GROWING UP WITH MADELINE

Madeline was once a strikingly beautiful young woman. Tall, with blonde hair, blue eyes, a lovely face, and a gorgeous figure. However, due to a tragic bicycle accident not long after her marriage, her life took a drastic turn. She grew older physically but remained mentally and emotionally a seven-year-old.

The story is narrated by Timothy Maciver, the son of Aaron's second wife. Mac discovers numerous details about his father's first wife from his Aunt Figgy. Figgy shares with him much of what occurred before he was born and during the years when he was too young to remember. Mac commences his story shortly before receiving the notice that his cousin, Buddy's son, has been killed in Afghanistan. Memories flood back about his growing-up years and living with Madeline. Buddy, his cousin who is two years older and has more knowledge of life, provides Mac with insights into what he should know. Mac looks up to this cousin, as at their young age, two years makes a significant difference.

After Madeline's accident, she becomes a patient at the hospital where Mac's mother, Julia, works as a nurse. Julia had attended Madeline and Aaron's wedding and is somewhat of a friend to Figgy. Julia, a small and plain woman who has no interest in styles, makeup, shopping, or other girlie pleasures, is the complete opposite of the beautiful Madeline. Aaron Maciver can barely recall Julia as a wedding guest; she is not a memorable character. After Aaron and Julia get to know each other, they get married. Then, Mac is born, and two years later, sister Louise. Mac often ponders that if Madeline's accident had never happened, he would not exist. The family group, including aunts, uncles, cousins, and the dominant grandma, spends long summers at a large, estate-like residence at Moose Lake in northern Wisconsin. Madeline always accompanies the large family group. Aaron and Julia would never consider placing her in a home for disabled people, despite the advice of others. She becomes their child, throwing temper tantrums, pouting, and crying. Mac and Louise, when they were very young, are unsure of who Madeline is - possibly a tall child who lives with the family or perhaps an older sister. Madeline loves to play games with small children until they grow too old, and then she has to find another group of small kids to be friends with.
The family lives in Chicago in a neighborhood filled with large families, a busy and active place. Buddy is a strong man, a hero type, who defends those who are victimized. He breaks a kid's nose for making fun of Madeline and her boyfriend, Mikey O'Day. Yes, Madeline has a boyfriend, a singer who performs the popular music of the times. He is a retarded man who gives Madeline some sense of self-worth. Eventually, she gets small jobs that make her feel worthwhile. Buddy is the hero, and Mac's mother is proud of him, yet she doesn't like his military ways. Mac's mother is a pacifist, against war and violence.
Mac tells his story, going back to his childhood and beyond, sharing his experiences of growing up with Madeline, who grows old but not into adulthood. Mac is now a doctor in a small town in Wisconsin and has three daughters. Another character is Russia, a black home worker who works for the Macivers and several other neighborhood families. She is almost like family, dedicated to the Macivers.
Madeline remains the Maciver's baby long after Mac and Lu grow too old to be babied. She climbs into bed with the couple, sits on Julia's lap, and fusses about food. Aaron becomes angry with this overgrown baby, but Julia never does. This is an interesting story of midwestern people. It is different, yet perhaps not so much. Does anybody ever truly grow up?

The best word that comes to my mind to describe this book is "graceful". It is perhaps even "ethereal". The prose within its pages is simply beautiful. It stands as one of Jane Hamilton's finest works.

Every sentence seems to be carefully crafted, flowing seamlessly from one to the next. The language is rich and evocative, painting vivid pictures in the reader's mind.

The story unfolds with a gentle elegance, drawing the reader in and keeping them engaged until the very end. It explores themes of love, loss, and the human condition with a depth and sensitivity that is truly remarkable.

Overall, this book is a masterpiece of literature. It is a must-read for anyone who appreciates beautiful writing and a captivating story. I highly recommend it.

