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Max and Menna

by Shauna Kelley (Goodreads Author)

4.27 of 5 stars 4.27 · rating details · 22 ratings · 12 reviews

A 2011 ForeWord Book of the Year FINALIST in the Young Adult Fiction category!

"A haunting tale; the story unfolds as seamlessly as a memory, but winds like a complicated, aching, longing dream. Its grasp leaves a mark, the kind you've been left by Faulkner, Peter Taylor, and Alice Sebold, from the repeated flares of perfect written moments within the steady flame of a soli...more A 2011 ForeWord Book of the Year FINALIST in the Young Adult Fiction category!

"A haunting tale; the story unfolds as seamlessly as a memory, but winds like a complicated, aching, longing dream. Its grasp leaves a mark, the kind you've been left by Faulkner, Peter Taylor, and Alice Sebold, from the repeated flares of perfect written moments within the steady flame of a solid narrative."
--Meri Robie-Craven, author of What Happened to the Miracle

"Max and Menna is a heart-felt, heart-rending story of abandoned children who must learn, as best they can, to care for each oher and themselves."

-Madison Smartt Bell, the author of twelve novels including All Soul's Rising, a National Book Award and PEN/Faulkner Award finalist and winner of the Anisfield-Wolf award for the best book of 1996 dealing with matters of race.

Max and Menna tells the story of two siblings surviving a deplorable home life in the South in the early 1980s. Telling the story from each of their viewpoints, Max and Menna outline their reliance on each other and on Nick, their only friend, as they cope with growing up in poverty, living with an alcoholic mother, and having no indication of the other half of their parentage.

The story opens with Max and Menna in the eighth grade. They meet Nick, a Native American, and the story continues to take place during their summer vacations progressively through high school. Max, quiet and introspective, struggles to understand how to be the only man in the house and protect a family that seems determined to destroy itself. Menna is quick-tempered and vivacious, and grows to love and view Nick as a method of coping with a childhood that requires her to be very adult.

Despite the strength of the bond the three of them share, however, their environment works against them. As the children of the town drunk, the younger siblings of the town slut, and the friends of an Indian from "over the fence," Max and Menna fight not only to grow up, and get out, but to stay together, and stay safe.

Author Shauna Kelley states: “This is a story that has been with me for a long time, but I hadn’t, until quite recently, lived enough to begin to do it justice. I relied on the excellent example of my writing heroes -- Margaret Atwood, Sherman Alexie, and John Irving -- and hope I have constructed a book that will appeal to women and young adults and help them learn about the human capacity for overcoming unbearable situations. This is a lesson that I have only just begun to understand.”

** Due to the closing of Lucky Press, this title has been re-published on Amazon for Kindle and in Paperback under ISBN 978-1480134935

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Paperback, 208 pages

Published November 1st 2010 by Lucky Press

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Feb 19, 2012 Maggie Desmond-O'Brien rated it 4 of 5 stars

As Max and Menna begins, we are introduced to a man and a woman who is clearly his lover. We don't know who they are or anything about them until the man sets off to revisit his roots in small town Alabama. But this book is about twins, I was thinking, confused. The chapter was adult in tone, smoothly lyrical in a very Margaret Atwood sort of way. (Actually, the author lists Margaret Atwood as one of her biggest writing inspirations.) This is YA? was probably my second thought. As the story unfo...more As Max and Menna begins, we are introduced to a man and a woman who is clearly his lover. We don't know who they are or anything about them until the man sets off to revisit his roots in small town Alabama. But this book is about twins, I was thinking, confused. The chapter was adult in tone, smoothly lyrical in a very Margaret Atwood sort of way. (Actually, the author lists Margaret Atwood as one of her biggest writing inspirations.) This is YA? was probably my second thought. As the story unfolds, though, I couldn't imagine a better beginning for this grim puzzle of a novel, possessing a conclusion is as devastating as it is real.

While it's clear in places that this author is still learning her chops - at times Nick seemed less like a character than a plot device, the final piece of the conclusion lost me somewhat - the story surprised me by how much it moved me. I am very much a bibliophile, as the title of my blog implies. Books save my life on a regular basis. A problem with reading as much as I do, though, is that after awhile you get cynical. New author, you start thinking. Been there, done that. I am always thrilled beyond words when I find a book that, despite its flaws, makes me rethink that cynicism.

As the novel continues, it becomes clear that we are hearing two stories - Max and Menna's past, and the harsh realities of their now. I guessed at the ending early, but that didn't stop it from making my heart plummet and my eyes suspiciously wet. What books like Max and Menna drive home is that life, as wonderful as it can be at times, simply isn't fair - never has been, never will be. The writing is excellent, but the story is truly great, and it left me with the ache I know signifies the kind of book that will stay with me forever.

