Saving Maddie

Joshua Wynn has grown up being an example for other kids: The Wynn Boy. He doesn't seem to mind too much, except that he had to give up on his school's basketball team to lead the youth group and that everyone his age thinks he's some kind of prude. But even these things don't dampen his spirits, and he works very hard to keep his reputation. He has to; he's "Joshua Wynn, the preacher's son. ... a shining example of what [is] good and righteous and wholesome in the world" (28). More like some kind of super-hero than a real person, don't you think? It's not until Maddie comes back into his life that Joshua starts to object to the perceptions that other people have of him and the pressure that he is under, from his parents and the community, to do and be good. And no, he never liked that he gets left out of things because he's such a goodie-two-shoes, that he's the guy other kids hide their beer from at parties, but until Maddie comes along, it's as though he didn't know he could be any different. She opens up a world for him where he is not an extension of his father and his father's work. Now, I've never been a PK, but I was raised by one, and I was definitely a goodie-two-shoes in high school who had more friends at youth group than at school. I think that Johnson has absolutely nailed that experience, or at least mirrored mine. The feelings and internal conflicts that Joshua goes through felt so authentic. His struggle to reconcile what he wants to do with what he's supposed to do with what everyone else is doing was ongoing. The lectures from his parents ("I'm not mad, I'm disappointed." -- the worst!) and the advice from his friends to just go for it (the BIG it, no less), were so familiar. And then there's Maddie, who seems so much more grown-up, experienced, and figured out than Joshua. Of course he falls for her! There is definitely attraction involved, but Joshua also gets one of those I-want-to-be-you crushes on her. Saving Maddie is told from Joshua's perspective, so we don't get to see the inner workings of Maddie's head. Through her talks with Joshua, however, she becomes a fully realized and complex character. Something that makes up a large part of Maddie, and everyone else's problem with her, is that she is no longer religious. BUT she still has her faith. This disconnect between faith and religion is something that a lot of teens struggle with, not just PKs. Without going into great detail or getting bogged down in theology, Johnson makes Maddie an example of what it can mean to believe in God without participating in a specific religious tradition. She still considers herself spiritual and a Christian, but she doesn't go to church. Joshua sees her spirituality acted out in her life, rather than her Sunday attendance. It's a less obvious way of teaching-by-example than the kind of life he has been living, and while he may not change to be non-religious like Maddie, he definitely learns from her. Seeing how she acts out her faith

Varian Johnson's SAVING MADDIE tells of Joshua, a preacher's son who chooses abstinence and religious retreats over wild partying. When Maddie returns to town to find the community condemns her for her dress and rumors about her past, Joshua discovers new meaning in his life - and much controversy.

Maddie and Joshua are best friends. Both kids of preachers, they have a lot in common. But then, one day Maddie and her family move away. The two vow to keep in touch, but as the years go by....the letters and communication stop. Now, it's five years later and Joshua is the perfect son. He does everything expected of him. He's involved in all the right activities. He's gone so far as to give up basketball because it doesn't fit in with all his church obligations. It's at church, as one could expect, that Joshua lays eyes on Maddie again. Though she's nothing like the awkward girl he recalls. She's definitely grown up (in all the right places) and goes by Madeline now. Coming to church dressed inappropriately immediately labels Madeline as a bad girl. Everyone has already written her off as trouble. But Joshua can't forget his friend and, with the blessing of his father, he sets out to save Madeline. Madeline has been sent to live with her aunt for the summer. She got in trouble back home, and her father has shipped her off to the small town. But Madeline doesn't need saving. She's happy with who she is and resists any attempts at any interference. As the summer unfolds, Joshua and Madeline become reacquainted, and surprisingly, it's Joshua who might just be saved. As with MY LIFE AS A RHOMBUS, I absolutely loved SAVING MADDIE. Joshua is pulled by what is expected of him, what he perceives as right and wrong, and ultimately, what he really wants for himself. Madeline makes him question everything he grew up accepting to be true. Madeline may not be a saint, far from it, but she is comfortable with who she has become and that causes Joshua much inner turmoil. There is some discussion of sex and partying, but in the context of the story, it's far from offensive and gives a complete picture of the struggle going on inside Joshua. Reviewed by: Jaglvr

