Everyone remembers their first, am I right? Sarah Dessen book, that is! Mine was Dreamland and I can't have been older than sixteen. The recommendation came from a friend of mine as we sat in an empty hallway together, skipping class, and talking about books. She told me to read it because she thought I'd like it. I loved it. Dreamland, with its imperfect protagonist Caitlyn and her mysterious and handsome boyfriend Rogerson, was exactly what I needed in that universally difficult time in a teenage girl's life. I learned that no one in high school is absolutely sure about what they're doing and everyone feels lost at one point or another. Caitlyn was right around my age and I wept and laughed with her, as well as with the protagonists of other Dessen books: That Summer, Someone Like You, and Keeping the Moon. Even when her books became somewhat formulaic, I was there, supporting Dessen no matter what. I'd formed that bond in my adolescence and, as I entered adulthood, I couldn't bring myself to break it. There were some books that I didn't connect with for several years, her 8th through 11th books, likely because I was growing up. But then came Saint Anything in 2015 and I wasn't just reading out of commitment anymore but out of enjoyment. Sarah and I were connecting again!
It's easy to see the common themes in Dessen's books. She writes about the difficulties of adolescence while in high school, the pressure on young women to be a certain way, the complexity of family dynamics, and first loves. All thirteen of her novels are essentially set in the same universe, each telling the story of a young woman who is undeniably flawed but also thoughtful and kind and willing to be more open and honest.
Just this month, Sarah Dessen's thirteenth novel, Once and for All, celebrated its publication date. There was no question about whether I'd read it. I'll probably be reading her books as long as she's publishing them! It tells the story of Louna, the daughter to a high-strung but successful wedding planner, who has seen every kind of love story there is and knows that love is a fleeting, fickle thing. When we meet her, she's working her last summer of wedding planning before heading off to college and is doing her best to cope with some trauma in her recent past. That summer, like in so many of Dessen's other books, our noble protagonist meets a boy that will change her life. Begrudgingly, at first, because they're polar opposites: she knows that true love is rare and fragile and he thinks that love is all around, possibly in the next girl who walks through the front door!
As always, there is a colorful, more outgoing sidekick and Type A parental figures. Surprisingly, Dessen has finally included a secondary character with a major role in Louna's life who is gay. Most of Dessen's characters are white, upper middle class heterosexual folks and it does tend to get a bit monotonous in that regard. I would love if she started including more diverse casts in her books. It's long overdue, I think!
Personally, this is not one of my favorite Dessens, but I wasn't expecting it to be. It was a fun summer read, but as I mentioned before, I find it somewhat difficult to have a meaningful connection with her books now that I'm older. Some of my favorite books of hers are Just Listen, The Truth About Forever, and Saint Anything, and I highly recommend those to anyone of any age, but the rest of her bibliography, I'd probably only recommend to teenagers and young adults.
Dessen has previously mentioned on social media that she has written a novel for an older audience but is unsure about its future. I, for one, would love to see what that project would be like. Unlike her protagonists, I have grown into an adult while they have stayed in high school. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I would love to continue to enjoy her books deeply and not solely read them out of habit in the future.
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