Faithful
This gentle young adult story by a debut novelist is a refreshing change from the dark, often violent and highly sensual tales in the current crop of teen novels. Janet Fox delivers an exhilarating adventure, mysterious goings on, and unexpected romance set in the rugged landscape of 1904 Montana. Sixteen-year-old Maggie Bennet has already suffered the loss of her mother, who is presumed dead by all, it seems, but her. Her father’s coldness, mysterious silence and outright lies only add to her distress and confusion. But it’s his sudden announcement of a trip into the wilds of Yellowstone, in search of something he refuses to define, that shocks Maggie—all the more so when he expects her to accompany him. Although the trip buoys up her hope that her mother might actually still be alive, or they might at least find a clue as to why she disappeared, something else is on her mind. The Newport ball. After all, she was just getting her life back on track, planning her long-anticipated debut, when her father drags her away. Now she fears she may not be able to return home in time for her coming out. The story works, for the most part, and the plot moves along at an agreeable pace, but it was difficult for this reader to sympathize with a heroine who is already planning social engagements when the fate of her recently absented mother is unresolved. Once past that hurdle, the novel becomes a pleasant adventure.
