Rating: 
Summary: Excellent!!
Review: I could not put this book down until I was done reading it. I think that Janet Fitch does an excellent job as her debut novel, she is such a talented writer, and it comes through on every page. The way that she conveys Astrid's every thought from childhood to adolescence to adulthood is done beautifully. I cannot wait for her next novel.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing-- young girl finds herself despite hard situations
Review: I love this book-- it is difficult enough growing up a girl in modern society; difficult enough finding yourself despite the expectations of your mother and others surrounding you. But, this is the story of a girl who is thrown into a plethera of circumstances because she becomes a foster child and comes to define herself by her own standards anyway. It has wonderful themes of love and growing up and important messages about life.
Rating: 
Summary: What ?
Review: This is the most over-rated book I've ever read. It can't hold a candle to "The Triumph and the Glory" or "The Reader" or "Memoirs of a Geisha" or "The Testament" or any of another dozen fine novels out this summer.
Rating:
Summary: It was a bore
Review: I bought this book because most of the books Oprah has recommened have been very good. This one however left me wanting much more. " Why" thats what I wanted to know. Why did Astrid's mother mistreated her so badly? What happened in her life to make her the kind of evil woman she was. Why if Astrid's birth was planned why wasn't she maternal toward her.? Was it because her husband lost interest so that gave her the right to neglect and dislike Astrid? What's going on? Didn't care for this book at all.
Rating: 
Summary: I Weep For The People Who Consider This Good Literature.
Review: I can't believe the follow-the-leader style in which these reviews were written. This book is a waste of paper, ink, and time. For those of you who are impressed, try reading some REAL literature for a change. Sure, compared to all of those "novels" that feature Fabio on the cover, this book was a change. However, to an educated reader, this garbage doesn't fool anyone. This was fluff... boring and dreary fluff. If someone out there said, "Sure, it's fluffy, pretty writing, but I liked it anyway... " that is at least respectable. But calling it great literature? Being "shocked" that others can find fault with the author, or even worse, the queen of queens, Oprah? Having your own talk show does not an appreciation of fine literature make. If it is so good, why do I feel like a fool for having purchased it after I read it? I can't wait to give it away, hopefully to never lay eyes on it again!
Rating: 
Summary: LIQUID POETRY, YES I DO BELIEVE
Review: When Oprah said that this book was "Liquid Poetry" I thought that I should go out and buy the book, since it had been a long time since I'd picked up a good book to read. I think she was right. The book encaptured you from the moment it started. It was very intersting to watch Astrid (the main character) grow throughout the book. My only complaint was the ending. I felt it was a little short, leaving me with a "now what happens" kind of a feeling. Pick it up though, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: I thought a plot was a vital part of literature.
Review: The only reason I completed this novel was shere diligence. Not only were there very few likeable characters in the book, their actions were as unlikeable as they were. I am stunned that Oprah believes this is one of the best books she has ever read. This book read like a diary. One event following another, but nothing was ever resolved or no lessons were ever learned. To me, there was no point to the book. I am disappointed I wasted time and money on this book. Janet Fitch better thank Oprah for making her a best-selling writer, because her book certainly didn't make her one.
Rating:
Summary: Fair but boring at times.
Review: The story starts out slow and eventually gets interesting only to become dull at the end. The story dragged on at times and I was waiting for something to happen. It seems to me that the author could have told the same story in half the number of pages. Not a book I would highly recommend and I was surprised Ophrah recommended it highly.
Rating:
Summary: What a piece of trash!
Review: Janet Fitch appears to have only had about 2 good chapters in her, after that she goes down hill rapidly. I am an English Literature major and by the fourth chapter I felt ashamed to be reading this book. If you like the writings of V.C. Andrews you will probably love this book. I can't for the life of me understand what people see in it. The writing is drippingly sentimental and the plot is like something off of a daytime soap opera, only worse. I wish Oprah would recommend truly good writers rather than brainwashing people into believing this kind of trash is great literature.
Rating:
Summary: I could feel the deep mis-judgement and the emptiness.
Review: Astrid's character was truly one of which thing where exactly as she told them. She was a misunderstood person and i sympthize with her. She went through hell and back and still she tried to find a reality to grasp onto. i was very impressed with the author. this being ficton was hard to exactly know how the author knew so much.
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