This was not only a wonderful book for young adults that deals truthfully with the hard-learned lessons of maturing in a world of rules and regulations, but it's also a great book for parents who need to see the problems that arise when our youth try their best to be the saints that so many of us want them to be. My mother used to hate the words, "I need to find myself," that teenagers had the tendency to utter at their parents. But...those words still ring true, and this particular YA deals with the subject extremely well. Our story deals with a young man by the name of Joshua Wynn. Joshua is beyond the realm of a "good kid." In fact, he's almost saint-like. He is the son of Reverend Isaiah P. Wynn, and this kid is every mother's dream. Joshua leads the youth group at church; he's in the choir; and, he spends his free time visiting at the senior center in his hometown and playing chess with the older gentlemen there. While his friends are seeking out and delving into the intricacies of life such as premarital relations - Joshua is trying with all his might to set "a good example" for his peers and help his father keep their "flock" on the straight and narrow path. Joshua's first love was Maddie Smith. When she was a child they were best friends - both of their fathers were preachers, so they had a lot in common. All Joshua can really remember was Maddie's scent; she smelled like vanilla, and he never forgot about the girl who moved away. Five years later Maddie returns to the small town. She's been sent back to live with her Aunt in order to "clean up her act." Maddie has changed; the once carefree preacher's daughter has had issues with boyfriends and school, and has let go of her faith because she simply doesn't like how the "faithful" treat people. Now, don't get me wrong, Maddie loves God and believes - but the tenets of organized religion break her heart. She is so sick of people preaching forgiveness and then, in the same sentence, condemning her for wearing purple lipstick, and a form-fitting dress. As far as she's concerned, the righteous are the biggest hypocrites on the planet. The whole story is the back and forth friendship between Joshua and Maddie. Her good points, such as a quest for life and happiness, do battle with Joshua's inability to step outside his family's circle and become his own man. Joshua can certainly memorize and repeat verbatim the ideas of others that've been written down over the years, but he has a very difficult time feeling any emotion or having an opinion of his own. Watching their interactions and seeing both sides of the story is what this book does best. This story is fun for young adults, as well as something they can learn from. They will sit, read, and nod their heads - feeling the same sort of pressures that Joshua and Maddie feel. As a Christian, I am in total agreement with the young Maddie. I, too, believe in the higher power and beg for His forgiveness and help every d

Saving Maddie does not need to be saved. The book will do well and be enjoyed by many people because there is something in it for everyone. You may start this novel off thinking it will justify how you feel about 'judgemental, preachy Christians' or you may go into thinking that it will show that 'no one is too bad to be saved and the Christian way is the right way.' You would be wrong on both counts. Once again Mr. Johnson has taken a controversial subject (in My Life As A Rhombus it was abortion) and broken it down. All too often people think issues are only black and white, but there are always gray areas. Mr. Johnson deftly describes those gray areas with absolutely no judgement. His characters make their own decisions, they fall down and they dust themselves off and get back up. Their preconceived notions about religion are challenged and in some cases, verified but not in a way that is expected. Also it asks the question that is it worth saving someone else but losing yourself in the process (and I am also of the opinion that not all people need to be saved, and this book also brought up that point as well which I found quite interesting). The minor characters never completely disappear, they reappear and we learn enough about them to feel that none of them are one-dimensional (I loved reading about the mom's character development). Joshua is such a great guy, especially because he can be really awkward and you just want to go 'aww'. It's also amusing for me (as a girl) to read about the issues guys deal with, because they do illustrate how confusing we girls can be. Maddie is awesome as well (after you read this book, I think every girl will secretly want to be Maddie in some way), she's comfortable in her own skin and presents a confident demeanor to the world but she has her own demons. Saving Maddie is not just about religion, it's also a unique love story. Unlike other books where people fall head over heels in love right away, this romance builds up slowly (if you can even call that). I thought it would be immediate since Maddie and Joshua are childhood friends, but it's quite accurate in portraying that both of them have grown up and moved on. It's quite a sweet read, because before they are attracted to each other romantically, they are friends and they have to rekindle that friendship as well (and of course there are other people in this love equation/square). The ending is also very tasteful and sly ;) The romance asks the question that if you really love someone should you save them? (especially if they are happy as they are and if you change them, they may lose the qualities you love about them). Saving Maddie is an eye-opening, delightful story that will tear down assumptions readers have made about religion and love and build up the idea of being open minded and looking beneath the surface. I wish the book was required reading in my religion class (yet another YA book that has classroom potential!) because it addresses some