of even those who are acquaintances with the dead. In this novel, while you learn much later that her boyfriend died in a school shooting, Sarah Dessen does a good job showing you how heavy that weighs on Louna.
2. How crazy people can be about weddings and how crazy weddings can make them. This could be overplayed a bit but it was interesting to see how Ambrose helped the wedding planning company have an appreciation for the love and magic of the moment.
3. At a higher level, appreciating living in the moment versus dwelling on the past or worries about the future. Louna was able to come into herself more as she learned to have fun through Jilly and Ambrose.