Reviewer Jessica Roberts is a book reviewer for a local newspaper and has reviewed for a national women's magazine too. She has had various articles published in magazines and has now completed her novel. Jessica currently lives in West Yorkshire and enjoys walking in the dales and woodlands as part of her hobby as well as, of course, reviewing books. To read more of Jessica's reviews CLICK HERE
Author: Antoinette van Heugten
Publisher: Mira Books
ISBN: 978-0-7783-2963-3
Saving Max is told passionately and in a way that lures you in right from the first page. There are thrilling moments and tender ones to balance this book out. It should appeal to any age group as an original tale, tackling real-life problems and decisions. It is ultimately a poignant story about a mother’s love and what mental illness really means to a person.
Author: Antoinette van Heugten
Publisher: Mira Books
ISBN: 978-0-7783-2963-3
Click Here To Purchase Saving Max
Saving Max tells the tale of a mother and son relationship between lawyer Danielle Parkman and her whip-smart son Max. He has always been a handful but recently things have not gone well. The violent lashings out have forced a desperate Danielle to seek professional help for Max.
We read on and are to learn exactly what has been the matter with Danielle’s teenage son. When Danielle hears the news that Max has a rare form of autism accompanied by an unfortunate wide spectrum of learning disorders and disabilities she takes the news in the best way she knows how and decides against all odds to deal with the situation. However there is to be a further blow when the doctors shatter her hopes in an instant. Max will never recover, it is too severe and they have reason to believe he may also suffer from a form of psychosis, known as schizoaffective disorder. This means Max will always require hospitalization over the course of his lifetime and there will always be the possibility of suicide attempts in the future. This is the worst news a parent can hear and for Danielle it leaves her in a state of helplessness. Has she lived in denial? Surely Max must have showed signs of this over the years?
We learn just as quickly as problems pass, others arise. Max finds himself a suspect in a murder investigation and leaves Danielle to ponder the question: is he really capable of murder? Danielle herself is then found a suspect in the investigation. She is questioned and is believed to have helped Max kill a patient. Danielle begins to understand the full extent of what she has done in her efforts to protect her son. With all the evidence stacking up against Max can she really believe what she does?
Saving Max is told passionately and in a way that lures you in right from the first page. There are thrilling moments and tender ones to balance this book out. It should appeal to any age group as an original tale, tackling real-life problems and decisions. It is ultimately a poignant story about a mother’s love and what mental illness really means to a person.
The ultimate question remains: can a mother chose between her son or her soul? And at what cost?