It was just "meh."

When I first picked up this book, I was extremely excited to read it. I thought the concept of the novel was truly unique. However, as I delved into the story, I couldn't help but feel disappointed.

Although I believe Jane Hamilton has a remarkable gift with words, I found the story to be rather meandering. There were times when I had to reread certain passages just to get a sense of what was going on. At times, I even found it difficult to have the motivation to pick up the book again. I'm usually the kind of person who finishes a book no matter what, but with this one, I was actually tempted to quit.

I had anticipated that the story would be told through the eyes of Julia, and that it would focus more on the relationship between the two "wives" and Aaron. I thought there was great potential to explore the female "leads" in that way, which could have added real power to the story. Therefore, I was quite disappointed when it was Mac who narrated and the story shifted its focus more towards the family rather than the "bizarre love triangle."

I really wanted to read about how Aaron, Julia, and Madeline truly felt about their unique living situation. But I think Hamilton avoided delving into those emotions. We only saw Julia as a saint, and never got to witness her frustration with the situation, which surely must have been significant. I really wanted to see Julia's character developed more fully to understand her on a deeper level. The same goes for Aaron and Madeline. I think I would have enjoyed the story more if it had been told from multiple perspectives. Sometimes, it can be an overused literary device, but in this case, it might have really worked.

That being said, once I finally accepted that I wasn't going to get what I wanted from the story, I was able to appreciate it for what it was - a story of unconditional love, loyalty, devotion, yearning, and the unbreakable bonds of family. I actually came to appreciate the book much more in the final third, and enjoyed seeing some of the parallels between Aaron and Mac. Both had first loves that were based on passion and fire, and then settled into (not really settled) second loves based on comfort, care, and security.

If I could, I would give this book 2.5 stars. But since I can't do half ratings, I will stick with a '2'. This is definitely not a book that I will reread.

Best Jane Hamilton I have read!

This is an incredibly thought-provoking book that delves deep into various complex themes. It makes one question how far a person should go in fulfilling their marital vows. What are the appropriate expectations for a mentally impaired individual? How do families navigate through political differences of opinion? The book also poses the question of whether the US should have been involved in Vietnam and if so, to what extent. Additionally, it explores what truly makes a life well-lived.

An added bonus is the sheer beauty of the writing. Hamilton's prose is engaging, descriptive, and captivating. It draws the reader in and keeps them hooked from beginning to end. The characters are well-developed and the story is told in a way that makes it both relatable and profound. Overall, this is a must-read book that will leave you with a lot to think about and appreciate.

I had an extremely tough time reading this book.

I managed to get only about half, or perhaps even less than half, way through it.

I could scarcely bring myself to pick it up.

Since it was a book club book, however, I continuously told myself, "I need to finish it."

I would pick it up and read a couple of pages, but then I had to put it down again.

I constantly hoped that it would improve, but unfortunately, it never did.

I conversed with several others from the book club, and they concurred with me, stating that it was the same way throughout the entire book.

Consequently, I don't feel overly bad about not being able to complete the whole thing.

It seems that this book simply wasn't to my taste, and I'm relieved to know that I'm not the only one who had such difficulties with it.

Perhaps in the future, I'll have more luck with the book club selections.

I have a great affection for Jane Hamilton's works such as "A Map of the World" and "The Book of Ruth". However, when it comes to this particular book, my feelings are quite different.

I found it lacking in focus. The narrator didn't appeal to me, and I had hoped that the story would center more on Madeline, the title character. After all, she should be the main focus. Instead, it seemed to give more emphasis to Mac.

Nevertheless, it's possible that this is just a matter of personal preference. Maybe it's not the book's fault, but mine. In this case, Jane, I have to admit that I'm just not that into you.

Perhaps others will have a different perspective and find great value in this book. But for me, it didn't quite hit the mark.

I put this book down three times as I simply didn't want to waste my precious time reading it. However, I ultimately ended up finishing it. The only reason for this was that one night I got sick and couldn't sleep.

Technically speaking, if I were to rate it, I would place it somewhere in between hating it and thinking it was just okay. Honestly, had this been the first book I read by this author, I would definitely not pick up another one of her books.

The problem began with the point of view. I constantly had to remind myself that it was a male point of view. Even after learning the character's name, I still found myself having to repeatedly remind myself of this fact. I'm not sure why this occurred, but upon analysis, I think it was because the narrator's voice seemed to get lost within the story. Every time Mac "reappeared", I had to reacquaint myself with the perspective.

The story's concept was initially an interesting one. However, the story jumped around from person to person so frequently that not a single by-line managed to truly interest me. I wish I could have learned more about one particular character, perhaps the mom, and a lot less about a couple of the others.

Huh, now that I'm really reflecting on the book, I would strongly recommend that you don't waste your time on it.

This was indeed a rather touching story.

It was about a beautiful and young woman who was just beginning a new chapter of her life, having recently married. However, tragedy struck when she was involved in an accident that led to brain damage.

The lovesick husband remained by her side for many years. But as time passed, he unexpectedly fell in love with Meredith's nurse.

Meredith was left to live her adult life with the mind of an 8-year-old. Eventually, the nurse and the man got married. And this story vividly told the tale of how the new couple essentially took on Madeline as their own child, so to speak. The kindness shown by the nurse was truly unimaginable.

Nevertheless, the story only received 3 stars from me. There were certain parts that I felt were a bit slow-paced, and overall, it just didn't become one of my favorite reads.

Perhaps others might have a different perspective and find more charm and depth in this story. But for me, it had its moments but also some areas that could have been improved.

Still, it was an interesting narrative that explored themes of love, loss, and unexpected relationships.