Unfortunately, teens and adults expecting YA might be put off by the blurb, which sounds too juvenile, and the sporadic chapters from adult perspectives. Also, the type in my ARC was unusually small (which, to be fair, might have been understandable ARC economizing on the part of the small press publisher), and the formatting odd. I hope that this review changes that impression, though, because I think you'll find Max and Menna well worth your time. It's strength is that it never becomes an "issue" book, exploring its story with a voice that runs the gamut from unyieldingly harsh to sympathetic, but very rarely to sappy or melodramatic. While it may not fit very well into the conventional YA market, it's an excellent read for any teen or adult who's a fan of fiction that is serious, compulsively readable, romantic, and heartbreaking all at the same time.(less)

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Dec 23, 2011 Elly Zupko rated it 4 of 5 stars

Disclosure: I studied with Shauna Kelley in college and helped review parts of this novel as a work-in-progress.

Max and Menna is the first novel from debut author Shauna Kelley. Categorized as YA, it follows the lives of twins Max and Menna from awkward adolescence through troubled adulthood, where they face the consequences of choices they have made and the cruel fate of events they had no choice about.

Above all, Kelley nails mood and tone. At less than 200 pages, the book is physically light...more Disclosure: I studied with Shauna Kelley in college and helped review parts of this novel as a work-in-progress.

Max and Menna is the first novel from debut author Shauna Kelley. Categorized as YA, it follows the lives of twins Max and Menna from awkward adolescence through troubled adulthood, where they face the consequences of choices they have made and the cruel fate of events they had no choice about.

Above all, Kelley nails mood and tone. At less than 200 pages, the book is physically light. However, the read is very somber and the words are deceivingly heavy, holding weight like a sodden sponge. The mood is consistent throughout—quiet and contemplative, with the moments of hope and glimmers of beauty that make a hard life livable.

Kelley has obviously poured her heart and soul into this novel, writing about wrenching and difficult issues with a quiet delicacy that honors her characters. I know some reviewers doubt the YA categorization of this book, but I think mature young readers will be thankful to read a book that doesn’t gloss over the dark realities of our world, but neither glorifies or dwells on prurience or graphicness. Kelley respects her young audience by treating them as mature and discerning readers who probably need a break from the saccharine they are spoonfed by so many of Kelley’s peers in this genre.

I think Kelley’s writing and future novels will benefit from what larger publishing houses can offer that may not have been available at her current small press. A more thorough proofreader might have fixed the typos that distract from the text. A skillful editor would have helped elevate the writing in Max and Menna to a more lyrical level—one which it approached but did not quite achieve. The voices of the different characters sometimes blended so much that it was distracting to try to remember whose POV I was reading. Sometimes the author chose a more “writerly” expression when simpler wording would have sufficed.

However, while imperfect, Kelley’s writing shows tremendous promise—the hint of something great to come. On a personal note, I understand what it’s like to have that one novel you just have to get out of you. This seems to be that one for Kelley, as demonstrated in her intense intimacy with the characters. But being too close to something can also hold a writer back from the next level. I look forward to reading more of Kelley’s writing as she grows in skill and ambition as a novelist. (less)

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Jul 03, 2011 Janice Williams rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-fiction

Please note: I am the founder of Lucky Press, the publisher of Max and Menna.

It goes without saying that I would give this book five stars because, after all, I extended (through Lucky Press) a publishing contract to Shauna Kelley, worked with her on the book, designed the book and published it! So, obviously, I like the book. But let me tell you why...

It is well-written; the characters were so real, and they surprised me. I could never have guessed at the ending... The book has a feel for the t...more

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Oct 28, 2010 Heather Walls rated it 4 of 5 stars

For all you Twilight fans pining over Jacob Black and still waiting in vain for the installment in which Jacob and Bella do hook up, meet Max and Menna. While Max and Menna are fraternal twins born in a small town in a family without a single hope, the unlikely friendships they forge teach them about things their home life does not: love, acceptance, loyalty and sacrifice.

