Forever... | Literary Criticism & Book Review

Forever... Critical Overview

Judy Blume's novel Forever . . . has not received much literary attention over the years. But this book has drawn considerable social criticism, and as a result, it is often banned. The frank discussion of sex in this novel has made it controversial. Jennifer Frey, writing for the Los Angeles Times, comments on Blume's wide readership: “Blume's work may be better known for popular appeal than critical acclaim; she's had mixed reviews, but her 23 books have sold more than 75 million copies worldwide.” Frey adds: “'Forever' was the book passed around among friends in their teens, each reading it surreptitiously under the bedcovers, sure that its subject matter—a girl's first experience with love and sex—was something parents would label contraband.” The reason for Blume's popularity, according to Frey is that “Blume made sense of things in simple, familiar terms. The world she wrote about felt real.”

Cautioning...
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