The premise for this book was truly very unusual. It had its moments of being interesting, captivating the reader's attention, while at other times, it wasn't quite as engaging. However, it did offer great detail on family emotions and interactions, which was quite remarkable. The descriptions were vivid and provided a unique perspective on the subject matter. There were also some great vocabulary words sprinkled throughout, which added to the richness of the text. At times, the prose was written in an advanced style, requiring a bit more concentration from the reader.

I found myself really liking some of the characters. In fact, when it was revealed that one of them passed away, I was so shocked that I actually gasped. It just goes to show how well the author was able to develop the characters and make them come alive on the page.

That being said, this book would not hold everyone's interest. It may have been a bit too much in terms of psychological insights for some readers. Some might find it a bit heavy or difficult to follow. But for those who are interested in exploring the depths of family relationships and the human psyche, this book could be a real gem.

So far, it has been a rather depressing and boring read, leaving me with a strange and uncomfortable feeling after perusing its pages.

It seems to lack the excitement and engagement that I was hoping for. I really hope it starts to get good soon, otherwise, I'm seriously considering giving up on it.

Update: Fortunately, things have taken a turn for the better. It has become quite interesting to observe the development within the family and the intra-familiar relations, especially when placed in the context of the historical background of the Vietnam War era.

Interestingly enough, it wasn't really about Madeline as much as I initially thought. This new perspective has added depth and complexity to the story, making it more captivating and worth continuing.

I'm now looking forward to seeing how the plot unfolds further and what other surprises it has in store.

This is the third book that I've read by Jane Hamilton and, unfortunately, it's the one that I enjoyed the least.

I never really was comfortable with the premise. A young man, Aaron Mciver, is married to a beautiful young woman named Madeline. Early in their marriage, she suffers an accident, resulting in brain damage and leaving her with the mental capability of a 7-year-old.

This is a tragic event, but it takes on bizarre aspects when Aaron divorces Madeline and marries Julia, one of Madeline's nurses. Then, the three adults form a family unit. Indeed, Madeline is treated as if she is one of the children in the family.

The book is narrated by Mac, Julia and Aaron's son, who views Madeline as an older sister with special needs. Julia reminds the reader of Eleanor Roosevelt, both in her social awkwardness and in her extremely liberal political views.

The novel explores various issues such as the effect parents' political views have on their children. It also follows two generations of the Mciver family as they deal with the political world from the 1950s through the Iraq War and with the interpersonal relationships among family members.

Overall, while the book has some interesting themes and characters, the unusual premise and the way it was developed made it less enjoyable for me compared to Hamilton's other works.

Listening to a CD in the car, I find myself completely captivated by Hamilton's characters.

They are not only deeply developed but also achingly hilarious, which makes their experiences of loss and regret all the more devastating.

Although I'm not entirely immersed in this story yet, it strikingly mirrors the years when I was coming of age.

In a Jane Hamilton novel, time is both a beautiful and a terrible thing, and the quality of detail is equally remarkable.

My next book has to be non-fiction, but once that's done, I'll definitely allow myself to indulge in another one of hers.

Her writing has a unique charm that draws me in and makes me eager to explore more of her works.

I can't wait to see what other stories and characters she has in store for me.

It's like embarking on a new adventure with each book, and I'm excited to take that journey.

Whether it's the complex emotions of the characters or the vivid descriptions of the settings, Hamilton's novels always manage to leave a lasting impression on me.

This book is extremely old, and it seems highly likely that no one will even bother to read my review. It's quite an odd book, not at all up to Hamilton's typical standards. The premise initially sounds intriguing, and I did indeed really enjoy Madeline's relationship with her boyfriend.

However, the overall tone of the book was rather lulling. In fact, it nearly put me to sleep. I found that I had a better time simply noting its faults than actually reading it.

There was far too much made of the aunt's innuendos regarding what happened in France with Madeline and the bicycle. It was such a tease for what ultimately turned out to be a disappointing story. After all, the aunt was only piecing things together, having not been there herself and not knowing what anyone was thinking at the time.

Hamilton doesn't seem to have a clear idea of what her own book is truly about. It takes a roundabout way of addressing politics and the Vietnam War. The mom was overly relentless about arguing politics at family dinners.

And the way Buddy could completely do a 180 from being an insufferable nasty child and pre-teen to a rigid polite military person is simply ludicrous. There is no motivation provided for that drastic change. It's absolutely unbelievable, unless he was somehow brainwashed in military academy.

What really annoyed me was either Hamilton's or her editor's ignorance when it comes to punctuating possessives for proper names. Throughout the book, there are passages like "the Simonson's visit" and "the Pendal's garage."

Also, there is a frequent misuse of "what" for "that" (or "which"). For example, "...her anger. What of course is rightfully hers" and "...another girl. No matter that girl." Plus, there is a deplorable lack of hyphens, such as in "cream colored chair," "stare down contests," and my favorite, "long dark haired girl."

There are also some errors, such as using "site" instead of "sight" and misspelling "fluorescent."

All in all, this book has more flaws than merits and fails to live up to expectations.

I truly relished reading this book.

Especially the second time around. I have a deep affection for Jane Hamilton's writing style, and the story she crafted with Madeline is astonishingly tender.

If you have a family that consists of strong women, you are bound to love this book. The selflessness of Julia can be heart-wrenching at times.

This book is written from the perspective of the main characters' son, and I found it extremely difficult to let go of this captivating family.

All three generations have their own unique charm and storylines that keep you engaged from start to finish.

The author does an excellent job of bringing each character to life and making you feel as if you are a part of their lives.

It's a beautifully written book that explores themes of family, love, sacrifice, and strength.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good family drama.