Jane Hamilton is an author whose works I have a great penchant for reading.

To me, this particular book doesn't possess nearly the same level of captivating allure as Map of the World. However, it still holds significant value and is very much worth perusing.

This is a book that delves deep into the theme of family. What I especially adored were the scenes that took place during the summer when the families would gather together at the lake.

There were numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins, all coming together for big family meals. Amidst the warmth and togetherness, there were also conflicts that arose, secrets that were told and perhaps even made.

It was as if I could vividly picture the entire scenario playing out in my mind's eye. The descriptions were so detailed and engaging that it truly brought the story to life.

Despite not being as enthralling as some of her other works, this book still manages to offer a rich and fulfilling reading experience.

At first, the story truly intrigued me.

I found myself deeply curious about how a grown "mentally challenged" ex-wife could live in the same household as her former husband and his new current wife.

I couldn't help but wonder about the day-to-day household activities and how she had influenced the family dynamics over the years.

As it turned out, it was a really sweet story. It was about Mac Maciver, the son of the husband and current wife, coming of age, along with his entire family and extended family.

The story was told from his perspective, and the author had a wonderful way of making me laugh and, at times, cry.

It was an extremely touching story that would be a great choice for a book club member.

It makes me eager to discuss the characters, especially the mother and father.

Overall, it's a great book, and I can't wait for someone I know to read it and share their thoughts.

I'm sure it will spark many interesting conversations and discussions.

It's one of those books that leaves a lasting impression and makes you think about family, love, and acceptance.

I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a heartwarming and engaging read.

I got the distinct vibe from the book that I was somehow expected to like one of the characters. However, to my surprise and contrary to what might have been intended, I actually despised him with a passion.

While others seemed to admire this particular character, I could only feel a sense of disdain towards him. It was a strange and somewhat conflicting emotion that I couldn't quite shake off.

Maybe this is precisely how the author had intended the readers to feel? To have such a divided opinion about a character? I really don't know for sure.

Nevertheless, despite my strong feelings towards this one character, the book was still an interesting read. It had its moments that kept me engaged and curious.

But at the same time, I couldn't wait to be finished with the book. There was a part of me that was eager to move on and explore other stories and characters.

It was a bit of a love-hate relationship with this particular book, and I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it now that I've completed it.

“It was my mother’s practice to let a tangle work itself out,” attests the admirably square narrator of Jane Hamilton’s novel When Madeline Was Young.

This book, billed as a rich and loving story about a nontraditional family, follows three generations of the modern-day Maciver clan. They are the scions of a 19th-century Chicago fur-trading estate. Their connections to American centers of power, divided political persuasions paralleling a nation at war, and proximity to the front lines of urban racial tension in post-war America offer ample material for Hamilton to contextualize her characters.

During World War II, Aaron Maciver marries the beautiful Madeline Shiller while working at a Wisconsin munitions factory. The Shillers, though not as wealthy as the Macivers, had means and even traveled to Italy in 1937 for Madeline’s high school graduation. But shortly after the marriage, Madeline suffered a severe brain injury in a cycling accident and was permanently disabled. Her parents then cut themselves off. Julia Beeson enters the picture, first as Madeline’s nurse and later as Aaron’s second wife.

Despite suggestions to move Madeline to a long-term care facility, Aaron and Julia resist, insisting she belongs with them. They manage to raise two children of their own, Mac and Louise, while also caring for Madeline, who has the mental capacity of a six-year-old. Mac narrates the story, seeing Madeline as a sister and someone worthy of his protection.

The relationship between Aaron, Julia, and Madeline is at the center of Mac’s recollections. It is a relationship so intense and filled with loving patience that it defies the label of ‘nontraditional’.

In one memorable scene, two African-American teenagers come to stay with the Maciver family in their white suburb. Tension builds between Mac and the uncomfortable guests, leading to a fight. When rumors circulate about who is responsible, it is revealed to be Mac’s cousin Buddy, who was protecting Madeline’s honor. Instead of letting the rumors stand, Buddy takes responsibility.

This kind of benevolence defines the story and makes it a compelling read. The characters exude wholesomeness, a common trope in novels about Midwestern families. What makes this book unique is the absence of underlying dysfunction. At its heart, it is a story about patience and mundane durability, with insights that transcend the spiritual. As the novel closes, Aaron Maciver sits in the fading light, a testament to how tangles work themselves out.

(c) Jeffrey L. Otto October 13, 2009

This is the story of a family that manages to make the best out of a difficult situation.

The book is told from Mac's perspective, and we journey with him through different stages of his life - his childhood, his marriage, and his role as a father. The narrative constantly shifts between the past and the present, sometimes jumping around in a rather disjointed way.

Mac experiences an interesting home life as he grows up. He lives with his mother, father, sister, and his father's first wife, Madeline. Tragically, Madeline suffered a brain injury in a bicycle accident.

The book is filled with an abundance of love and compassion. I truly enjoyed it, especially the storyline involving Madeline.

However, there is another storyline that focuses on war and Mac's cousin. I wasn't as engaged with this particular aspect of the book. Overall, it was an interesting read that offered a unique look into the lives of this family.

I truly had a great fondness for the fundamental premise of this book as well as its characters.

The family scenes of the protagonist, however, were rather dull and uninteresting.

I was extremely intrigued by the manner in which Hamilton dealt with the controversy surrounding the Vietnam War. It was good drama and not overly forceful or heavy-handed.