The first two chapters were truly outstanding, and I was completely captivated by the story line. It had me on the edge of my seat, eager to discover what would unfold next.

However, as I delved further into the book, there were certain parts, particularly those related to the Vietnam War, that caused me to lose a bit of interest. I found myself checking out of the narrative for a while.

What I really craved was to read more about Madeline. She was such an interesting character, and I wanted to know more about her journey and her role in the story.

Despite these moments of distraction, I still found the book to be engaging overall. It had that quality that made me want to keep coming back to it, curious to see what would happen next.

The ending, though, was a bit strange. It left me with some unanswered questions and a sense of ambiguity. But perhaps that's what made it memorable in its own way.

The story I'm about to tell is truly remarkable. It's the tale of a man who had not one, but two wives, and a family that came together in the most unexpected way.

My father's first wife was a kind and gentle woman. For some reason, their marriage didn't work out, but they remained on good terms. Then, my father met my mother, his second wife. To my surprise, my mother was not only accepting of my father's relationship with his first wife but also welcomed her into our home.

We all lived together as one big family. My mother and father took care of my father's first wife, and we children learned to respect and love her as well. It was an unusual situation, but it worked for us.

I think what made this story so special for me was not just the unique family dynamic but also the references to the Sixties. The era was filled with change and turmoil, and our family's story was a small part of that larger picture.

This novel truly captured my heart and made me appreciate the power of love and acceptance in even the most unlikely of circumstances.

The premise is truly terrific and at the same time, terrifically creepy.

It has the power to immediately grab the reader's attention and draw them into a world that is both fascinating and a little bit scary.

The combination of these two elements makes for a truly engaging and memorable story.

One can't help but wonder what will happen next and how the characters will navigate through this strange and eerie situation.

It's the kind of premise that lingers in your mind long after you've finished reading, making you want to come back for more.

Whether it's a horror story, a thriller, or something else entirely, this premise has the potential to be something truly special.

The whole concept of this book is truly out of whack.

Madeline sustains an injury in a bike accident and suffers from brain damage. The impact causes her to regress to being a 6-year-old, and this state is permanent. Her husband secretly divorces her and marries her nurse. Madeline remains with them and is treated as part of the family. Julia, the new wife, has two children.

This novel is presented from the perspective of the son, Mac. He alternates between different times, recalling his life as a child and the interactions of other family members such as his Aunt Figgy and Cousin Buddy. And then there's Madeline, who is an enigma and the role she played in everyone's life. Mac remarks, "If it wasn't for her accident, I wouldn't be here."

I had a tough time trying to determine the main idea of this story. It wasn't really about Madeline, strictly speaking. It was about the entire family. I felt that the author was attempting to uncover numerous different themes when perhaps she should have concentrated on just one. She touched upon the Vietnam War, racism, people with disabilities, and more. I believe the lack of focus really detracted from this work.

I initially struggled with the subject matter, and the writing style made it even more difficult. At times, the reading became tiresome. This is because there wasn't really any climax in this book. It kind of meandered along without any real direction, and that frustrated me as a reader. I have two other Jane Hamilton books that I haven't read yet. I hope this was her worst. I'm not sure if I have the energy to slog through another one like this.

I was truly disappointed in this one.

Perhaps it received poor reviews, which might explain why I didn't pick it up when it was first released.

Jane Hamilton is, without a doubt, a great writer. I have thoroughly enjoyed all of her other books.

I really wish that this particular book had focused more on Madeline. She was a character who was truly worth watching.

The few descriptions of her and her mood swings were executed extremely well.

So, the question remains: why did this book seem to keep meandering aimlessly?

It had the potential to be a great read, especially with the interesting character of Madeline, but it just didn't seem to find its way.

I hope that in her future works, Jane Hamilton can recapture the magic that made her other books so enjoyable.

I kept patiently waiting for something exciting to occur in this book. However, for me, it was extremely slow-paced.

