A missing child, a pregnant teen, and a marriage about to collapse are all key themes in Missing Max, a novel by Karen Young. Jane Madison is desperately searching for her infant son Max, who was abducted during Mardi Gras in New Orleans. However, what she doesnt realize is that she is about to lose her teenage daughter and husband as well. A mothers wrenching pain and her need for justice are clearly felt in this novel.
Jane and Kyle Madison have several challenges thrown at them in a matter of months. Max is abducted, their sixteen-year-old daughter Melanie announces she is pregnant, and their marriage begins to come unraveled. In addition, Jane has decided that God no longer exists. Her pain has taken over and blinded her to the world around her. Eventually, she must make the choice. Is the search for her son or is the preservation of her marriage more important to her?
This book is nicely organized with events occurring in a well-developed chronological manner. Throughout the book, the reader has the privilege of seeing the story through several characters viewpoints. One really feels for Kyle Madisons pain of missing his son and Melanies heartache, because Karen Young invites the reader to experience parts of the story through their intimate points of view. Also, the relationships between a husband, wife, and stepdaughter are genuine representatives of real relationships people struggle with on a day-to-day basis.
Whereas some flat characters are persistent, the main characters in the book are well-rounded. Jane especially makes a complete change in personality, especially where the Gospel and Jesus Christ are concerned. She is a character I felt I knew and could relate to. The other central characters, such as Kyle and Melanie, are also similarly developed. Each one makes a distinctive life change in this book. They all grow throughout the story, so they are not at all the same characters they were earlier.
This book encompasses a theme from Psalm 147:3, which says, He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. In the story, Jane Madisons broken heart is ultimately healed through returning to her Savior. Although the plot did lose my interest in parts of book, the story does have a good ending. Ultimately, after finishing the book, I thought it was a traditional narrative if one is looking for something that is wholesome and has a positive ending. It is not a book that made me think about heavy theological matters, but it was simply an enjoyable reading experience for an afternoon. This is a book for the romantic person who is looking for a story that is not erotic. Particularly women with a romantic side will enjoy this tale. Elizabeth de Graaf, www.ChristianBookPreviews.com