But then, towards the end, I simply couldn't tolerate the way she managed to find a means to make the novel more politically acceptable in relation to the Iraq War.

It seemed a bit contrived and took away from the overall authenticity and impact of the story.

Despite this drawback, the book still had its merits, especially in its exploration of the Vietnam War and the development of the characters.

However, the attempt to shoehorn in a connection to the Iraq War in a somewhat artificial way left a sour taste in my mouth.

Overall, it was a mixed bag, with some excellent aspects and one major flaw that detracted from the overall enjoyment of the reading experience.

When Madeline was Young, by Jane Hamilton, Narrated by Richard Poe, Produced by Recorded Books, downloaded from audible.com.

This captivating story begins when Aaron Maciver's enchanting young wife, Madeline, endures a tragic bike accident that leaves her with the intellectual capabilities of a six-year-old. In the years that unfold, Aaron and his second wife tenderly and devotedly care for Madeline while also raising two children of their own.

Narrated by Aaron's son, Mac, When Madeline Was Young chronicles the Maciver family's journey through the decades. It starts with Mac's childhood in Wisconsin, growing up with Madeline and his cousin Buddy. The story then weaves through the Vietnam War, Mac's years as a husband with his own children, and Buddy's involvement in the subsequent Gulf Wars.

Jane Hamilton, with her trademark humor and astute observations of human relationships, skillfully explores the Maciver's extraordinary situation. She delves into the concepts of childhood, not only through Mac and Buddy's actual youth but also Madeline's infantilization. Additionally, she examines the rivalry between Buddy's and Mac's families that persists over decades and through various wars.

This book offers a poignant and thought-provoking look at family, love, and the impact of life's unexpected turns.

This book truly made no sense at all. It was an absolute horror.

I purchased the hardcover version right upon its release, but as soon as I finished reading it, I ended up tossing it into the Goodwill box without hesitation.

Moreover, it was extremely unrealistic and offensive to suggest that a woman with a traumatic brain injury should be raised and cared for by her husband and his new wife as if she were their child. It was truly disturbing!!

I'm not sure what exactly is happening with Jane Hamilton. Her "Book of Ruth" was life-changing, and "Map of the World" was also really great. However, it seems that her work has just gone downhill since then.

I still have a great deal of love and respect for Jane. In fact, I was even privileged enough to meet her once in Hawaii.

I just can't help but wonder if she poured so much of her soul into those first two books that it has become extremely difficult for her to maintain that same level of quality and inspiration in her subsequent works.

I am always hesitant when people compare writers to such great authors as Anne Tyler. More often than not, it turns out to be nothing but wishful thinking. However, this book managed to surprise me. I struggled a little getting into it at first, but once I did, I was completely hooked and could not put it down.

The characters in this book are some of the most interesting I have come across in a long time. There are strong females who are not afraid to speak their minds and thoughtful males who add depth and complexity to the story. I love a book that makes me think and forces me out of my comfort zone, and this book succeeds on both counts.

It challenges my assumptions and makes me look at the world from different perspectives. It is a book that I will be thinking about long after I have finished reading it. Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a thought-provoking and engaging read. It is well worth the time and effort.

Based on the title and the back-cover summary, the anticipation was that the book would center around Madeline, the woman with a brain injury whose husband remarried and then brought up the "forever-age-6-year-old" with his new wife and their own children.

The author made an intriguing decision in narrating this story from the viewpoint of the husband and new wife's biological son. With this perspective, the story did touch upon Madeline, yet it didn't solely focus on her. Instead, it broadened the narrative to incorporate more comprehensive family drama.

Out of the three "Nashua Reads" books that I have read, this particular one makes me most eager to listen to the author discuss the background and the choices made during the writing of this book. It would be fascinating to understand the thought process behind choosing this specific perspective and how it influenced the overall development of the story.

I'm curious to know if the author had any personal experiences or inspirations that led to the creation of this complex and engaging family saga. Additionally, I wonder how the author balanced the different characters and their storylines to ensure a well-rounded and captivating narrative.

Overall, this book has piqued my interest and left me with many questions that I hope the author will address during the discussion.

The story was just okay.

It really didn't seem to have a clear and strong point, lacking a proper focus.

The setting ranged from the fifties and sixties all the way to the present, with politics interwoven into the narrative.

It was more of a story about many diverse things such as war, head trauma, disabilities, family life, and coming of age.

However, one of the redeeming qualities was its very good description of what it is like to experience the loss of a mother.

This aspect added a touch of authenticity and emotional depth to the otherwise somewhat disjointed tale.

Perhaps with a more refined and centralized theme, the story could have been more engaging and impactful.

As it stands, it has its moments but fails to truly captivate the reader from start to finish.

Nonetheless, it does offer some interesting insights into various aspects of life and human experiences.

I thought the premise of the book as stated on the back cover sounded fascinating. It promised a story filled with drama and intrigue.

However, when I actually started reading it, I was quite disappointed. It was much less so than I expected.

In my opinion, the story really suffers from the chosen narrator. The narrator is too removed from the interesting adult triangle of Madeline, her husband, and his second wife. As a result, the narrator fails to shed much light or emotional resonance to the situation.

It seemed to me very much a tell, rather than show book. The author simply tells the reader what is happening, rather than showing it through the actions and emotions of the characters. This makes the story feel flat and unengaging.

I had high hopes for this book, but unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations. I would not recommend it to others.