White Oleander (Oprah's Book Club) by Janet Fitch
|
List Price: Our Price: $4.09 You Save: $9.90 (71%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of White Oleander (Oprah's Book Club)
Book Review: Excellent Read.
Summary: 5 Stars
Fitch describes the Santa Ana blossoms as desert survivalists as "delicate poisonous blooms" with "dagger green leaves." Throughout this novel the words sing a poetic duet with the reader and, from her opening description, I was humming along.
I felt a bit like a Peeping Tom as I spied on Fitch's fictional prose about the early years of Astrid Magnussen. From the beginning, I realized that the relationship between Astrid and her poet mother was unique, if not absurd.
Astrid's search for love and affection from a parental figure deepens as she gets caught in the foster care system after her mother is scorned by a man, murders him, and is thrown in jail. Astrid feels responsible for her mother's actions and this man's death. "My responsibility. My infection," she says. In fact, she feels responsible for every bad thing that happens to her and the people she chooses to love.
This journey of an insecure and extremely talented young girl whose fear of losing her mother and being unloved drives her into relationships destined to fail, is heart wrenching. Bad things seem to follow Astrid wherever she goes. When she labels herself, "Nobody's Child" my heart fell and I wished I could reach out to help and protect her. In reality, she doesn't need it and if it was offered she would probably refuse.
Astrid is strong, in spite of her obsessive love for her mother and the pseudo-replacements she finds at each of the foster homes she's sent to. Ray, the boyfriend of her first foster mother, is Astrid's first obsession. During this relationship, I had to keep reminding myself she was a child and not a woman. Her other obsessions include a prostitute and a paranoid/obsessive has-been actress. The detailed characters are marvelous.
Fitch has painted Astrid and Ingrid perfectly. I felt for Astrid as she flip-flopped through her love and hate for her poetic angel, conniving mother. Ingrid, the beautiful, pale goddess has a demonic quality to her. She would rather her daughter live a violent, disdainful life than to have her live one of reasonable happiness. Ingrid's magnetic personality fascinates all who are susceptible to her black widow qualities. Throughout the book I felt a great hatred for this woman but at the same time a sense of curiosity; is there more to who she is? By the end of the book, this was answered. Astrid is definitely the adult in this dysfunctional family and she is wiser and stronger because of her mother.
Fitch's use of abundant similes was somewhat distracting at first but once I got over my personal biases I quite enjoyed them. I also liked the Goddess references used throughout, specifically, Astrid's comparison of herself to Persephone when she was taken away for the first time by the social workers, This definitely sets the tone for the darkness that follows.
Fitch successfully shows the suffering humans can inflict on themselves and those they claim to love. She transmits the possibility that we can outgrow ourselves and that we have a choice in the person we become despite how our past has shaped our psyche. Simply, this is the journey and survival through one woman's childhood and what she gained from the experience.
Overall, White Oleander is enjoyable and the suspense and terror of Astrid's travels through the foster care system are engaging, often alarming and hold interest, if only to find out what else could possible happen to this poor child. If nothing else, you put down this book knowing that your life isn't as bad as you thought and you can deal with whatever it dishes you. Women persevering, I can see why it was an Oprah pick. Reviewed by M. E. Wood
Book Review: A Great Debut
Summary: 5 Stars
White Oleander by Janet FitchAstrid spends years in search of herself in White Oleander, the wonderful first novel by Janet Fitch. White Oleander opens with Astrid having a conversation with her mother Ingrid, alluding to death and oleanders. It is a hint of what has just transpired. We then zoom back to a few months, when Ingrid and Astrid are introduced to Barry Kolker, who becomes a pivotal person in their lives. He unknowingly sets in motion a series of events that would change and rip apart their lives forever.
Barry falls in love with Ingrid, a free-spirited poet with a bohemian attitude, and despite the fact that they are from totally different worlds she falls for him. Not at first --- it takes Ingrid a bit of convincing, or so we are led to believe. But soon she is obsessed with him, and young Astrid starts to dream of having a real family, with a real father. Ingrid never believed in fathers, and never explained to Astrid who her father was or why he left them. And so Astrid begins to fantasize that Barry could be that father she never had. It is surely a dream come true.
But, as all good things come to an end, so did Barry's infatuation for Ingrid. It is never explained why he leaves Ingrid for another woman, but the fact of the matter is Ingrid cannot get over it. She begins to obsess over him. Her behavior worries Astrid, especially when she sees her mother mixing up a poisonous concoction of oleander and herbs and constantly talks of revenge.
