The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen
Posted on: January 23, 2008
The Truth About Forever
Sixteen-year-old Macy Queen expects to spend her summer working at the library while her boyfriend, Jason, goes away to Brain Cramp. During her free time, she’s either studying for her SATs or grieving over the recent death of her father.
But when Macy is forced to help out in the kitchen at one of her mother’s open house events, she meets the crazy Wish Catering crew. They’re everything Macy isn’t – they live by the moment and though there’s usually chaos in the middle, everything is okay in the end. Before long, she’s hired to help them and ditches her job at the library. She spends all of her time with the Wish crew – quiet Monica; fashion obsessed Kristy; big hearted Delia; and best of all; artistic and understanding Wes. How is it that she can plan her life out in front of her and change her life to fit Jason’s, when there’s a whole different world of people out there?
The Truth About Forever was the first book by Sarah I ever read. I’d heard so much about it that I couldn’t help picking it up at the local K-mart. I had high expectations what I read this book and I wasn’t disapointed.
Sarah Dessen pulls off a worn plot with grace and adds an unexpected twist. The characters are easy to relate to, three dimensional and romance doesn’t rule the plot. There were definitely moments my stomach was aching and other moments I was cheering Macy on. The meaning is great and it had me thinking about what forever really is.
I’d definitely recommend The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen to anyone who enjoys books with three dimensional characters, a touch of romance, and a great plot.
10 Responses to "The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen"
January 24, 2008 at 2:33 am
This is one of my favorite books by Sarah Dessen! If you like this one, I recommend reading, Just Listen and This Lullaby. Those are my other two fav’s by her.
January 24, 2008 at 12:44 pm
This is the link that was posted on the First in a Series Challenge, so here I am to welcome you! I hope this is the right spot. 🙂 If so, I look forward to seeing your list. If not, sorry for the intrusion.
As for Dessen book, it fits for the YA Challenge I’m hosting. You may want to consider joining that, too!
Happy Reading!
February 3, 2008 at 5:56 pm
This book just broke my heart in all the right ways — loved it. So glad you’re reviewing books that aren’t brand new–it’s nice to see a mix!
February 28, 2008 at 12:14 am
I really love Sarah Dessen. Her books are so amazing. She has a new book coming out soon called Lock & Key that is great!
November 1, 2008 at 10:16 pm
i can not get enough of this book.
i read it like 4 times, within the 2 weeks i had it.
i asked for it for christmas
so now i wont have to rush through. 🙂
sarah dessen definately does not disappoint!
♥
May 31, 2009 at 4:48 am
I absolutley love Sarah Dessen. I’ve read all her books!!!
Truth About Forever and Lock And Key are my favourite.
Though I must agree with ‘Writer Girl’ the ending was not a “Macy/Wes” moment.
But yes, it’s definitley the best book ever!
October 15, 2009 at 4:41 am
Macy Queen, lives in a perfect world. Her mother and father have given her and her sister everything they’ve ever wanted in life. They are wealthier than some, because of the business their parents started many years ago that is still in operation today. Macy gets along with all of her family, but she has a special bond with her father. In fact, it seems like sometimes she’s the only one who really understands her dad. Her father is an energetic guy, who likes to stay up into the wee hours of the morning to watch infomercials involving crazy and useless contraptions, which he always buys. He buys so many of these items, the company starts sending him a free product every month in the mail. They also have a tradition they started many years ago when Macy was a young girl; they get up early in the morning and run together. Her father got Macy hooked on running when she was younger, and now they do it every morning.
One day, however, Macy’s life changes forever. One morning, Macy was too tired to get up as she always did. Her father prodded her to get up and come run with him, but she protested and so he left by himself. Changing her mind, Macy quickly got dressed and ran to join her father five minutes later. But suddenly, she caught sight of her father laying on the ground just a few yards ahead. He’d had a heart attack. Her father didn’t survive, and he died a few hours later. Since the funeral, Macy stopped seeing the joy in life. She stopped running, her one true joy in life. She isolated herself from her friends and family, and while her sister and mother grieved, she kept it all inside. The only thing that keeps her spirits up is when those packages arrive in the mail. Those packages remind her of her father and the bond they had shared. When her mother tries to donate these items to a charity, Macy sneaks them back into her room in a crawlspace in her closet because she can‘t bear to give them up.
It’s now three years later, and Macy still hasn’t gotten over her father’s death. She has, however, started dating a fellow student of hers, Jason, most likely the smartest boy in school. Now, he’s off to Brain Camp, where he will mingle with other intellectuals like himself, and in the process, learn more about the success he can achieve in his future. While he’s away Jason wants Macy to take over his job at the local library, where he’s trained her in all the routines she’d need to know. She agrees because she has nothing better to do and because she wants to please Jason.
