Forever by Judy Blume

I find it interesting that this book is shelved in the adult fiction section but New Moon (of the Twilight series) is in young adult.  It may be simply historical, since Forever was first published in 1975.  Was there even a young adult section back then?  I don't remember one.

Another thing I find interesting is that when I scanned though the Goodreads comments, several of the reviewers positively slammed the  boy.  He was a "pushy sex-obsessed hormonal teenage boy".  I don't get where this is coming from.  Aren't all teenage boys sex-obsessed and hormonal?  And this one wasn't the least bit pushy--I would call him sweet, patient, and understanding.  A "nice" boy.

I think the reviewers must have had a personal axe to grind.  Maybe they have a teenage girl they're trying to protect--a physical one, like a daughter or student or favorite niece, or a mental one.  A secret, hidden one, hurting somewhere in a dark corner of memory.

(I have to apologize to the reviewer who wrote the pithy description I quoted above.  She admits he reminded her of her own first boyfriend.  But what about the others?)

Other reviewers, and Ms. Blume too, I suppose, think the book is a good object lesson about the impermenancy of Forever. Sorry, folks--kids may nod their heads and pretend to agree with you, but they're not really listening.  After all, the Twilight saga sold 116 million copies.