Madapple (Hardcover)

by Christina Meldrum (Author)
Key Phrases: bloodroot sap, butterfly soul, inverted pentagram, Aslaug Hellig, Maren Hellig, Aslaug Datter (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Starred Review. Grade 9 Up—In Bethan, ME, 1987, Maren is pregnant; she claims that she is still a virgin. The story of her daughter, Aslaug, follows. She is raised by her severe mother in isolation. Her homeschooling, which includes multiple languages, religious studies, and herbology, excludes much more than it includes. Then, in 2003, Maren dies, and Aslaug discovers that she has an aunt and cousins nearby and begins living with them. She is simultaneously fascinated and confused by her discoveries of social interactions and how the world functions. Fast paced and suspenseful, Meldrum's novel deftly and subtly maintains tension by judiciously revealing key plot points. Aslaug narrates events from 2003 and 2004, which come back to haunt her in 2007, when she finds herself on trial for the murders of her aunt and cousin. Her story fills in gaps and masterfully manipulates perspective, ingeniously pointing out how everything can change depending on one's point of view. Chapters on the courtroom trial alternate with Aslaug's account, which leads up to the deaths. Deep examination of religion and science and how they intersect pervade the text in an exploratory and informative way. The inclusion of rape and poisoning lends darkness and weight to Aslaug's already intense experience. Filled with herbal imagery and nomenclature, the descriptions, both beautiful and surprising, paired with the expert control of pacing, make for a riveting and mind-opening experience.—Amy J. Chow, New York Public Library
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
*Starred Review* Aslaug lives in isolation; the flowers and plants that her mother, Maren, uses to make their lives possible are more real to her than the outside world. Then Maren dies, and Aslaug makes her way to the nearby Maine town, where she finds her aunt Sara and teenage cousins Susanne and Rune. Aslaug hopes they will have a clue to her father’s identity; she learns, as readers already have, that Maren proclaimed Aslaug a virgin birth. Aunt Sara, a charismatic preacher, wants none of this. But Susanne, enthralled with the writings of esoteric religionists and pagans, believes this is a possibility, while Rune is just enthralled with Aslaug herself. Then Aslaug finds herself pregnant, and divine intervention is once more a possibility. Plot summary does little justice to this haunting book, which is as much mysticism as it is story. Meldrum plunges deeply into the nature of reality. She uses language in a particularly arresting way, with the leaves and petals of the plants that are so much a part of Aslaug’s life shimmering over the pages. If all this wasn’t satisfaction enough, Meldrum, a litigator, mixes faith and science with a solid mystery, told in the transcripts of a trial in which Aslaug is the defendant. There is much to ponder in this enthralling achievement from a debut author. Grades 9-12. --Ilene Cooper

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers; First Edition edition (May 13, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375851763
• ISBN-13: 978-0375851766
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #269,020 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Most Accomplished Debut Novel I've Read in Ages, May 14, 2008

By	Margaret - See all my reviews

It's hard to know where to start in the praise for this amazing story of Aslaug, a teenaged girl who, having been raised by a reclusive mother, finds herself--after her mother's death--in the unfamiliar world of her minister-aunt's church. Meldrum cuts back and forth between rapid-fire courtroom testimony of Aslaug's trail and beautifully lyrical sections detailing the events of Aslaug's life that land her in court. Each of the more lyrical chapters is titled with the name of a plant, and Meldrum's weaving of a rich wealth of information about each plant's medicinal qualities with a deep knowledge of religions of all sorts adds more to this book than I ever could have imagined--without ever slowing the pace of the story. I'm only left wishing there were a second of this author's books to pull off the shelf, and hoping there will be soon!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, July 26, 2008

By	TeensReadToo.com "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

I finished reading MADAPPLE last night and, for the first time ever, I sat staring at the book in shock. For fifteen minutes. I was ready to laugh, to cry, and to scream in frustration. Never before have I read a book that left me feeling that way after finishing it. Sure, there have been books where I've laughed, cried, and been frustrated at different points as I read it (HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS comes to mind) -- but to experience them all at once at the end of a book? Never.

Once the shock wore off, I began wondering how I was ever going to write a review of this book. Because a book that can cause emotions like that definitely can NOT be summed up in one paragraph, no matter how long. I could say that MADAPPLE was about flowers and plants. I could also say that it's about a girl who's a prisoner in her own life. I could also say that it challenges the religion of Christianity. I could say all of those things and so many more, but none of them would be correct. Yes, MADAPPLE is about flowers and plants. It's also about being a prisoner in your own life and it's even about Christianity. But it's also about so much more than that. More than even my mind can comprehend.