We then flash forward, and Ingrid is in prison, serving time for the murder of Barry Kolker, and Astrid is being treated for depression. Eventually, they place her in her first permanent foster home.
As she bounces from one home to the next, Astrid encounters different types of foster parents, different types of horrors that scar her, different types of obsessions that overtake her. When she thinks she's finally met someone in her life that can bring her happiness, something happens to take that person away from her.
I found myself becoming tired and depressed each time I thought Astrid finally had found the family that would be her permanent home, only to have something ruin it.
While she is being bounced from one home to another, Astrid corresponds with her mother. With each letter, Astrid's perceptions of her mother change. Astrid had always loved her mother and worshipped her. But, with each new letter and each new home, Astrid begins to see a different side of her mother. Her eyes begin to open with the help of the hard life she leads, and Ingrid begins to see that she is losing her hold on her daughter. The relationship that they once had falls apart. An older and wiser Astrid sees her mother now for who she really is, and with that knowledge, she begins to find herself.
I very much enjoyed White Oleander. Although there was a section of the book that I found somewhat anti-climatic, overall the book moved fast and I found myself totally immersed in the person that was Astrid. Her changing relationship with her mother, which was the main theme in this book, was what i found most fascinating. Janet Fitch did a wonderful job showing the growth of a single character from a shy insecure young girl to a hardened young woman that was confident about where she came from and where she was going.
Book Review: White Oleander reviewed by Niki CRAWFORD
Summary: 5 Stars
The novel White Oleander is like a more extended version of story that can be found in a Chicken Soup novel full of stories that warm the soul. The author, Jane Fitch, does a wonderful job making the novel touching to the soul. Her themes mainly revolve around the search for one's self and the relationship between mother and daughter. The main character in the novel is Astrid, who is very young and grows up having to overcome difficult times. Astrid loved her mother and admired her, but all that changed when her mother let a man break her heart. Ingrid, Astrid's mother, eventually killed her boyfriend. She was sentenced to prison for life, leaving Astrid to grow up in a series of homes. The relationship between Astrid and her mother changes many times through out the novel. Astrid only wants to know that her mom loves her. Astrid also wants to have the satisfaction of her mother admitting that she was wrong to commit murder and leave her daughter alone. Through out the novel Astrid and her mother send each other letters which only contain their arguments to each other. Jane Fitch created a mother daughter relationship that certainly left you wondering if they would ever come to good terms with one another.
In the novel Astrid goes to a variety of different homes. Every home she experiences is different and she learns a lesson from each one. With each home, Astrid takes on the characteristics of different people. Her first placement home was with a woman named Starr who exposed Astrid to religion, which led Astrid to try and be religious, which her mother didn't approve of. Astrid seems to get herself into trouble though, which forces her to be moved to another home. Next she is thrown into a home where she meets a prostitute and then decides to try it out and see what it's like. Eventually, Astrid is moved to another home where she is forced to dig out of a trash can in order to keep herself fed. Astrid eventually gets herself moved into a nice foster family. Her new foster mother Claire shows love towards Astrid, which makes Astrid's mother jealous. At this home, Astrid does well in school and wears some of the top clothing brands, but the good times couldn't go on forever. Astrid is convinced that her mother manipulated Claire in some way, which led to Claire commit suicide. Astrid is eventually almost 18 and is sick of being moved around so much. She lets a careless women take her in. Here, Astrid turns into a gothic teen and gets involved with illegal drugs. Through out the story you question whether or not Astrid will ever find out who she is and what kind of person she wants to be.
Janet Fitch writes very well written similes and metaphors through out the book. Many poems are used also. It all adds to the emotional effect that the book has on you. Reading about someone's quest to fine them selves and the struggles between a mother and daughter is really touching and Janet Fitch does an excellent job with bringing out all the emotions.
This is defiantly a book I would read twice. The novel really puts you through one person's experience and it's very interesting and exciting. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good novel about a search for one's self and struggles between mothers and daughters.
Book Review: White Oleander reviewed by Niki CRAWFORD
Summary: 5 Stars
The novel White Oleander is like a more extended version of story that can be found in a Chicken Soup novel full of stories that warm the soul. The author, Jane Fitch, does a wonderful job making the novel touching to the soul. Her themes mainly revolve around the search for one's self and the relationship between mother and daughter. The main character in the novel is Astrid, who is very young and grows up having to overcome difficult times. Astrid loved her mother and admired her, but all that changed when her mother let a man break her heart. Ingrid, Astrid's mother, eventually killed her boyfriend. She was sentenced to prison for life, leaving Astrid to grow up in a series of homes. The relationship between Astrid and her mother changes many times through out the novel. Astrid only wants to know that her mom loves her. Astrid also wants to have the satisfaction of her mother admitting that she was wrong to commit murder and leave her daughter alone. Through out the novel Astrid and her mother send each other letters which only contain their arguments to each other. Jane Fitch created a mother daughter relationship that certainly left you wondering if they would ever come to good terms with one another.
