Reading Style and The Truth about Forever.

Notes on the Way I Read:

I realized something about when I read--I do not envision the characters ever so vividly in my mind as many do. Now, even though I do not have clear pictures, I still cringe when I finally see actors/actresses cast in a book-gone-movie if they're not the way I "pictured them." But I can't say that I could explain the way I DO picture them. To me, they have definite features but they are almost like beings floating around in my subconscious. It's not like a motion picture in my mind when I'm reading about what characters are doing in a book. The beings take action. And I know that I'm picturing these things happening, all of them, but only certain details become tangible. I'm not sure if that's really how you're supposed to read a book, since everything seems to be happening in my subconscious.

On that note, on to my very first book review!

Sarah Dessen, The Truth about Forever

I read my first Sarah Dessen book in the ninth grade. Since then, I've read every book she's written so far and am eagerly awaiting her new book, out in April of this year. This is the first book I am reviewing, because I recently reread it over Winter Break [it's hard to find time to read while at college].

The Truth about Forever follows the story of a girl named Macy, who has lost her father [and would probably hate me for describing her that way!]. Macy has a boyfriend she regards as being perfect at everything, who goes away to Brain Camp for the summer. In his absence, she starts to realize things she never did about the world around her, as she meets another boy named Wes. She takes a new job and meets new people that thrive in an imperfect world. Much to her surprise, she finds happiness among them. These people, Wes included, help to show her the beauty in imperfection, as she comes to terms with her father's death and her own ideas of a perfect life.

In some ways, I feel as if the book is too short to give the relationship between Macy and others any true depth. For instance, her relationship with Wes is built primarily upon a game called Truth, much like Truth or Dare without the dare. They learn about each other through their answers to this game, which is interesting in some ways but also leaves something to be desired. It seems that there are no real complexities, as any questions Macy or Wes have are just plainly asked to one another. The book ends in such a predictable, feel good manner, which can be a good thing but didn't require the reader to think about it. I just felt like the book could have been more significant if the end had occurred in the middle or some other kind of real conflict arose.

I find that Dessen's writing is often suited best for younger teenagers [12-15]. Her novels do not often keep you guessing as to where the story is headed. I do, however, enjoy the qualities in her characters that make them believable. Dessen has a gift for creating seemingly real life situations. It is definitely difficult to write something memorable in a genre such as realistic fiction, because it is difficult to take a situation that could happen in real life and make it something worth reading. The Truth about Forever would definitely be considered a light read. As I said, it doesn't take much guesswork to figure out what's going to happen, and it's not really what I would consider a powerful book. But I think it's good for one of those day at the beach or rainy day reads.

Alright, there it is. The first review.

Dessen's The Truth About Forever: 3/5

-Melissa