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When Madeline Was Young Audiobook
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(3.00) - 1,537 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
When Aaron Maciver's beautiful young wife, Madeline, suffers brain damage in a bike accident, she is left with the intellectual powers of a seven-year-old. In the years that follow, Aaron and his second wife care for Madeline with deep tenderness and devotion as they raise two children of their own. Narrated by Aaron's son Mac, When Madeline Was Young chronicles the Maciver family through the decades, from Mac's childhood growing up in Wisconsin with Madeline and his cousin Buddy, through the Vietnam War, his years as a husband with children of his own, and his cousin's involvement in the subsequent Gulf Wars. Jane Hamilton, with not only her usual keen observations of human relationships but also her humor, deftly explores the Macivers' unusual situation as she examines notions of childhood (through Mac and Buddy's actual youth as well as Madeline's infantilization) and a rivalry between Buddy's and Mac's families that spans decades and various wars. She captures the pleasures and frustrations of marriage and family and exposes the role that past relationships, rivalries, and regrets inevitably play in the lives of adults. Inspired in part by Elizabeth Spencer's The Light in the Piazza, Hamilton offers an honest, exquisite portrait of how a family tragedy forever shapes and alters the boundaries of love.
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"I love all of Jane Hamilton's books. This novel has an interesting premise--a married couple keep his first wife Madeline, who is brain-damaged, as part of the family, treating her like an older sibling to the other children. Hamilton re-invents the notion of family. "
— Gerry (4 out of 5 stars)
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“Hamilton’s careful, unpretentious prose finds moral nuances both in a full-blown antiwar debate and in the small details of Madeline’s care.”
— People -
“Hamilton’s beautifully written When Madeline Was Young is both an absorbing, nontraditional family portrait and a shaky meditation on American political passions.”
— Entertainment Weekly -
“Mesmerizing…Bittersweet, funny…Hamilton affirms her status as one of our most magnetic and provocative novelists.”
— Chicago Tribune -
“Hamilton brings characteristic empathy to the complex issues at the core of this patiently built novel.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“Richard Poe gives a fine and nuanced performance of Mac’s tale about his odd, but loving family. As young Mac, he reads with an exuberance that implies youth, then slows to his well-known gravelly warmth as Mac ages. He’s equally skilled with women’s voices, making them real without a squeak. And his even, clear pace matches the book’s atmosphere of remembrance.”
— AudioFile -
“While Hamilton gives the political climate of the sixties considerable attention, her story is more about how people, by bonding together, can transcend tragedy and loss with love, tolerance, and humor. Recommended.”
— Library Journal -
“Hamilton is exquisitely observant and unfailingly generous to the characters she creates: every life has weight and dignity.”
— Kirkus Reviews
When Madeline Was Young Listener Reviews
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" Hamilton's narrator is male in this book, albeit a sensitive male. I thought the book suffered from having three focal points -- Buddy, and Madeline, and Mac's parents' marriage. Overall it was a good book, but not Hamilton's best. "
— Lisa, 2/16/2014 -
" I got the vibe from the book that I was supposed to like one of the characters, yet I despised him. I felt disdain for him while others admired him. Maybe this is how the author intended the readers to feel? I don't know. It was an interesting read, but at the same time I couldn't wait to be finished with the book. "
— Dru, 2/16/2014 -
" I listened to this audiobook and kept asking myself, "Where is this going?" The answer: Nowhere. "
— Claudia, 1/26/2014 -
" This book is a much slower read than what I expected. Strongly evokes a specific place and spans several decades. The title is a bit misleading, because Madeline seems to remain in the background througout the story. It does not compare to Map of The World as far as the tension level, but all in all it was a relaxing read. "
— Colleen, 1/16/2014 -
