Rating: 
Summary: Absolutley beautiful
Review: I watched the movie on a friend's recommendation, and thought it was okay. A few weeks later I went into a bookstore and saw the book, so I thought I would pick it up and browse through. Starting with the first line i was hooked. The writting has got to be the most beautiful I have ever encountered. I found myself re-reading sentences and just marvelling at the beauty of it. There is much food for thought in the book, as it explores the american lifestyle and life in general from a unique, and slightly cynical perspective. A wonderful book on how some people live their lives and also about coming of age, as the book's main character is between 12 and 18 when the book takes place. I have recommended this book to everyone I know. It covers almost every social issue and is remarkably honest. Some people say this book is depressing, but I found it a very informative experience, but you have to be very open-minded to read it. If you are planning on watching the movie, read the book first. A previous adult reviewer said that this book is not suitable for teenagers, but i disagree. Since the main character is a teenager, she deals with many issues teenagers today deal with. Being a teenager myself, I believe that this is a must read for teenagers before they become adults and their mind becomes too closed to deal with the issues in this book. However, this book is definatley not suitable for children under 12.
This book is a must read, you wont regret it.
Rating: 
Summary: Gripping, Haunting, and Well-Written
Review: I normally avoid an "Oprah" book, but this one was recommended to me by some one who has done a tremendous amount of field study in Children Protection Services. I truly expected to dislike this book, and and was more than pleasantly surprised when I found myself drawn into the story from the first Chapter! If you are looking for fluff and fairytale endings, this book isn't for you. It is a story that is dark and descends into a world that very few ever truly get to experience. There is not much joy in this book, granted. But it is the reality of many children in the foster care system - and I work in that system and have seen things very similar to what this book brings to light. Previous reviewers have stated they felt the book had a soap operah feel to it. That might be true to those who have not talked or listened to kids who have spent a good deal of their life in foster care. Granted, it is difficult to believe that all that happens to Astrid (the main teen-aged character) could possibly occur to one person, but the reality is that many kids do go through these things. The beauty of this book is that we are told the story of Astrid through Astrid's eyes. Therefore, we are not given the hard line, third person, totally objective point of view. We are given her point of view, and how she changes and adapts to the situations she is presented with. Her vision is not objective - whose is? She tells her story, as she sees it, as she feels it. Reading of how Astrid's view of her mother changes over the course of the years she is in foster care helps to show the reader that kids see their parents very differently than adults do. Astrid's mother does come across as some one totally unlovable - but that is also towards the end of the book. When Astrid is a young girl she sees her mother as some one who is a free spirit, marches to a different drummer, and a bit odd. Yet, she loves her mother. This paradox propels the entire story, until Astrid learns to deal with this internal struggle. If you are looking for a book to breeze through on a lazy afternoon, pass this one by. If you are looking for a book that will show you the reality of a child's nightmare, and a book that causes you to think long after the last page is finished, then I highly suggest giving this book a chance.
Rating: 
Summary: Awful.
Review: This book was one of the most depressing stories I have ever read.
Rating:
Summary: What a story!
Review: Powerful story. Haunting & disturbing. Beautiful verse. A true classic. I have never read anything like this before. Very adult theme. Not for teenagers.
Rating:
Summary: I loved this book!!
Review: Read this book! You will not be able to put it down. Janet Fitch is an amazing author. I can't wait for her next book to come out!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful book, wonderful buy
Review: White Oleander is the first and only book I have read from Oprah's celebrated book club. While many have panned the book, I found a strange sort of desolate beauty and comfort in it. This is exactly what a good book should do. Draw you into it's story, weave you into the plot, and turn you out on the other end, questioning that which motivates you and makes you exist. For me, the combination of Astrid (the main character), her tormented life, and the other-worldy beauty of Janet Fitch's writing style left me wanting more. More White Oleander and more out of life. Books such as this draw the introspective spirit out of us and make us take long, hard looks at our lives. Astrid's misfortunes made me appreciate my health and success even more. Fitch's detailed and almost surreal prose made me stop and smell the roses. This story is a painful one about the horrible circumstances of a child's life. Yes, it is extremely graphic in areas, and includes many scenarios which many of us would rather not read. That is where it's controversey lies. But with these things aside, it is an excellent story. One in which you can't seem to put the book down, reading long into all hours of the night. Wishing that Astrid would find good fortune, but knowing that she will only find heartache. My copy of White Oleander is beginning to show wear from the numerous friends I have lent it to. Some have liked it more than others. One couldn't read it at all. Regardless, I give Janet Fitch and White Oleander 5 stars, and congratulate Fitch on an excellent debut novel. I purchased this book through Amazon.com right after another great purchase, The Losers' Club by Richard Perez, about an unlucky writer addicted to the personals. Both are intense, recommended books. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: This book is truly unique
Review: This book is astonishingly rich! Fitch writes like a true poet, her every word is meaningful. The characters, even the most unimportant, are so real that one simply cannot believe they are imaginary. Janet Fitch combines all sorts of faults and virtues to create them all, and the impact is nothing short of unforgettable. The mother-daughter relationship featured here is so exciting and beautiful, full of twists and tangles. Astrid's narration is vivid and realistic, dark yet moving and it is a fascinating experience to surrender to it. There are humorous moments, there are heartbreaking moments, this book contains everything. The ending leaves you craving for more, this book depicts life in every detail. Read it!
Rating:
Summary: A Great Book!
Review: This book was ambitious and prolific. Fitch has a smooth reading style which makes it easy to keep flipping the pages. Her writing style is poetic and beautiful, it reminds me a bit of the author Sherry A Mauro.
Fitch is one of the best!
Rating:
Summary: This is Pain.
Review: White Oleander is the story of Astrid, a young teenager who comes into the foster-care system, after her hateful mother is convicted of murder. Astrid tells her story in the first person, as a stream of consciousness, a non-stop, no holds barred description of cruelty, neglect, and utter loneliness. Astrid's tale examines the five foster homes she endured in as many years. The care-givers ranged from illiterate, drug-addicted trailer [folks] to wealthy, upper-class families, but they all shared the same horrible traits: They were incredibly selfish and used Astrid to their own ends, ranging from meal-ticket to emotional caretaker. Astrid describes the horrors she faces calmy and stoicly. She quickly learns that hope is for [foolish folks]; everybody leaves you eventually, no body cares about you, not even (and especially) your mother. At first, I found Janet Fitch's constant use of analogies and excessive description of minutia to be annoying; however, it soon became a necessary part of the book. Astrid is a friendless girl who lives in her mind; she is intelligent, analytical, and keenly observant. Her non-stop flood of description is her way of connecting the past and present, of justifying the evil around her. I especially appreciated Astrid's comparison of her shattered life to shipwreck skills she read about. She was constantly trying to "drink the dew off the sails" of life, as she battled to stay afloat. As I read this book, I found myself thinking, "This is real. This can't be fiction!" The words and emotions ring painfully true and are agonizingly hard to read. White Oleander shows a world I happily didn't know, and one I will not be able to forget.
Rating:
Summary: beautifully written
Review: For me, it is a kind of book that I just open randomly and read whenever I have nothing to do, and can't stop reading so till I get to the end. I watched the movie first, and even though nine times out of ten, books are hundred times better than the book, I'd say it was a pretty good movie indeed. It's not like book, but it has its own quality.
The book has beautiful and lucid language. English is not my native language, so sometimes reading something that is hard to understand (like Jane Austen in English, no offense or anything) is just too tough. I enjoyed just reading it for reading's sake. This book also has something to think about, but I recommend it for those who like to get images, not specific knowledge or anything.
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