In the novel Astrid goes to a variety of different homes. Every home she experiences is different and she learns a lesson from each one. With each home, Astrid takes on the characteristics of different people. Her first placement home was with a woman named Starr who exposed Astrid to religion, which led Astrid to try and be religious, which her mother didn't approve of. Astrid seems to get herself into trouble though, which forces her to be moved to another home. Next she is thrown into a home where she meets a prostitute and then decides to try it out and see what it's like. Eventually, Astrid is moved to another home where she is forced to dig out of a trash can in order to keep herself fed. Astrid eventually gets herself moved into a nice foster family. Her new foster mother Claire shows love towards Astrid, which makes Astrid's mother jealous. At this home, Astrid does well in school and wears some of the top clothing brands, but the good times couldn't go on forever. Astrid is convinced that her mother manipulated Claire in some way, which led to Claire commit suicide. Astrid is eventually almost 18 and is sick of being moved around so much. She lets a careless women take her in. Here, Astrid turns into a gothic teen and gets involved with illegal drugs. Through out the story you question whether or not Astrid will ever find out who she is and what kind of person she wants to be.
Janet Fitch writes very well written similes and metaphors through out the book. Many poems are used also. It all adds to the emotional effect that the book has on you. Reading about someone's quest to fine them selves and the struggles between a mother and daughter is really touching and Janet Fitch does an excellent job with bringing out all the emotions.
This is defiantly a book I would read twice. The novel really puts you through one person's experience and it's very interesting and exciting. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good novel about a search for one's self and struggles between mothers and daughters.
Book Review: very good book
Summary: 5 Stars
White Oleander by Janet Fitch was a captivating book. By tying together themes from mother daughter bonds to love affairs, it had something for everyone. All 469 pages are worth reading. Don't by intimidated by its length, it'll be over and have you begging for more in no time.The book starts out with Ingrid, an accomplished poet and her daughter living happily together. Astrid, Ingrid's daughter is a budding artist following in the shadows of her artist father who left her and her mother when she was young. The plot starts when Ingrid, who is accused of killing her boyfriend Barry, is sent to jail leaving her 12 yr. old daughter Astrid in the hands of social workers and foster homes. Astrid, throughout the course of six years, is passed through a series of foster homes. Each foster home brings with it a foster mother, who in some way, whether it physical, emotional or even spiritual leaves a mark in Astrid's life. Bullet shots to suicides, Astrid learns to adjust to her life and live with whatever comes her way. While being tossed around from foster homes, Astrid also sends and receives letters to and from her mother. Along with an occasional visit, the letters are basically the only connection Astrid has with her mother. Even through letters her mother tries to control her life. By the end of the book Astrid realizes she only wants to be independent from her mother. Astrid forms a strong bond with one of her foster mothers and thinks she's found her true home. But after ending in tragedy, Astrid is devastated and gives up hope. She returns to the group foster home where she forms a relationship with a fellow foster care child and artist Paul Trout. After She is adopted by a Latin woman, where she is forced to rummage through trash and sell all her expensive clothing bought by her recent foster mother, she still writes Paul letters and maintains a relationship of sorts with him. With Rena, the Latin foster mother, and two other girls whom she has adopted, Astrid is forced to work at flea markets and sell all her cherished items. Astrid let's go of all her hopes at this point, and learns to live with who and how she is.
Astrid is faced with starvation, bullet holes, dog attacks, cruel foster mothers, drugs and horrid social workers throughout the book. It was a very interesting book and kept me reading till' the last page. Its constant flow of action and drama was its alluring characteristic. Astrid's character was well detailed and developed. The plot was realistic and fascinating; it made you feel sorry in a sense for foster children. It makes you wonder if children really go through as much as Astrid does.
I recommend reading the book, even though the endings are different, before viewing the movie. The book is much more interesting and detailed and lets you visualize things your way instead of the director's way. Also, the movie depicts Ingrid as an artist instead of a poet, which sort of takes away from Astrid's artwork in my opinion. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good dramatic story.