stillborn except as a harsh conceptual exercise 
(ROOT (ADJP (JJ stillborn) (PP (IN except) (PP (IN as) (NP (DT a) (JJ harsh) (JJ conceptual) (NN exercise))))))
(ROOT (ADJP (JJ ) (PP (IN ) (PP (IN ) (NP (DT ) (JJ ) (JJ ) (NN ))))))