Even though I could somewhat connect with the time period in which the story was set, it still didn't manage to hold my attention firmly.

One aspect that really stood out to me was the behavior of the narrator's parents in their care for Madeline. I found it highly unbelievable.

Their actions and decisions seemed rather odd and not in line with what I would expect from parents in such a situation.

It made it difficult for me to fully engage with the story and empathize with the characters.

Despite these drawbacks, I did appreciate the author's attempt to描绘 the era and the relationships within the family.

Perhaps with a bit more action and a more believable portrayal of the parents, the book could have been more captivating.

I never did actually finish this book. I was really close. This was my first foray into the world of audio books, and I listened to seven discs out of nine.

The book had a premise, but no real plot. There was no storyline to keep me hooked. So, when I got to the seventh disc and realized I just didn't care how it ended, I stopped.

I think I would have liked this book better if I had actually read it rather than listening to it at work. Due to the nature of the book, it just didn't work very well as an audio book. I also think a lot of it had to do with the narrator. The further the book got along, the more I realized there was a lot of wry humor and irony that was just getting completely blown over because the reader was so formal. He was really great at the dramatic aspect, doing different voices, etc. But he was missing the subtleties that I think would have made this a more interesting read.

Bottom line: If you are thinking of reading this book, keep in mind that it is not what the back cover makes it sound like. The relationship between Madeline and her husband and his new wife is briefly touched on, but most of the book is about the narrator, Mac and what it was like to grow up in the 60s. It touches on JFK, the Vietnam war, racial tensions, family tensions, etc. It is probably a good read as long as you know what you're getting into and aren't expecting it to actually be about Madeline.

I really do not recommend doing this one as an audio book. You'll get more from it by actually reading it.

In conclusion, my experience with this audio book was rather disappointing. While I was initially intrigued by the premise, the lack of a compelling plot and the narrator's style ultimately led to my decision to stop listening. I believe that reading the book in its physical form would have provided a more engaging and fulfilling experience. If you're considering this book, I suggest you approach it with realistic expectations and perhaps opt for the printed version instead of the audio book.

I was extremely glad for this story to come to an end! It felt as if I was having dinner with a person who was dreadfully boring yet happened to believe that they had the most fascinating life story to share. The premise of Madeline suffering a head injury and being looked after by her former husband and his second wife initially sounded quite interesting. However, it was anything but that. I had to force myself to complete reading it. Some parts were told well, but overall, I simply didn't have any interest in the story or the characters. It was a real struggle to get through, and I found myself constantly waiting for it to be over. I hope the next book I pick up will be more engaging and captivating.

The premise of this story is truly very interesting.

At the beginning, I wasn't overly interested. However, as I delved deeper, I discovered that the politics and prejudice explored within were far more captivating than I initially anticipated.

The narrative unfolds at a rather slow pace, yet it manages to cover an engaging variety of families over the course of several decades.

Moreover, it provides a remarkable insight into what it is like to have a family member suffering from a brain injury.

This aspect adds an extra layer of depth and authenticity to the story, making it not only an exploration of different families but also a poignant examination of the human condition and the challenges that come with it.

Overall, despite its slow start, this story has managed to draw me in with its thought-provoking themes and detailed portrayal of family life.

This is the second Jane Hamilton book that I have read within a couple of weeks.

There were certain aspects of the story that I truly liked. However, I was not overly fond of the writing style. It seemed as if the author would frequently deviate into a side story that lacked significance, relevance, and interest.

The constant back-and-forth flow of the narrative was somewhat irritating to me. It made it a bit challenging to maintain a consistent connection with the main plot.

I still have one more Jane Hamilton book to read, and I sincerely hope that it will be a good one. Otherwise, I'm afraid I might be done with this author.

(Disclaimer: I have never written a book myself and will likely never do so. It is evident that her efforts are far superior to what I could ever achieve. However, I am entitled to my own opinions and preferences when it comes to reading.)