Gail C. Krause (Children's Literature)
Aslaug Datter was lost in her mother’s world, which she both loved and hated. Her mother’s strangeness increased as Aslaug got older, to the point of possible abuse, but Aslaug knew her mother loved her in some strange, odd way--her mother’s way. She taught her and educated her in languages, sciences and the arts. It wasn’t until Aslaug’s mother died that Aslaug thought she had found freedom from her mother’s strange prison. But that was not to be. Aslaug found herself in a deeper prison, bound there by her aunt and cousin. Her abuse continued, both emotionally and physically, worse than any psychological prison her mother could have kept her in. Aslaug is accused of murdering her mother as well as her aunt and cousin and, to make matters worse, she finds she is pregnant, yet she knows she has not lain with a man. They say her mother was an impregnated virgin, as well. The study and comparisons of world religions flourishes through this book and the writing style is so original that it keeps the reader’s attention throughout the book. A great read. 2008, Alfred A. Knopf, $16.99. Ages 12 up.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, May 1, 2008 (Vol. 76, No. 9))
The haunting tale of one exceptionally disturbed family unfolds in this gripping page-turner. Locked away from the world behind heavy drapes in a house with no mirrors, Aslaug Hellig grew up with her intelligent and overbearing mother Maren, who had told her that she was the product of immaculate conception. Though extremely knowledgeable about the local flora and other bookish pursuits, Aslaug is veritably clueless in social situations. When Maren dies suddenly, Aslaug's world shatters. Alone and frightened, she goes to stay with her estranged aunt and cousins until their suspicious demise. As the narrative moves between her trial for murder in the present and the past that led up to it, the Helligs' shocking truth is slowly revealed. Though Aslaug's situation is hardly conventional, the author does a spectacular job of making the unbelievable credible. A markedly intelligent offering mixing lush descriptions of plants, history, science and religion, this should surely spark interest among a wide array of readers. With this spellbinding debut, Meldrum marks herself as an author to watch. 2008, Knopf, 416p, $16.99. Category: Fiction. Ages 13 up. Starred Review. © 2008 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Janis Flint-Ferguson (KLIATT Review, May 2008 (Vol. 42, No. 3))
This novel is a fascinating look at belief and the interplay between the rational and the religious. Fifteen-year-old Aslaug has been isolated from family and friends; her only companion has been her mother and after weeks of waning health, her mother dies. Aslaug attempts to bury her in the back yard, which draws the attention of a grumpy old neighbor and the police. Her mother had been self-medicating with plants and herbs, and some of the plants have toxic qualities. They are toxic enough to draw attention, and Aslaug is accused of having poisoned her mother. The novel moves back and forth between Aslaug’s trial for murder and the story of her life and experiences. Her life is surreal, a life of innocence disconnected from the realities of our culture. The courtroom is represented by the stark questions and answers of the witnesses and the lawyers, the twisting of words and the interpretations of those who have no understanding of the isolated upbringing of Aslaug. The story of Aslaug’s life is one entrenched in charismatic religious belief and incestuous relationships, a full circle replicating her mother’s supposed “virgin” pregnancy and her own birth. The juxtaposition of innocence and incest is an eerie, disturbing and thought-provoking exploration of religious belief and pagan superstitions, calling into question what is reality and what might be madness. Category: Hardcover Fiction. KLIATT Codes: SA--Recommended for senior high school students, advanced students, and adults. 2008, Random House, Knopf, 416p., $16.99 and $19.99. Ages 15 to adult.

Annette Thibodeaux (Library Media Connection, September 2008)
Mystery surrounds the life of 16-year-old Aslaug and her mother who live a very isolated life amid herbs and flowers, evil and magic. After Aslaug's mother's mysterious death, Aslaug is charged with her mother's murder. Aslaug's life after her mother's death and the trial for her mother's murder are told in alternating chapters. Madapple is an investigation into the link between the natural and supernatural world. Plants figure as a major theme in the book, as they are introduced and associated with human behaviors. Because of the unusual nature and theme of this work, it will have limited appeal for high school students. Additional Selection. 2008, Alfred A. Knopf (Random House), 416pp., $16.99 hc.. Ages 14 to 18.

