Madapple

 ** Madapple By Chistina Meldrum ** = =

**Setting**: a series of fictional towns in Maine (By the way, this was published in May 2008.) **Main Characters**: //Aslaug//—the main character; growing up in total isolation, she has no known family besides her mother. She has been home schooled and knows absolutely nothing of the outside world. //Aslaug’s mother//—is obviously the mother of Aslaug. She claims Aslaug is a virgin birth. Also she censors much of what Aslaug reads and learns. //Sanne and Rune//—Aslaug’s cousins that meet her when she leaves her home.

Plot: Aslaug grew up in isolation with her only contact with the world being through talking to her mother. She and her mother collect flowers to heal cuts, concoct their meals, and for any other use imagined. However, things are brought to an end when Aslaug’s mother becomes sick and dies suddenly. Aslaug runs away the night after. She ventures into the world to find her aunt and cousins that her mother mentioned once. Upon finding them, her life is turned upside down as she becomes pregnant, discovers her cousin Sanne and her aunt dead in the church from a fire, is convicted of their murders, and put on trial. - About The Author: Christina Meldrum received her Bachelor of Arts in religious studies and political science from University of Michigan and her Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School—these roots are what helped her create such a masterpiece as her first book, __Madapple__. She’s worked for the International Commission of Jurists in Geneva and Switzerland. Currently, she resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family. __Madapple__ is her first novel. --

Style: Meldrum’s style was quite unique. She wrote Aslaug’s dialogue very poetically, setting Aslaug away from the slang that the other characters use—it shows one result of living in isolation because Aslaug obviously grew up reading and listening to very poetic speech. Every other chapter was a scene from Aslaug’s trial, which is also quite different from other works because it provides suspense and keeps the reader wondering what’s happening. The title was quite appropriate—madapple is actually a plant, which Aslaug is sort of allergic to, and she uses it throughout the book. The plot was quite believable actually—although it is sort of unlikely that one would grow up in such total isolation. Themes and Points of Conflict: Some interesting things to consider when reading this book are the different conflicts that take place. For instance there’s science versus religion, Christian versus pagan, plants versus drugs, medicine versus intoxicant, guilt versus innocence, and myth versus truth. Also, a theme in the book would be confinement since Aslaug is confined or trapped in her own body that in many ways is not her own once she becomes pregnant. It also refers to her childhood isolation. -- Critical Assessment: Northeast Book Reviews says, “Christina Meldrum's premiere novel, //Madapple,// is an extremely unusual book, especially when one considers that it is a book for young adults. Meldrum explores theology, nature, Christianity, and mythology and does so all within the context of a young girl's attempts to understand who she is and where she came from. //Madapple// is not a book for someone who is looking for a quick, easy read or for someone who wishes solely to be entertained. Instead, the person who would most enjoy the book would be someone who is philosophical and inquisitive, someone who desires to read books that mix a surreal story with existential questions about religion, God, and divine intervention.” Personal Assessment: Personally, I really enjoyed the book. It was very thought provoking and intellectual. It was one of those books where I would just be sitting there thinking something along the lines of, “Okay, I’m going to take a break after this chapter” then reach the end of the chapter and think “Well, maybe after the next one.” I could seriously not put it down. I really liked the characters, except for some of them like Sanne and her mom (who I thought were nutcases). I wished that Aslaug kind of would do something for herself instead of sitting around helplessly, but it sort of fits her character if you think about it. All in all, it is a really enjoyable book. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading.

For more information, visit Christina Meldrum’s site: [|www.christinameldrum.com]. Also, if you would like to view some of the plants that are present in the book, visit http://www.christinameldrum.com/gallery.php. 

