By: Christina Meldrum Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers Average Rating: Binding: Hardcover Label: Knopf Books for Young Readers Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 416 Publication Date: May 13, 2008 Reading Level: Young Adult Release Date: May 13, 2008
Product Description: THE SECRETS OF the past meet the shocks of the present. Aslaug is an unusual young woman. Her mother has brought her up in near isolation, teaching her about plants and nature and language—but not about life. Especially not how she came to have her own life, and who her father might be.
When Aslaug’s mother dies unexpectedly, everything changes. For Aslaug is a suspect in her mother’s death. And the more her story unravels, the more questions unfold. About the nature of Aslaug’s birth. About what she should do next.
About whether divine miracles have truly happened. And whether, when all other explanations are impossible, they might still happen this very day.
Addictive, thought-provoking, and shocking, Madapple is a page-turning exploration of human nature and divine intervention—and of the darkest corners of the human soul.
A unique novel which is brilliantly complex and thought-provoking, though the ending falters. Highly recommended 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.
Courtesy of Teens Read Too 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
A Challenging Debut Novel 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's been books where I've laughed, cried, and been frustrated with at different points as I read it (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 I am not a strong Christian, know by now that most Christians are offended when Christianity 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 handled a reasonable amount of things, pick up the book.
My feelings about Madapple changed throughout the whole 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? Heck yes! But only if you're up for a challenging read. Only if you're mature enough to handle speculations about virgin birth 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.
Exquisite, thought-provoking, and hauntingly beautiful MADAPPLE centers on the story of Aslaug, a 16-year-old girl raised in isolation by her Danish mother who homeschools her in the ways of the natural world. While her understanding of herbs, languages and religion is rich (if highly subjective), her ability to interact with others is stunted. Aslaug's limited world explodes when her mother, Maren, dies suddenly and she finds herself living with estranged relatives in a nearby town.
Thrust into a new family, Aslaug finds the values and beliefs bestowed by her mother constantly challenged: her manipulative cousin, Sanne, asserts that Aslaug was a virgin birth and destined for greatness; her other cousin, Rune, offers her kindness mixed with temptation; and her Aunt Sara, Maren's sister and preacher of a local church, struggles with a dark secret that may hold the key to Aslaug's true identity. Matters only get more complicated when Aslaug becomes pregnant and insists she has never had sex. Then, when the bodies of Sanne and Sara are pulled from a fire at the church, clues point to Aslaug and she is placed on trial for murder.
The star of MADAPPLE is Meldrum's exquisite writing, at turns lush and imaginative but also spare and direct. The names of plants serve as chapter titles, employing herb lore as a vocabulary that fleshes out Aslaug's worldview. Meldrum masterfully occupies Aslaug's mind, outlining her protagonist's circumscribed upbringing and revealing a mind hungry to explore but reluctant to venture into a world for which she was never prepared. The narrative shifts between the past, when Aslaug struggles to deal with both her mother's death and the ways of her new family, and the present, when an older Aslaug is on trial for murder. Both stories drive forward with measured tension, forcing the reader to question where the truth lies, until they converge in a mesmerizing climax.
Meldrum draws from her background in religious studies and law to pose potent questions concerning the nature of faith and the sometimes blurred line between myth and reality. Readers will find themselves as challenged by the novel's varied viewpoints as Aslaug is in her own reluctant quest for meaning. If you're looking for something that will generate a spirited discussion at your next book group meeting, this is the book for you.
One of the best books I've read in 2008, MADAPPLE stands out as brilliantly crafted and beautifully written. Christina Meldrum is a powerful new voice, and I'm anxiously awaiting her next novel. A must for everyone's summer reading list.
--- Reviewed by Brian Farrey
Couldn't put it down The charactors in this book pulled me in from the start, and within the first few pages I was hooked. This story is a gift to the reader who is in awe of the beauty and power of nature, and inspired by the depth and capacity of the human spirit.
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