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A review by megan_lynch
The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen
4.0
I really loved this book; really, no one is more surprised than me.
I always have the same problem with Dessen's work. It isn't that they aren't written well aesthetically as such, I just find her characters are typical and cliched, I wanted them to be out of the box more. This didn't help with the fact that as I read more of her books, these same characters kept creeping up. A mostly flat main character and there is practically the an identical family setup- an absent parent, the other who is not functioning the way they should, and one sibling who's purposes are the same in each book, to provide a contrast to the main character or at times a catalyst to get the plot moving. I found that even though Dessen talks about such real things, the characters and the book itself were unrealistic. Each book, whether the author realises or not follows a strict pattern.
You see the thing is: I never understood the appeal of Dessen. Her books are problem books and to be honest there are many that deals with these issues better. Although that doesn't mean I think that her books are bad, one thing I will say, is that they leave you thinking of the characters long after you read them.
I get Sarah Dessen now. She has this uncommon way of writing that everything in the background, the setting, what other characters are saying or doing; that reflects how Macy is feeling at that point in time, which I can appreciate, even though it maybe a little unrealistic. Yes at times characters and events seemed too typical, exaggerated and forced but they didn't seem to matter as much here, they are small annoyances if you look at the bigger picture. Yes, this book is no exception to Dessen's patterns, however if she was going to make a great book out of it she has selected the best combination here to enhance her story.
I don't know why exactly it Dessen's writing worked for me in this book. Was it that I could understand Macy's issues more? Her struggle with perfection and growth as a character was very relatable. Was it that the characters were more vibrant and unique? Wes and the Wish crew were so interesting to read about, they really added originality and life into the book that was badly needed. Was it that the romance was good? It was just how I wanted it to play out, there was none of that insta-love gunk and their relationship was believable. I suppose it was all of those things.
If you are thinking about reading Dessen's books I'd recommend read this one first. I am very glad I read this, I simply adore it.
I always have the same problem with Dessen's work. It isn't that they aren't written well aesthetically as such, I just find her characters are typical and cliched, I wanted them to be out of the box more. This didn't help with the fact that as I read more of her books, these same characters kept creeping up. A mostly flat main character and there is practically the an identical family setup- an absent parent, the other who is not functioning the way they should, and one sibling who's purposes are the same in each book, to provide a contrast to the main character or at times a catalyst to get the plot moving. I found that even though Dessen talks about such real things, the characters and the book itself were unrealistic. Each book, whether the author realises or not follows a strict pattern.
You see the thing is: I never understood the appeal of Dessen. Her books are problem books and to be honest there are many that deals with these issues better. Although that doesn't mean I think that her books are bad, one thing I will say, is that they leave you thinking of the characters long after you read them.
I get Sarah Dessen now. She has this uncommon way of writing that everything in the background, the setting, what other characters are saying or doing; that reflects how Macy is feeling at that point in time, which I can appreciate, even though it maybe a little unrealistic. Yes at times characters and events seemed too typical, exaggerated and forced but they didn't seem to matter as much here, they are small annoyances if you look at the bigger picture. Yes, this book is no exception to Dessen's patterns, however if she was going to make a great book out of it she has selected the best combination here to enhance her story.
I don't know why exactly it Dessen's writing worked for me in this book. Was it that I could understand Macy's issues more? Her struggle with perfection and growth as a character was very relatable. Was it that the characters were more vibrant and unique? Wes and the Wish crew were so interesting to read about, they really added originality and life into the book that was badly needed. Was it that the romance was good? It was just how I wanted it to play out, there was none of that insta-love gunk and their relationship was believable. I suppose it was all of those things.
If you are thinking about reading Dessen's books I'd recommend read this one first. I am very glad I read this, I simply adore it.