All the while, her mother busies herself in the business she and her husband started those many years ago; a real estate agency that not only sells houses, they build them too. The community the Queens are living in was built by this business, and now, Mrs. Queen throws many parties in their home, trying to sell more and more houses. Since it is now summer, Macy and Jason correspond by email, and though Macy tries to show her affection for Jason, the most he ever talks about in the emails is the time he’s spending at Brain Camp or how she should be running the library. One day, Macy writes in her email that she loves Jason, and the next email from him promptly tells her that they should take a break over the summer and maybe see other people. This just about breaks Macy’s heart, but she agrees with him, though it’s not really what she wants.
Since it is summer, her older sister, who has already graduated high school and has gotten married, comes to visit more often. She comes up with this plan that the family should spend a week in August relaxing in the old cabin they used to vacation in every summer. Everyone agrees, though not whole-heartedly. The summer goes on…Macy hates her job at the library because of her two co-workers, perfectionists who make Macy feel really dumb. The only reason she doesn’t quit is because her mother wants her to take responsibility and learn some morals and thinks it would look great on her college applications.
A few weeks into summer, her mother throws her first big party at the house. A catering company, WISH, was hired to bake the food and serve it to the guests. Macy is told to just stand around and if needed, show people where the bathroom was and watch the stack of pamphlets and when they get low to go get some more. She was pretty good at that. Halfway into the party there is a loud crash and Macy is sent into the kitchen to see if everything is ok. She meets Delia, the head of the catering business and expecting mother. She already has a small daughter, who is getting into everything and anything. Macy offers to help, and Delia graciously accepts. Meanwhile, the other servers of WISH are busying themselves serving the guests. When Macy steps outside to get napkins, she is startled when a boy named Bert jumps out of the bushes and yells, “GOTCHA!”. He apologizes profusely after that, helping her pick up all the napkins she had dropped. An older boy, Wes, is already outside and apologizes for his brother. He explains it’s a game they play, and they always try to outdo each other. Macy understands, but thinks it’s kind of weird. Later, when the catering company is leaving, Delia offers a job to Macy in the business, because she sure needs the help. Macy declines, but says she will think about it. Delia gives her their number anyway. Her mother, on the other hand, disapproves. She thinks Macy has a perfectly good job already at the library. Macy listens to her mother, but disagrees. She decides to take the job, and immediately loves it. Her new co-workers are hesitant at first, but grow to love Macy. Her co-workers include Wes and Bert, brother and nephews of Delia, Kristy, an eccentric, fashion-obsessed young woman, and Monica, a quiet know-it-all. Every night they invite Macy to go out with them, but she declines. She isn’t ready to go out for a good time yet. But one night, she says yes, and she finally has the time of her life!
Meanwhile, she hasn’t shunned the fact that Wes is very cute and nice. She thinks about him a lot, but hates the fact that Jason is still (kind of) her boyfriend. So she ignores her feelings. But soon, she and Wes begin to get to know each other better and she begins to grow to like him even more. They play a game called “Truth” where they reveal deep secrets to each other. Macy talks about feelings she never knew she had, and Wes listens intently. Her mother doesn’t approve of her news friends, and soon makes Macy stay away from them. And summer is soon over! Jason will be home, and he’s told her he may want to get back together. Does Macy go back to her oh-so-perfect relationship with Jason and her family, or does she finally listen to her heart and lead the life she’s been dreaming of?
This is a great book to read. I really liked it. The morals of the story is great. One of the moral is that you shouldn’t keep your emotions buried deep inside you. It is better to tell someone. The other moral is that you should be yourself instead of trying to be someone that you are not.
November 18, 2009 at 9:35 pm
This book was really really really really good!I thought the ending was ok. The fact that her “boyfriend’ was at the party kinda bumed out 😦 but he deservied it besides that it was GREAT!
Harmony Book Reviews 
January 24, 2008 at 2:02 am
This is cool! I loved the Truth About Forever! Except the ending was a bit rushed and too…usual for me, not so unique.
For example: When Macy was going after Wes, I was expecting a big long discussion full of what happened and whys. I wanted more than just, “There’s a new part to winning.” “Oh?” “Yes, I have to answer the question you passed.” “Okay, if you could do anything what would you do?” “This.” And kisses him. It’s so not original! It was not a Macy/Wes moment. Or maybe I was mistaken all along.
Otherwise: Excellent book!