But I must warn you - MADAPPLE is NOT for everyone

Told in alternating chapters of the present and of testimonies being held at Aslaug's trial, MADAPPLE challenges the reader. It informs the reader. I, myself, though not a strong Christian, know by now that most Christians are offended when their religion is challenged. MADAPPLE does that. But I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing, for it never states that Christianity is wrong, and every single character has their own opinion on it. Heck, one of them even runs a church. But what it does do is explain how the birth and story of Jesus that the Christians follow is not the first in history. I'm not going to say more on that subject in fear of giving too much away, but I'll say this - if you're a Christian who is easily offended, I wouldn't read this. If you're a Christian who can handle a reasonable amount of things, pick up the book.

My feelings about MADAPPLE changed throughout the entire book. At first, I was intrigued, then confused, and then bored. Actually, I think I was confused up until the last page and then some. Even at this moment, I can't say whether I love or hate MADAPPLE. But I'm going to say that I love it because it's left me speechless, and the only other books to have done that are my favorites. The one thing, however, this book didn't do was make my stomach hurt. The character emotions just weren't there to make my heart break. All other aspects, besides that, which I love in books were there.

So do I recommend MADAPPLE? Definitely yes! But only if you're up for a challenging read. Only if you're mature enough to handle speculations about virgin and premarital birth. Only if you're ready to be blown away, because you will be, whether it's in a good or bad way. Only you can make that decision.

Reviewed by: Harmony

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A unique novel which is brilliantly complex and thought-provoking, though the ending falters. Highly recommended, July 28, 2008

By	Juushika (Oregon, United States) - See all my reviews

Aslaug has been brought up in near isolation by her mother, taught a wealth of knowledge including the lore and uses of local plants. Orphaned by her mother's sudden death, Aslaug sets out to find the family that she never knew she had, leading her into a dense mystery of botany, religion, genealogy--and tragedy. This is a startling and unique book: its intriguing premise, ongoing mystery, and unusual protagonist keep the reader hooked, and the numerous subjects provide ample food for thought. Unfortunately, the pacing becomes increasingly hurried as the book goes on, shortchanging the conclusion and the myriad themes. Nonetheless I recommend Madapple--while not perfect, it is a captivating novel rich with unusual subjects, complex characters, and careful thought.

Regional herbalism and botanical mythology; Pentecostal Christianity, paganism, and virgin births; mysterious genealogies, familial relationships, and potential incest; murder investigations, adolescence, appearance and reality, events and motivations--Madapple is a rich combination of a plethora of subjects and themes. The variety may seem random and illogical, but Meldrum weaves these many aspects into one whole--a whole which is all the more meaningful and unique for its complexity. Balancing characters against subjects and plot against surprisingly natural exposition, combining herbalism and religion so smoothly that they appear intrinsically connected, Meldrum creates an intriguing, convincing, unique novel. Aslaug explores an unusual world from an even more unusual viewpoint, and her journey is captures the reader and provides plenty of of food for thought.

Meldrum's subjects are bold and, on the whole, brilliantly realized--but the latter half of the book moves at an increasingly fast pace, and there simply isn't enough time to explore later subjects to the depths they deserve. The increasing pace, skipping weeks and then months and then years, allows the book to cover more plot but mostly serves to make the reader wonder why Meldrum didn't simply condense the plotline. The conclusion itself is too brief and seems artificially complete, even more so because of the complexity of the story that proceeds it, and the last exploration of the book's themes ring true but also a bit trite.

This isn't to say that the end of book is a disappointment: the plot has a satisfying climax and many of the subjects and themes continue to the end. Nonetheless, the conclusion is not as good as it could be or as the rest of the book is. If it were better, this would be a spectacular novel. As it is, Madapple is intriguing, promising, and brave, strongly written with a mystical voice and a convincing protagonist, containing more complexity in its premise alone than many novels contain in their entire length--but it is not all that it could be. I enjoyed it and I highly recommend it to all readers, youth or adult (for its complexity and some of the subject matter, I'm not convinced it belongs in the YA category; I think it is best for older teens and adults), who find the concept intriguing. It is a rare gift to find a book that stretches so far and aims so high as this does. But I also look forward to more from Meldrum, to see what she can achieve now that she has the experience of one published novel.