When Madeline was Young

by Jane Hamilton

When Madeline was young, she was in a bicycle accident that changed her life forever. Brain damage left her childlike, but her devoted husband, Aaron Maciver, cared for her. And Julia, the nurse who helped care for her? Aaron Maciver eventually married her.

This is the story of the Maciver family, as told by Aaron and Julia’s son, Timothy “Mac” Maciver. Mac describes the strange family dynamics of the Maciver clan. To him, Madeline is more of a sister than his father’s ex-wife. And his sister, Louise, uses her musical gifts to tune out the strangeness of the family. Over the years, we witness the Maciver clan’s development, as well as the political developments in the United States. From Julia’s opposition to the Vietnam War to a cousin’s fatality in the conflict with Iraq, the Macivers experience the wars of the outside world, while maintaining peace within the family.

While not as strong as Hamilton’s other novels, this offering is quiet and moving and definitely worth reading.

10/12/06