What do readers think of Madapple by Christina Meldrum? Write your own review.

Although Madapple is a compelling read, I just can’t give it more than a 3 rating. Parts of it are beautifully written. The research is extensive and impressive. The structure of the book adds to its appeal – present day court scenes alternated with past-tense narrative. But there is very little, or unexplained, character development. I found I just didn’t care much for any of the characters. Some of the themes of the book are very interesting (i.e. the botanical), others are pretty extreme, especially for a teen audience. Parents should be aware of the radical religious content before recommending this book to their teens. Better yet, parents would be well-advised to read Madapple before or with their teens. I didn't really enjoy this book. The premise was interesting, but the book itself was somewhat disappointing.

Hmmm...well, i found this book to be very well written, with beautiful descriptions and haunting images. the author has clearly done her research, and i was fascinated by the botanical aspects. i also liked the trial sequences interspersed between flashbacks. i wanted to keep reading to find out what happened, but i certainly didn't enjoy it. I found the characters sophomoric, and not very well developed. while I don't consider myself to be a puritan, or even overly religious, one or two of the plot points were very offensive, inappropriate and disturbing, even. Some ending threads tie together a bit too neatly (for example, one character who comes off as very negative in the beginning becomes a grandfather figure, with no explanation or development). I gather the book will be marketed towards teens, and perhaps if I were a teen, the book would've worked for me; on the other hand, having children myself, I'd definitely want to discuss the book with any young readers before, during and after!

This book was very strange! The subject matter did not seem appropriate for young readers. This book made subjects like, incest, teen pregnancy, and pagan rituals seem okay. I thought the characters were odd and could not identify with their strange lifestyles at all. The only thing I did like was the courtroom drama. I only kept reading to see what would happen next in the trial.