He Forgot To Say Goodbye by Benjamin Sáenz
Publisher: Simon Shuster
Published: June 17 2008
Rated: ❤❤❤❤/5
Buy or Burrow: Buy
People don’t always have to do the right thing for the right reasons—so long as they do the right thing.
Synopsis: Two teens with different social standings have one thing in common : a father they know very little about. Circumstance brings them together and both boys try to understand why their fathers left without saying goodbye
I believe that we’re searching to understand ourselves in this life and the world around us. To have parents who are present and guiding while young makes that search a little bit easier… but what if you don’t get that? What if you’re missing a mom or dad, because he or she decided not to say goodbye when they left?
He forgot to say goodbye followed Ram and Jake as they try to understand why their fathers left.
Ram’s dad left him and his younger brother and his mom refused to talk about him. Over the years, he made a version of his father in his head, while trying to quietly make something of himself. His fragile heart was obvious from the first page and how he dealt with another person leaving him nearly breaks him. Jake also grew up without his father, a mom that makes you want to yell every time she spoke and a step father that you can’t help but dislike immediately.
The physical difference between the two boys is broad but dealing with an absent father you constantly long for can diminish your differences, especially when you realize that you only wanted them to love and think you’re enough to be remembered.
The novel felt like an unrestrained journal you’re permitted to read and learn from. The young, exposed and flexible tone from both boys made for an enjoyable read even during the tough pages. You don’t have to have an absent parent or be a teen to trust the voice of the characters. It makes you want to promise to be a better version of yourself, hug the ones that stay and love a little harder.
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