REVIEW: The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

Review by Karen

I love Sarah Dessen’s books, and this one more than lived up to my expectations.  Since the sudden death of her father, Macy has strived to give the appearance of being ‘fine’.  She’s still struggling with her grief, but doesn’t feel like she can talk to anyone about it – her sister has moved out, and her mother has engrossed herself in new projects. So Macy attempts to appear perfect – she studies hard, controls her appearance, and does exactly what’s expected of her. But things change when her boyfriend puts their relationship on hold for the summer and Macy meets a new group of friends, who live life to the full. Macy’s introduced to the creative and sexy Wes, and as the two grow closer, Macy realises she can’t always control her emotions.

The characters in this book are vividly drawn, and really leap off the page. I could fully believe in Macy’s fear of the unexpected, and the way she’s trying to regain control over her life. The difficult subject of grief is dealt with compassionately, and the way Macy finally discovers how she can move on is sensitively done, but also very believable.  Dessen also subtly uses humour throughout, to stop the story becoming too dark.

This is an engrossing, powerful and uplifting read, and I highly recommend it!

Review by Karen