THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER

BY: Sarah Dessen

Year: 2004

Genre: YA, Contemporary Fiction.

Rate: 3,5 stars⭐⭐⭐✨

“Don’t be afraid, Be alive.”

This is my fourth attempt with the author’s works and the first book I get to finish it without DNF.

There is something appealing about the narrative and the writing in Sarah Dessen’s books. She writes with so much passion and emotion, and maybe that was the reason I kept trying. People are right, there is wonder in her books. Actually, I never had a problem, following the story, to admire the writing or the plot.  

However, no matter how beautiful the narrative is, sometimes it is too much of on and on with the same topic. In this particular book, I found myself lost in a conversation after reading three pages of one thought about one single idea. Also, there are some repetitions, at first, I thought it was part of a character’s attribute, but then it was all over the story.   For example, I don’t think to repeat ‘you know’ it works the way it should. It’s a little distracting a least for me.

Another thing I have trouble to understand are the characters, after fourth tries, I found that there is so much unexplored potential in the characters, they could have been great, and in my opinion, they didn’t reach the point of to be likeable, or to care about them. I get it, a character needs to have flaws to be real, and more important to show how it grows in the story. But I’ve always thought that a character needs to be strong, to communicate their changes, and I didn’t find any of those qualities, in any of the protagonists or other characters I’ve read so far in any of the writer’s books, the low self-esteem, the silent, is too much to handle. Except for Kristy, in this story, she’s the new friend, the loyal, the hopeful, the crazy, the honest, the romantic, the optimistic, the soul. She’s everything that it should be spread among the characters in any kind of story. And she’s one of the reasons I keep reading and why this book is good.

Also, there is one situation that in this book, it didn’t work for me. It’s true, life and the world aren’t perfect, but they are moments of perfection. For example, if I need to buy a dress and I find one in the first store I enter, in my size, and it fits greats, that is what I call a moment of perfection, and it will make me happy, and there is nothing wrong with that.

I get it organization and chaos need a balance, but if a person is happy with organization, let them be. The problem for what I see, it isn’t about to be or no to be perfect, to like or not to like chaos, the thing here is to be happy whatever the way a person wants to be, and not just the way a protagonist says it should be.  And even when there are hints about ‘it’s okay to be yourself’ in the story, I think there is still something missing.

Anyway, I’m happy that I insisted on the Author. I knew that eventually, I’d find one that I’ll enjoy it, and I did. But I don’t think she’s the kind of author for me, maybe I’ll try again, maybe not. Still, I’m grateful for the experience. It was worth it.

Best phrase:

“This felt right Not just leaving, but how I was doing it. Without regret, without second guessing. And with Wes right there, holding the door open for me as I walk out into the light.”

Note: Photo was taken from www.google.com