The first novel by debut novelist Shauna Kelley, Max and Menna is a melancholic coming-of-age story about beating the odds a...more

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Dec 20, 2010 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: goodreads-first-reads

Max and Menna is the story of a brother and sister, and everything they struggled through during their childhood. They endured things no kids should have to. Having an alcoholic mother and a sister who doesn't seem to care, Max and Menna only had each other to lean on. Until they meet Nick, and forge a friendship with him, which is looked down upon because of racial differences. As time goes on, the relationships change. Even the one between Max and Menna. But they each know the other is always...more

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Jun 24, 2011 Cynthia Neale rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ahh, another excellent read for young adults that adults will surely be unable to put down. I found myself weeping near the end and rooting for triumph for the characters, who became as real to me as my own teenage friends of long ago. I was also filled with memories of being that teenage girl with a heart beating as rapidly as a hummingbird's does - all for freedom and love. Haunting, melancholic,a hard look at prejudice, poverty, and dysfunction, as well. There is beautiful internal dialogue t...more

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Jun 25, 2011 Joli rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

Shauna Kelley has written an incredible story of wanting love and hope and redemption from a life of unforgiving circumstances. Max and Menna is the story of a brother and sister who live a life of poverty and neglect with their alcoholic mother and promiscuous, older sister. Without any guidance or nurturing, Max and Menna must rely on each other to live each day, day by day - uncertain where their meals will come from and what state their mother will be in when the come home. Each morning they...more Shauna Kelley has written an incredible story of wanting love and hope and redemption from a life of unforgiving circumstances. Max and Menna is the story of a brother and sister who live a life of poverty and neglect with their alcoholic mother and promiscuous, older sister. Without any guidance or nurturing, Max and Menna must rely on each other to live each day, day by day - uncertain where their meals will come from and what state their mother will be in when the come home. Each morning they seek salvation outdoors and return in the late hours of the night, hoping to avoid the drunken mess of their mother. Their lives are altered the day they meet Nick, a Native American, who is different from them, but in so many ways, is the same.

Told in alternating perspectives, Max and Menna return to the summers of their childhood and begin to explain what happened to them, revealing the significant parts of their lives that they have never shared. Experiences that have left them broken and why they never want to remember them.

Max best explains this in his private writing:
"I had hoped since I left home that childhood itself wasn't essential,
that I could easily walk away from it and bury it in the back of my mind.

I can't." (pg. 5)

Just like Ordinary Beauty which I recently read and reviewed, this book has left me forever changed. My eyes are open to an experience that I am so thankful is not my own. I was heartbroken as I read the story of Max, Menna and Nick and how they were just children forced to suffer because of their circumstances. Shauna Kelley is thoughtful in her storytelling allowing me to experience the want and need that Max and Menna felt - wanting something better than what their families and townspeople wouldn't allow them to have.

Ok, I am honestly stumped in writing this review, because I feel like I can't adequately express why I think you need to read Max and Menna. It has moved me in a way that I can't quite explain. It's a story that you need to know, you must know. I want you to know. It's that good.(less)

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Feb 13, 2013 Debra rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads-won

***Received from Goodreads first reads giveaway

What a wonderful debut novel! This book is well written and the story is engaging. I also liked how the story was told from the points of view the the fraternal twins: Max and Menna. The characters are compelling and I liked Max, Menna and Nick instantly. I found myself cheering for the characters, hoping that everything would work out okay but knowing that it probably would not. Life isn't fair and I think the author did a great job showing the unf...more

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May 14, 2011 Keera rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, first-reads

I was lucky enough to win this book in a giveaway, and it took me quite a long time to finish, and I will honestly say I almost gave up a little more than half way through, because I knew what the ending was going to be like, and sensitive soul that I am, I was concerned that I would cry for hours.

But, I worked through it, because it's so beautifully written and the characters just wouldn't leave my mind. And did I cry at the end? Terribly. In fact, I have just finished both the book and crying,...more

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Apr 16, 2011 Tia Bach rated it 5 of 5 stars

Please see my review on www.rebeccasreads.com (plus it's just a great review site in general)! Excellent, excellent! Impressive debut YA novel. As a fellow debut author, I'm doubly impressed.

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Mar 28, 2011 Jessica Bell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Heartbreaking. Had me in tears toward the end. And I LOVED the end. Finally, a book out there that doesn't give the reader what they want. I'm so glad it didn't. It was perfectly flawed. What a wonderful debut, and so well-written. I especially loved the dialogue--I could practically hear the Southern twang through the pages. No glory here--just an honest and realistic read. Just the way I like my stories to be: true to life.

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Jul 03, 2011 Madeline Sharples rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book. I could not put it down and finished it in less than a day. Shauna Kelley knows how to create characters and describe actions and locations. She has created a tender, sad, and wonderful story, so reminiscent of the star-crossed love story of Romeo and Juliet.

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Shelves: on-kindle

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Shelves: drama, fiction, family, teens, young-adult, wish-list

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About Shauna Kelley

Shauna Kelley was born in Silver Spring, Maryland to two very young, encouraging, and idealistic parents. She has been writing stories and poems since the third grade, and wrote the initial draft of a shorter version of Max and Menna while in high school. She attended Goucher College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in English with a Creative Writing concentration.

Kelley currently resides in...more

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