Madapple by Christina Meldrum

Madapple by Christina Meldrum is about Aslaug, a fifteen year old girl who lived alone on the outskirts of a small Maine town with her mother. Aslaug and her mother lived almost solely off the land, foraging for greens and roots, and only going in to the neighboring towns periodically. Maren, Aslaug's mother, was afflicted by a strange illness, for which she medicated herself with different plants. One of these plants was madapple, or jimson weed. This weed is poisonous if taken in large enough amounts, but Maren used only enough to dull the pain of her cancer. Eventually, Maren dies, and Aslaug is seen trying to bury her in the yard. She is arrested for her own mother's murder, but later sent home when it becomes apparent that her mother died of cancer. Aslaug finds some secrets about her family in some of her mother's things, and ends up finding her aunt Sara and cousins Rune and Sanne in a nearby town. All of these relatives have different stories about Maren and about Aslaug and her birth. It is a mystery of faith and science.

This was an interesting book. Every other chapter is the back story, explaining what happened to Aslaug and her family, while the opposite chapters are from within Aslaug's trial for the murders of her mother, aunt, and cousin. The mystery slowly unravels, leaving the reader wanting more! I read this in two days - I couldn't put it down! The author entertwined many ideas about different religions and science, along with a lot of interesting facts about regional plants and their medicinal qualities.