Aslaug grew up in almost total isolation. Her mother homeschooled her, taught her languages, science and botany. If the Department of Education hadn't required Aslaug to take standardized tests in other sujects, her mother wouldn't have bothered with other subjects: literature, poetry, social studies, fine arts.
Aslaug doesn't have a father. It isn't just that he isn't around. From Aslaug's court testimony:
--What was your father's name?
--I don't have a father.
--You don't know who your father is?
--I don't have a father, other than the one we share.
--You mean God in heaven?
--I never said God is in heaven.
--But you mean God, am I right?
--Yes.
--Well, I'm referring to your biological father. You don't know who he is?
--I don't have a biological father.
And why would she be testifying in court? Because she's on trial for one count of attempted murder and two counts of murder in the first degree.
Through the transcripts of the trial and Aslaug's first person narration of what came before, we get Aslaug's story. Madapple is a story not just about a murder trial, but also about family, comparative religion and mythology, science and faith, the past and the future. It's beautifully written and the story isn't quite like anything else I've run into in the YA section. It's not an easy-breezy read -- I wouldn't give it to a reluctant reader, for sure -- but teens (and adults) who're interested in exploring the subjects I mentioned shouldn't miss this one. I was very happy to see that the author included a bibliography.
That isn't to say that I didn't have issues with the book. One of the issues is my own -- Madapple is set in Maine, and the towns mentioned aren't actual towns, but they sound like actual towns (Hartswell rather than Harpswell, Bethan rather than Bethel), and I found that oddly distracting. I also thought that the second half of Aslaug's story was pretty over-the-top. Her voice and the writing both continued to be top-notch, but the plotting itself was a little bit too much for me. And I wondered [SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER ALERT] why, during her trial, it was questioned whether or not she'd actually had a baby. Wouldn't they have examined her? But it's certainly possible that I missed something there.
It's a strong, thoughtful book, and one that I hope will inspire people to read more -- I know it made me want to at the very least start paying more attention to local flora*, and, if I'm really determined, to start reading more about religion and mythology and science.
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*My father would be so proud.
Hi Leila! I'm a children's bookseller (love your site; have it on my feed; refer you to customers), and am chiming in to say that I read this book too, and although I found it mesmerizing (the amount of research the author did is freakin' epic), it left me feeling... meh. After a week of pondering I pinned my dissatisfaction down to: Aslaug doesn't make any choices of her own. The plot happens around her and in spite of her, but she either doesn't take action or is thwarted from taking it.
But I ordered it for my store anyway, because it's still very neat, and I have high hopes for Meldrum's next book.
Posted by: Rachel | 28 October 2008 at 11:18 PM
YES. I think that was part of my problem with the second half, especially. The being locked up and pregnant and then having her baby taken away and then Rune showing up at the last minute at the trial -- she was hardly ever an active participant in her own life and never seemed to do much fighting for herself -- but as I told myself, she'd never really made decisions before her mother died, so after she died, well why start then? But now that you mention it... even the sex wasn't her choice. Oh, and the cop taking half her money -- and then the preacher taking the rest of it -- geez, you're totally right!
But it also occured to me that as a big chunk of it all had to do with her possibly being God's vessel, etc., etc. that her lack of participation in her own story made a weird sort of sense. That she may have been partially convinced that the whole thing was preordained, and so why fight it? I felt like she was a great character, but not one that I really took to or felt any amount of affection for -- I was on edge, not knowing how it was going to turn out, but I never loved her and worried about her.
It's an odd one, for sure. At some point I might use it in my YA book group, see what they have to say about it...
Posted by: Leila | 29 October 2008 at 06:53 AM
I listened to this on audio a few weeks back and found it to be a very thoughtful book, and agree with you that it's not the typical YA novel. The audio is excellent.
Posted by: Grace | 29 October 2008 at 11:17 AM
This is on the list for a mock Printz I'm attending - sounds intriguing!
Posted by: jess | 29 October 2008 at 01:22 PM
This sounds very interesting, and thanks for the spoiler warning! It always annoys me a little bit when I am reading along and BAM completely SPOILED!
Will be checking this out asap.
Posted by: Emily | 29 October 2008 at 06:18 PM