When Madeline Was Young by Jane Hamilton - Book Review

When Madeline Was Young by Jane Hamilton is the story of a Midwest family through the generations narrated by Mac, the son who grew up with Madeline, a sister figure with mental retardation. Madeline was actually Mac's father's first wife who was left with the mental capacities of a 7-year-old after a bike accident. Mac's father remarried and he and his new wife took care of Madeline as if she were their child. This is a powerful story of family, loyalty, love and war.

From the title, I expected Jane Hamilton's When Madeline Was Young to be mostly about Madeline and the affect the bike accident had on her life. The book was, however, Mac's story. Mac, who knows Madeline as a sister (although technically she is his father's first wife), narrates the story, and the focus is more on how Madeline affected Mac and his family than on her personal development.

Even though I was surprised by the focus of the book, I was not disappointed. When Madeline Was Young is a moving story of a middle America family, and Mac is a narrator that it is easy to like. In fact, all the characters in When Madeline Was Young were likable, even though they were all complex and flawed.

Even though the story runs from 1943 to 2003, the main action takes place in the 1960s. The politics surrounding the Vietnam war are a major force in Mac's family since his mother is an active liberal and his aunt's husband is an advisor to the President. In many ways, the war affected Mac as much as having Madeline as a "sister."

I was impressed with how many threads were woven into When Madeline Was Young. This is not a book about a person with mental retardation. It is not a Vietnam war book. It is not, either, a simple coming of age story. When Madeline Was Young is all these things and more. It is a short and enjoyable read that I highly recommend.

Be sure to check out the When Madeline Was Young book club discussion questions.