Tangled Minds A Modern Tale of Twisted Lives and Pygmalion Dilemma

Tangled Minds is a masterpiece. In the fine tradition of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, Yvonne Mason leads the reader through the twisted and tangled lives of Brianna Van Pelt and her son, Josh, thrusting us into a Pygmalion dilemma that has consumed scholars for decades. Is there such a thing as a “bad seed”, an individual whose feet are placed upon a path of crime and evil almost from the beginning? If the circumstances of one’s birth or the choices one makes cannot be overcome with love, patience and the rarely grasped opportunity for redemption, what chance is there for any of us?

Thwarted by her parents’ tough love, seventeen-year-old, single mother, Brianna, allows herself to be drawn into a new world glittering with easy money and false promises, accepting that proposition that no good girl ever should. With her young son, Josh, in tow, she dazzles with new prosperity, fulfilling the fantasies of not only her glorified pimp, Ken Morgan, but those of a judge and a host of depraved, desperate men in their wake. Ms. Mason’s familiarity with the legal system and law enforcement showed through clearly in several well orchestrated scenes, as the long arm of the law repeatedly tried to halt the ring of drugs and prostitution and Brianna and her son fled for the safety of the mountains.

Ms. Mason’s understanding of mountain people was stellar. These simple folk protect their own with fierce loyalty and Brianna and Josh find shelter beneath their net of poverty, love, moonshine and madness. Here, transgressors simply disappear, never to be heard from again and the mountains hold their secrets close to their chests as nature smoothes the pothole’s dark waters and envelops the hills in song and greenery. Even murder seems somehow justified in a place such as this, but the twisted and convoluted logic of its inhabitants finds no sympathetic ear in the outside world and Josh must ultimately face the consequences of his actions.

And yet, within this story, there lies hope. In Hannah and Miss Amy, we see the opposing force of love, the light of goodness that can blaze through even the meanest dark, if only one has the courage to reach for it. Fragile yet steadfast, this gentler emotion finally reaches even Brianna, a woman some would have classified beyond redemption. In love’s golden glow, we find hope, hope for Brianna and Josh and perhaps even for ourselves, as well.

Tangled Minds should be required reading for every high school senior or college freshman, although its audience is clearly much wider. Life is, indeed, full of choices and consequences. An individual may be able to run fast and far, but in the end, he cannot outrun the ultimate judge – himself. True redemption begins from within. May love’s tiny flame light the way as we reconcile our past, lift our face into the winds of change and set our feet once more upon the good road. An excellent read!

Brianna Van Pelt was a seventeen year old spoiled little brat. She did not want to accept the consequences of sleeping with her boyfriend, Benny. When her son Joshua was born into the world, she hated him, hated the sight of him, hated that he messed up her teenage perfect popular life. She vowed to care for him, but never would she love him. Brianna blamed him, blamed her parents, but never blamed herself for the road she was about to choose; the road that will quickly take away her youth.

Punishing her parents for the wrong reason, Brianna ended up hatching a plan. Planning to move out, get a job, and take Josh away from his grandparents forever. Leaving him in the hot vehicle while filling out an application for a BBQ restaurant was the beginning of things worse to come.

There she met Bill, who introduced her to Ken. Bill Bredlove was a sleaze in every sense of the word; Ken Morgan on the other hand had a plan for Brianna, at least she would be well taken care of. She only had to do a few “favors” for Ken’s male clients. She would be paid quite well, have her own luxurious apartment, clothes, jewelry, and even a nanny for Josh. The selfish girl could not turn down the offer, no matter who it was Ken would have lined up for her to sleep with.

Ken and Bill were partners, but Bill began abusing the girls and Ken had to remedy the situation before something bad happened to the girls or Brianna. Only the threat didn’t keep Bill away, it only caused him to roll on Ken and get him sent to prison. Knowing the girls would need him eventually; Bill just sat back and waited.

Always lugging Josh around in the middle of the night, it was written in the stars that he would follow in his mothers footsteps, never taking the blame on himself, it was always someone else’s fault. Little did he know he would end up following his fathers footsteps as well when he is sent to prison for 10 years. Only knowing love from two people that were not actually related to him, Josh was delt a bad hand from the start of his life. Would life in prison change him? Would Brianna ever come to realize she caused her own fate? Only time will tell.

Tangled Minds by Yvonne Mason is a fast paced novel, that will keep you on your toes. So many events happening and well detailed scenes make the story fly by, you are finished before you know it. Ms. Mason pens a tale of very real events, that really makes you think. A wonderful read, I would highly recommend it. 4.5 Hearts

 

Omg this book is full of bigger than life characters.Its like your in the story.The people are so real,it leaves you wanting more.
I’m reading it for second time(waiting for sequel).
Buy this book by this awesome author(good job Yvonne)