White Oleander (Oprah's Book Club)
by Janet Fitch
Date Reviewed: January 13, 2005
I absolutely loved this story, about a young girl becoming a woman in the foster system of Los Angeles. Her mother – a striking beauty – is imprisoned (rightfully) for the death of her lover. Astrid (the girl) then faces years in the foster care system, being shuffled from one horrible situation to another. You’re invited into her own thoughts during the course of the book, as it’s told from Astrid’s point of view. She learns to endure loss, hate, rejection, neglect, fear, hunger, and (worst of all) indifference. Through it all, she learns to survive, to endure. The language is poetic and engaging, the characters nuanced and interesting, and the plot perfectly crafted. One of the best.
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