I picked up Sarah Dessen’s The Truth About Forever not because she is on the New York Time’s Best Seller list, or because she is one of the celebrity judges for the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest (ahem…which I am a part of this year and maybe reading my YA manuscript (see My Projects tab above for more info), but because my friend (also a YA writer), absolutely adores this novel! Now, I can see why.
It’s an impeccably written slice-of-life teen story full of rich characters that make the reader feel like we are sitting right in their living room. It is sort of like a romantic comedy for teens.
Macy is a “good girl” whose family is still grieving and adjusting over the loss of her Dad. Macy’s braniac and incredibly perfect boyfriend Jason (and we are talking perfect here, Shakespeare, Yoga, Grandmother visits, College…the works) is off to camp for summer – and Macy is left on her own, with her workaholic mother and a boring library job.
When the Wish catering company executes an event for Macy’s mother, she is introduced to the girls and boys who will forever change her summer.
We meet Kristy – a girl with an attitude and life philosophy any adult would envy, Monica – her quirky sister whose vocabulary consists of four expressions (genius, so funny!). Bert – a “good boy” on the prowl in his ridiculous wheels, and Wes – the ever imperfect guy, but oh so attractive, complete with tattoo and problematic ex-girlfriend; hence the perfect guy for a solid summer romance.
From a writer’s point of view, The Truth About Forever’s voice and details are so tight that makes me wonder if the Editor had any room for improvement, or if this is the result of the Editor squeezing out any possible improvement on an already perfect novel.
If you love to sit and watch reruns of Gilmore Girls, you will love to read The Truth About Forever.
I give The Truth About Forever ten magic wands.
For more about Sarah Dessen and her novels visit her here http://www.sarahdessen.com/
