White Oleander : A Novel

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Summary: What happens next?
Review: I really enjoyed reading this book. Very well written, touching story, although it felt like the author was rushing at the end, like someone trying to meet a deadline. Astrid's mother had the power to hypnotize, control her daughter all her life. Even from behind bars, with long accusing letters of judgement on what her daugther was doing, who her daughter was with making a 13 year old even more fragile than all kids are at this age. She did all she could to lower her daugther's self esteem, her sense of self. Astrid made it through 6 foster homes after being shot, starved and hurt. Astrid did find herself, first by wanting to just be a survivor then by becoming a fighter. I would love to know what happens next...?

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Summary: Pleasant Summer Read.....
Review: White Oleander is a pleasant summer read with a host of characters to identify with. I found that while reading this book I actually cared about the main character, Astrid. This has been a problem for me in the past. How interesting to write a novel where the main character's thorn is her mother!!!

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Summary: White Oleander is as rich as chocolate decadence!
Review: This novel captures the reader like no other. It is the exploration of the American family. Rich with adventure and fate, our narrator Astrid takes us on a breath taking tour of life as seen through a child, a lost teenager, a young woman. Truth is at every corner. Heartbreaking and exciting, our heroine is a survivor. Janet Finch may be one of the most talented writers of the '90s.

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Summary: Adjective abuse in an interesting but unfulfilling story
Review: I must have missed my calling in life if this and Anita Shreve's ,The Pilot's Wife, are examples of publishable writing in the 90s. Both have huge gaps in story and character development. I approached reading each book with anticipation based on Oprah's high praise however I found them to be lacking the in basic requirements of Composition 101. Anyone with a thesaurus could have penned White Oleander. The superfluous use of descriptive phrases and the lack of any caring humanity in this book was annoying and disturbing. Astrid ultimately was as cold and disconnected as her mother but at least we know why,--no mother, father or family--. And in Pilot's Wife that daughter was really cold and unlikable. What's the message here. And where is REALLY good writing?

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Summary: GREAT FIRST EFFORT
Review: Ms. Fitch paints Los Angeles and the many disjointed lives that reside in it as well as James Ellroy. I was particularly taken with the narators search for her identity through those who surrounded her. a good read that left me wanting to know more about Astrid.

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Summary: Beautiful Book!
Review: This book was beautifully written. I was amazed at the talent of this author. She takes you on a journey of a girl who has a broken and sad life and lets us understand the pain associated with her mother. I have yet to read such a beautifully written book. It reminded me a lot of Alice Hoffman's style writing but much more gifted I will look forwrd to her next novel!!

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Summary: Excellent for those who understand a rough life!
Review: After reading White Oleander it opened up my childhood again and made me realize events that i didn't understand until now. How could you not think that this book was excellent?

Rating:
Summary: Offensively bad
Review: This book makes me ashamed to be female. It is a perfect example of character-as-accumulated trauma. Like, the part where Astrid gets attacked by dogs? Come ON. Someone send Oprah a copy of the Crying of Lot 49 already. That has a tortured female heroine too; maybe she'll dig it. Know that I would never have read this book unless forced.

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Summary: First she recommends it, then she reads it aloud.
Review: I've loved a lot of Oprah's choices (Stones from the River, etc.) and was ready for a good listen on this audiobook. But Oprah's voice was just too deep and mature to be convincing as the voice of a twelve year old no matter how sophisticated. I didn't get past the first side of this audiobook.Will try the book version.

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Summary: An adventure through the eyes of a girl lost in the system.
Review: Whtie Oleander is a fabulous novel about a young girls struggle to be her own person through all her foster care placements. She is always at war with her identity and trying to seperate her true self from what her mother has tried to shape. It is an inspiring novel that will lend a whole new perspective to the foster care system.