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Location: Vero Beach, Florida, United States

My name is Pat and I live in Florida. My skin will never be smooth again and my hair will never see color. I enjoy collecting autographs and playing in Paint Shop Pro.,along with reading and writing. Sometimes, I enjoy myself by doing volunteer "work" helping celebrities at autograph shows. I love animals and at one time I did volunteer work for Tippi Hedren's Shambala Preserve.

Friday, September 26, 2008

RIP III Conclusion

So... my RIP Challenge is about as official as it can get..

I did Perils the First: Read 4 books.....

1- The House at Riverton by Kate Morton (not as good as expected)

2- The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (re-read) (Excellent again!)

3- Dracula by Braum Stoker (disappointed.. boring)

4- The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova (very enjoyable)

....Then I did Perils the Second: Read 2 books...

1- The Ghost Writer by John Harwood (enjoyable)

2- Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier (excellent)

... Then I did Perils the Third: Read 1 book...

Madapple by Christina Meldrum

Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Knopf Books (May 13, 2008)
ISBN-10: 0375851763

Jacet art by: Jonathan Barkat (I must say, the cover art had much to do with the selection of this book!)

Product Description
THE SECRETS OF the past meet the shocks of the present.
Aslaug is an unusual young woman. Her mother has brought her up in near isolation, teaching her about plants and nature and language—but not about life. Especially not how she came to have her own life, and who her father might be.

When Aslaugs mother dies unexpectedly, everything changes. For Aslaug is a suspect in her mother’s death. And the more her story unravels, the more questions unfold. About the nature of Aslaug’s birth. About what she should do next.

About whether divine miracles have truly happened. And whether, when all other explanations are impossible, they might still happen this very day.

Addictive, thought-provoking, and shocking, Madapple is a page-turning exploration of human nature and divine intervention—and of the darkest corners of the human soul.


When I began this book I wasn't sure I'd like it. Here was a mother with her 15 yr old daughter searching in the fields for plants for eating, and for medical reasons.. it seemed strange. But it did have the one thing that will have me keep reading "just a little more" to see if it gets better... it had very short chapters!

I was slightly confused at first, every other chapter had our protagonist, Aslaug, on trial. First it was because it was thought she might have had something to do with her mothers death, and then, because she was a lone survivor of a fire in which relatives died, she was thought to have poisoned them and set the fire.

The book alternates chapters between Aslaugh's story and the trial. The trial generally was only 2 pages or so but continued to set the stage for the next chapter.

It was different.. and it was captivating because you wanted to understand what this child had been through and you want to see how the trial turns out, and those very short chapters makes it possible to read, "just one more chapter" every time.

This book would not be for everyone. Much of the book is surrounded in religion and religious beliefs (and non religious beliefs) and may put some people off to reading it.

I did found it quite a strange book. It held my interest enough to read the entire book, but it will not be one that I will want to read again one day. I don't use the star system to say how much I like or dislike a book but in this case I guess I would give it 3 out of 5 stars.

This concludes all Three Perils that Carl has set for the RIP III Challenge for this year!! I was never one to read aboutvampires and werewolves and such (and I'm still not) but thanks to Carl's Challenge I have discovered that I do enjoy Gothic Mystery's (is there such a thing??) Books like The Thirteenth Tale and even some light comedy books like Gil's All Fright Diner. This year found me enjoying The Historian and Rebecca... sometimes I surprise even myself!!

Thanks again Carl for putting together a great challenge!! (I may even sneak one more book in!.. maybe.. )

11 Comments:

Blogger Unknown said...

Congrats on finishing the R.I.P. Challenge!

2:48 PM  
Blogger Ana S. said...

Congratulations on finishing! There's still the whole month of October to go, though, so I bet you'll be able to sneak in more than just one book :P

As for Madapple, I can see from your description why it wouldn't be for everyone, but it sounds like something I'd enjoy.

3:57 PM  
Blogger DesLily said...

Thanks Bobbi!

Nymeth: It was a good read, just not something I'd read more than once. I am not sure if it was the topic or the short chapters that kept me going back as quickly as I did.

4:00 PM  
Blogger Cath said...

Well done on doing all the RIP perils! I've almost finished The Moor and then I've finished Peril the whatever it was I was doing. I might do Peril the second in October. Just have to see how much time I have.

6:47 PM  
Blogger DesLily said...

Hi Cath.. I've enjoyed the RIP so I will read more but I am more than ready to read other books I've set aside to do this Peril lol.. but I did start "A Nameless Witch" by A Lee Martinez... so not done yet!

6:55 PM  
Blogger chrisa511 said...

I want to read Madapple so bad! I'm going to have to get a copy soon. I put it on my wishlist as soon as you got your copy in the mail for the same reason as you...I loved the cover, lol...how many books have we bought because of the cover, huh? I'm loving your pictures by the way...I hope you continue with the RIP challenge just for those!

9:14 PM  
Blogger Ladytink_534 said...

Wow congrats! They all sound like great books too.

11:13 PM  
Blogger DesLily said...

chris: not to worry, I sent in a "tiny story" and if he does photo's I have some more skulls I haven't used yet !

Tink: tanks! *giggle

8:28 AM  
Blogger Carl V. Anderson said...

You surprise me as well, congrats! There are indeed gothic mysteries and ones such as those you've read are what inspired me to do the R.I.P. Challenge in the first place, I wanted to encourage people by example to discover and rediscover these amazing classics. In the process I too have discovered modern versions written in the spirit of those old books. I of course still highly disagree with you regarding the excitement level of Dracula, but to each his/her own! lol! I'm so glad you've discovered some well loved books during these challenges.

12:26 AM  
Blogger Kim L said...

Yikes! I'm only two books in I think! Very impressive reads, it sounds like you had a lot of fun with the challenge this year. Are you sure this is the end, though??

8:33 PM  
Blogger DesLily said...

Carl: yep, i think I found gothic mysteries as fun reads.. thank you!

Kim: well... I am reading A Nameless Witch so.. no. But then I have to reread Inkheart and Inkspell because the last book is on its way to me!!! and they aren't RIP books.. but I entered the tiny story thing with Carl and if he does scary photo's i'll be in that too!

8:39 PM  

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