Review Detail

 Madapple is about a
girl named Aslaug. She grows up extremely isolated with her ill mother who only
teaches her about plants, languages, and religions. She has believed her whole
life that she has no father- she was born of a virgin. When her mother, the only
person shes ever known suddenly dies, she is plummeted into the real world.
She finds her way to her Aunt Saras house, which is also a church, and finally
meets the people her mother has tried so hard to keep her away from all those
years. Her cousin Sanne holds important journals kept by Aslaugs mother,
reassuring Aslaug that she was indeed born of a virgin. She quickly falls in
love with her other cousin, Rune, who does not believe in his sisters
theories. When Aslaug mysteriously becomes pregnant, her first instinct is to
accuse Rune of rape. To protect her child, Sara confines Aslaug to a locked
room, while Sanne tries to convince her cousin that she will soon be having a
virgin birth, like her mother, and Aslaug eventually begins to believe. When
Aslaug gives birth, Rune and his girlfriend Rebecca run away with the baby, in
hopes that they can live a normal life together. Sometime after Rune and
Rebecca run away, Aslaug ends up in court, where she is being tried for murder.
The book goes back and forth between the courtroom, and Aslaugs time at Saras
church. Slowly the story begins to unravel, until we finally know the truth
about Aslaugs birth, her daughters birth, and why shes in court.

Madapple is a tragically beautiful book. While the story may
seem unbelievable at first, it feels sickeningly real. Aslaug was a character
filled with strength and pride even after all she went through. Even when she
felt like she hated her mother, she honored her when she died. The other characters
each had unique personalities, and weaknesses. Sanne and Sara were in a way
pathetic, they believed in Aslaugs baby so much that it killed them. Rebecca
and Rune were the minds of reason, willing to do anything to protect Aslaugs
baby, even if they had to run away. Madapple is a story of deceit, Aslaugs
entire life is a lie, but it is also a story of hope, as Aslaug could not have
had the ending she did without that lie. The ending was not predictable at all,
but it was perfect. It was truly the definition of a happy ending. I cried
when I was done with the book, and wished that it hadnt ended. Madapple is
hands-down one of the best books Ive read.