" Just not as good as her other novels. This was kind of a letdown. "
— Sue, 1/10/2014 -
" I read this book because it wss by Jane Hamilton and I loved loved A Map of the World. I didn't love love this one, but it was good. "
— Beth, 12/30/2013 -
" I was a little disappointed. There were lots of interesting family vignettes, but the plot wandered all over the place and went nowhere. "
— Cathy, 12/6/2013 -
" Another great book by Jane Hamilton--heard her speak/got her autograph at the Visiting Writers' Series at Butler. "
— Anne, 12/3/2013 -
" "A map of the world" by the same author is on my top 10 list, hence reading this book. I really enjoyed it a lot - I like the way at the end, the whole story comes full circle. If I had to describe it in one word, I would say "endearing". "
— Julia, 11/12/2013 -
" Very interesting concept for a story - a young bride suffers a traumatic brain injury that leaves her with the mental capacity of a child. Her husband remarries and the two raise her as their child. "
— Myla, 11/11/2013 -
" something to read... although i do think timing of thought and emotion kind of feeds into the appreciation of this book... "
— rahima, 8/19/2013 -
" Interesting story of cross generational issues. "
— Linda, 3/15/2013 -
" implausible but well written... heard Jane speak at Lawrence University a could years ago.... she is charming and bright and is everything her writing suggests. "
— Holly, 10/28/2012 -
" I picked this book up thinking it sounded interesting and that it would be mainly about Madeline and the effect she had on those surrounding her. So far she's nothing more than a supporting character and even so hers is still the most interesting storyline. "
— Patty, 8/7/2012 -
" Very insightful book; interesting dynamic between a family who is raising the husband's first wife who suffered a head injury and is now like a 6 year old. Told from the view of the son, now an adult. I like it so far... will keep you posted... "
— Rebecca, 8/2/2012 -
" If you saw the show "Light in the Piazza" this is sort of a sequel. Madeline's life after her brief romance in Rome forms the body of the novel. Quite good. "
— Mom, 4/8/2012 -
" It took some time for me to get into this book. The author's style is unique and I couldn't understand her rhythm at first. The story is engaging and I would likely recommend it to female friends. "
— Raina, 4/5/2012 -
" A novel that follows the Maciver family through four decades of life, tragedy and the triumph of unconditional love. "
— Staff, 3/16/2012 -
" This is the story of a young man who grows up in a family whose parents are raising a young woman who he believes is his sister. The story is unique and clever. "
— Nancy, 9/26/2011 -
" Finally I'm done and can move on to the next book...I think by tomorrow I will have forgotten this one. Nothing in it struck me, characters were flat, and I'm not even sure what the plot was. It wasn't even entertaining. "
— Carrie, 6/7/2011 -
" This book gets three stars purely for quoting a line from a Kate Bush song. It's misleading to consider this the sorry of Madeline, it's more a look at the family as a whole. It jumps back and forth a fair bit which is a little off putting. "
— Melinda, 4/23/2011 -
" I like the plot of this story, it had a lot of potential. Didnt turn out to be as good as I thought, but kept me entertained. "
— Heather, 2/23/2011 -
" Fascinating theme.. worth reading just to think about "what if"... "
— Carmen, 2/12/2011 -
" Interesting subject matter, especially for the time period. Well written. I probably would not read it again, though. "
— Amy, 2/11/2011 -
" Political differences play a large role in the plot. Otherwise, I would have given it 5 stars. "
— Rballjax, 9/28/2010
About Jane Hamilton
Jane Hamilton lives, works, and writes in an orchard farmhouse in Wisconsin. Her novels have won numerous awards, including the PEN Faulkner Award for Fiction, and The Book of Ruth and A Map of the World were both chosen as Oprah Book Club picks and made into movies. Her short stories have appeared in Harper’s Magazine. Hamilton lives in Rochester, Wisconsin.
About Richard Poe
Richard Poe, a professional actor for more than thirty years, has appeared in numerous Broadway shows, including 1776 and M. Butterfly. On television he has had recurring roles on Star Trek and Frasier. His films include Born on the Fourth of July and Presumed Innocent. Poe is a well-known and prolific audiobook performer and the winner of numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards.