A relationship between a daughter and her mother is hard to describe. It can be one of hate, of discord, of strain, of deep love. An Oprah’s Book Choice in 1999,
White Oleander by Janet Fitch is a tale of love; deep, twisted love, and the strain of relationships on the
…more story’s protagonist, Astrid Magnussen. Stunningly beautiful and incredibly talented, Astrid’s mother, Ingrid, only has one admirer in her life; her daughter. After countless trysts with various men, Ingrid is dejected and crazed over an ex-lover, Barry. Harnessing the power of the toxic, yet elegant, white oleander flower, Ingrid murders Barry in cold blood. When her mother is sentenced to life in prison, Astrid finds herself in the Los Angeles foster care program and begins a string of defective, harmful relationships with those she calls ‘family.’ Her first home is with Starr, a born-again former addict, and her boyfriend, Ray. Her first father figure encourages Astrid’s art, and becomes her first lover, until Starr attempts to kill Astrid out of jealousy. Astrid lives with countless families and mother figures, from Amelia Ramos, who starves all eight of her foster ‘girls’, to Claire Richards, who is the perfect mother until she commits suicide due to depression and rejection from her husband, Ron. One thing is constant in Astrid’s life; her mother, who has become a jailbird poet and symbol of modern feminism. As the sole solution to her mother’s freedom in federal court, Astrid must make a choice that will uncover truth about her terrible past and shape her future. White Oleander is a genuine piece of literature that has shocking twists on every page, and is a symbol of ‘coming of age’ and feminism in America. Fitch’s style allows a elegant, scintillating prose that is seductively alluring to all readers. As a literature student, I truly believe White Oleander is remarkable for its capability to ‘hold water’ with almost any reader, and the startling truth of relationships and love lurks on every page. Without a doubt, it is one the most poignant and enthralling novels I have ever read in my life. (less)
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