April Spisak (The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, June 2008 (Vol. 61, No. 10).)
This complex and multilayered novel explores religion, family, morality, and obligation through the observant but naïve perspective of Aslaug as a child, then teen, and finally as a defendant on trial for murder. After having grown up in an isolated home in contemporary rural Maine under the abusive and restrictive tutelage of her Danish immigrant mother, Aslaug knows almost nothing of the larger world when her mother dies; indeed, she does not even know her own origins, and now she’s hearing assertions ranging from her being the product of a virgin birth to her being the child of an incestuous relationship between her grandfather and her young mother. Although she is able to find an aunt and cousins who take her in, this discovery provides scant normalcy for the barely coping Aslaug, who soon finds herself pregnant, embroiled in a new virgin birth conspiracy, and literally imprisoned so as not to endanger the good name of her aunt the preacher or her Pentecostal church. Interspersed with this gripping and unsettling coming-of-age story are court transcripts and interviews from witnesses for the defense and prosecution (Aslaug is suspected of having played a role first in her mother’s death, then years later that of her aunt and a cousin) that provide key background details and inject sturdy doses of reality into the otherworldly mix of herbology, religious iconography, supernaturalism, and incestuous family dynamics that make up the rest of Aslaug’s life. Languorous passages wherein Aslaug sifts through the morass of her past balance effectively with the clipped, measured pace of the murder mystery playing out in court, which serves as both secondary plot and palate cleanser for the intricate and tangled secrets that lead Aslaug toward self-enlightenment. Meldrum admirably avoids the potentially easy shock value of the parenting scandals by adding enough complexity and ambiguity to keep readers firmly sympathetic to the protagonist, even as she seems to be caught in illusions as much of her own making as impressed upon her Review Code: R -- Recommended. (c) Copyright 2006, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2008, Knopf, 416p.; Reviewed from galleys, $19.99 and $16.99. Grades 9-12.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Fall 2008)
Sixteen-year-old Aslaug believes she was born of a virgin. After her mother dies suddenly, she goes to live with her aunt. Aslaug becomes the chief suspect when her aunt and cousin perish in a fire. Her lyrical account of events is juxtaposed with spare courtroom transcripts. The interplay between the narratives generates suspense, while the exploration of religion and mythology adds depth. Category: Older Fiction. 2008, Knopf, 410pp, 16.99, 19.99. Ages 12 to 14. Rating: 2: Superior, well above average.

Nancy K. Wallace (VOYA, June 2008 (Vol. 31, No. 2))
Fifteen-year-old Aslaug is raised in seclusion in a small town in Maine. Her mother, Maren, a Danish immigrant, homeschools her, forages for food and medicinal plants, and becomes her daughter's only companion. When Maren dies, Aslaug drags her body to the backyard to bury it. She is charged with murder when a neighbor calls the police. Later acquitted, Aslaug seeks out her Aunt Sara in a neighboring town. There she falls in love with her first cousin, Rune. Drugged by her cousin, Suzanne, Aslaug "dreams" that Rune has sex with her. When she becomes pregnant, Sara, a charismatic minister, cages Aslaug in the church basement, tying and gagging her during Sunday Services. After the birth, Rune and his girlfriend, Rebekka run away with the baby. Aunt Sara poisons herself, Suzanne, and Aslaug with madapple. Vomiting the poison, Aslaug burns down the church with their bodies inside. Charged with murder again, Rune returns to save her. This dark narrative is told alternately with excerpts from court transcripts. The extensive descriptions of herbs slow down the action and may limit teen appeal. Aslaug's family's dependence on natural plants as recreational and medicinal drugs clouds their judgment, insulating them from reality. Maren convinces herself that Aslaug is the result of a "virgin birth," and later Aslaug believes the same about her baby. Both children are the result of incestuous relationships. Aslaug's father is her grandfather; Rune is her brother. Drugs, herbs, religion, mythology, and incest combine in a bleak and bizarre mix. VOYA CODES: 4Q 2P S A/YA (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; For the YA with a special interest in the subject; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12; Adult-marketed book recommended for Young Adults). 2008, Knopf, 416p., $16.99 and PLB $19.99. Ages 15 to Adult.