Mad Max: Unintended Consequences- September Book

For our late summer, light reading, we've chosen Mad Max: Unintended Consequences. Books are available for you to borrow at the Guilford Free Library. We'll talk about this book on Wednesday, September 18 at 6:30 PM.

Mad Max Davies lives a privileged life in Manhattan when her only daughter is seriously injured in an auto accident. She rushes to Richmond, Virginia, to care for her daughter and her two grandchildren. Twelve-year-old Emilie uses her gift of feeling what others are feeling, and acts as an early warning system when her mother’s behavior deteriorates. When her daughter is murdered, Mad Max

and her grandchildren set out to solve the crime. As a result, she promises she will help raise her grandchildren even though it means completely changing her lifestyle.

Here's a link to Betsy Ashton's web page, if you'd like to read more about her.

Here are a few discussion topics to help us focus on the main themes of this book.

1. When Mad Max learns her daughter has been injured in a bad accident, she rushes back to Richmond from New York to take care of her. Since these are estranged, do you think Max does everything she can to reconcile with Merry? Many mothers and daughters grow apart, making it harder to reconcile as years pass. Readers might want to share how they reconciled with their parents and children.
2. Merry suffers from PTSD after her accident. Do you know anyone who suffers from this disorder? Did their behavior change? PTSD is not limited to people who have witnessed tragedy in war. Anyone can suffer stress, which can lead to physical and emotional trauma. Readers with experience with a friend or relative with PTSD should be asked to share their personal experiences, particularly as they apply to the relationship between Max and Merry.
3. Max is conflicted about having to give up her life in Manhattan to return to child rearing. Do you know anyone who is raising grandchildren after they thought they were “done?”Even if grandparents are not actively raising grandchildren, many of them think about what they would do in Max’s situation.
4. Eleanor and Raney give Max a “doo-wop.” Do you think Max got her “doo-wop” right? Most of us wish we had a second chance to get something right. Readers might want to engage in their own experiences when they worked to resolve issues with friends and family.