The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

Title: The Truth About Forever
Author: Sarah Dessen
Format I Read: Paperback
Pages: 374
Genres: Realistic Fiction, Romance
Release Date: May 11, 2004
Stars: 5
Goodreads Link

I was a huge Sarah Dessen girl in my early reading days. You could probably even say that it was Ms. Dessen that made me a real reader, that made me an avid word-eater. So I decided to go on a trip down memory lane and reread one of my favorites, The Truth About Forever.

Gosh, it did not disappoint. No one does realistic fiction like Sarah Dessen. She is the queen. It's insane how she can take normal people--Macy, Wes, Bert, Delia, Kristy, Monica, everyone--and send a message. Every book of hers has a story and an impact. She's amazing.

The Truth About Forever revolves around Macy. She witnessed her father's death prior to the start of the novel, and her dismantled family struggles with the grieving process. Macy's boyfriend, Jason, is the "perfection" that she strives for: a model student, an adamant recycler, an encyclopedia of information. He's like a robot. And apparently so is their relationship. Macy signs an email with "I love you" while he's at Brain Camp, and he declares a "break" in their relationship. This spurs Macy to begin working for a catering company, filled with a rag tag group of coworkers. Soon, they all become more with co-workers to Macy. From her new bestie Kristy to the gorgeous Wes, they help her change for the better.

The characters are fantastic. Even Monica, who barely speaks more than three words, was great. I loved Kristy's interpretations of Monica's emotions. I loved Delia's kind motherly persona, the mama bird to everyone in the novel. I loved Bert and his crazy Armageddon theories. I loved how so many subplots culminated with the idea that chaos isn't always bad. The contrasts between Macy's mom and Delia revealed so much more than you could imagine. Even Macy's dad, gone before the book even begins, was pivotal.

Ms. Dessen is truly an expert at creating characters. They move you and pull you in. She's a master. The Truth About Forever is just one of her many impressive creations. Definitely worthy of five stars.