Astrid is the only child of a single mother, Ingrid, a brilliant, obsessed poet who wields her luminous beauty to intimidate and manipulate men. Astrid worships her mother and cherishes their private world full of ritual and mystery – but their idyll is shattered when Astrid’s mother falls apart over a lover. Deranged by rejection, Ingrid murders the man, and is sentenced to life in prison. White … White Oleander is the unforgettable story of Astrid’s journey through a series of foster homes and her efforts to find a place for herself in impossible circumstances. Each home is its own universe, with a new set of laws and lessons to be learned. With determination and humor, Astrid confronts the challenges of loneliness and poverty, and strives to learn who a motherless child in an indifferent world can become. Oprah Winfrey enjoyed this gripping first novel so much that she not only made it her book club pick, she asked if she could narrate the audio release.
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Astrid is the daughter of a beautiful single mother who wields her power by manipulating men. When her mother’s obsession turns dangerous, she kills her lover and is sentenced to life in prison. Alone in the world, Astrid must navigate the perils of foster care. Poetically beautiful, WHITE OLEANDER is a novel about art, sexuality, and the painful …
This is a book I would read again if I didn’t already know the ending. I found it difficult in the beginning to want to “stick with it”, but as things moved along with a surprise twist at the end I’m glad I kept reading. Very strong and moving story.
This is my favorite book. Not for a light read but for one that so totally moved and involved me that I will never forget its impact. Its characters are unforgettable and I had to own this book so that I could return to it. (I normally borrow books). Of course it takes place in the LA area where I have lived most of my life so every neighborhood …
Janet Fitch does her job as an author. She makes a reader care about her characters, and in this story, it’s Astrid Magnussen (12 y.o.). From the opening scene, we are swept into White Oleander on a gale-force wind.
“Oleander time,” she [Ingrid] said. “Lovers who kill each other now will blame it on the wind.”
It is Fitch’s precision with the …
One of my absolute favorites.
Oh, such beauty in prose. Fitch’s style in “White Oleander” created a need in me to examine each word I chose to put down and make it carry substantial weight. As dysfunctional as the relationship was between mother and daughter, the prose kept me turning the pages.
very well written with a poetic quality.
I loved this book. I grew up in a situation similar to the main character’s so it really hit home on so many levels. Well written and worth the read twice over. One of my all time favorites.
This book was amazing as soon as i started reading i was hooked to it. I dont think i have ever loved a book this much before. I have read this book about 6 times and every time i am equally excited to read it.
This book was very thought provoking…I’ve always sympathized with foster kids, but this book really brings to light some of the things that can go on. It also brought about a different kind of mother daughter relationship than you usually read or hear about. I can’t imagine the hardship of having a mother you equally despised and longed for love …
I highly enjoyed the dark poetry of ‘White Oleander.’ For the majority of the book, I was sucked in. HOWEVER, there are two aspects of this piece that left me disturbed.
1. The pedophilia. Astrid at 14yo is lusting after a man in his thirties, possibly forties. THAT is normal and healthy enough. What isn’t is that she actually sleeps with Ray and …
A beautifully poetic book with a heartbreaking plot and chaotic characters. I consumed this book and want to read more by Janet Fitch. As a writer, this book makes you think about the little things around you, like flowers/plants, landscapes, and scents. Wonderful descriptions.
Ms. Fitch’s book is an amazing exploration of the difficulties of growing up, taken to the nth degree. Her descriptive abilities and character development is strong throughout a book that brings the main character through a whole lifetime of mess in just her first 20 years. There is enough plot to satisfy even Charles Dickens.
This is my favorite book of all time. Her prose is incredible!
Janet Fitch is a wonderful writer. This first person narrative seems absolutely real, tragicly so.
This book meant everything to me in high school.
This book was not to far fetched as to what the main character experiences. Very extreme as well as violent; however still realistic. Very entertaining read sentences/ paragraphs flow together in a easygoing read.
Before White Oleander, I wouldn’t have believed I could have become so emotionally invested in a meandering coming of age epic about a 14-year-old orphan (Astrid) as she moves from home to home for one reason or another. The truth is, I only read this book because it was recommended by a friend and, as someone who will read literally anything, I …
An extraordinary book. Dark, depressing, raw, yet triumphant. Seductive prose of tragedy and despair all on the way to finding one’s self. Finch creates memorable characters, you can love, hate or both, but not soon forget. And her language, like poetry, “A future wasn’t something I could forge by myself out of all these broken pieces…a white …
This book was one I stayed awake at night for. SO good! You really connected with the main character