A Review of the Book "Cross Roads" by WM Paul Young

Title: Cross Roads

Author: WM Paul Young

Publisher: Hachette Book Group

Year: 2012

286 pages

From the Back: Anthony Spencer is egotistical, proud of being a self-made business success at the peak of his game, even thought the cost of winning was painfully high. A cerebral hemorrhage leaves Tony comatose in a hospital ICU. He "awakens" to find himself in a surreal world, a "living" landscape that mirrors dimensions of his earthly life, from the beautiful to the corrupt. It is here that he has vivid interactions with others he assumes are projections of his own subconscious, but whose directions he follows nonetheless with the possibility that they might lead to authenticity and, perhaps, redemption. The adventure draws Tony into deep relational entanglements where he is able to "see" through the literal eyes and experiences of others, but is "blind" to the consequences of hiding his personal agenda and loss that emerge to war against the processes of healing and trust. Will this unexpected coalescing of events cause Tony to examine his life and realize he built a house of cards on the poisoned grounds of a broken heart? Will he also have the courage to make a critical choice that can undo a major injustice he set in motion before falling into a coma?

Personal Thoughts: If you've read The Shack, you'll enjoy this book as well. Not that you need to have read The Shack to enjoy this novel. Young has written yet another enjoyable story about faith, love, and self-learning. Imagine being able to actually experience life through the eyes of another person? Would it cause you to re-examine your own life? Would it teach you lessons of compassion, empathy, and non-judgement? This was a fun book to read, one that has a wonderful storyline of self-discovery and developing human relationships. If you don't take religious imagery too seriously, you'll enjoy reading this story very much.