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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Oh my gawd what a terrible, awful, toxic mother!
Astrid was born with an extremely toxic mother who poisons anything good in her life. After killing an unfaithful boyfriend, Astrid’s mom is sent to prison and 12 year old Astrid begins her years long odyssey through the foster system. Each new home leaves an impression, whether good or bad, but the constant is how her mother reacts from afar. Always, awful.
Astrid is never able to fully extract herself from her toxic mother, though she is slowly able to see her mother for what she is.
The deep sadness and melancholy of these characters is so well defined and articulated. The theme of beautiful poison: the white oleander, or the beautiful facade of LA, often covering over the pain within it, is woven throughout the narrative so well. It’s beautifully written, each word there for a purpose.
And did I mention what an awful mother Astrid’s mom is?!?
Astrid was born with an extremely toxic mother who poisons anything good in her life. After killing an unfaithful boyfriend, Astrid’s mom is sent to prison and 12 year old Astrid begins her years long odyssey through the foster system. Each new home leaves an impression, whether good or bad, but the constant is how her mother reacts from afar. Always, awful.
Astrid is never able to fully extract herself from her toxic mother, though she is slowly able to see her mother for what she is.
The deep sadness and melancholy of these characters is so well defined and articulated. The theme of beautiful poison: the white oleander, or the beautiful facade of LA, often covering over the pain within it, is woven throughout the narrative so well. It’s beautifully written, each word there for a purpose.
And did I mention what an awful mother Astrid’s mom is?!?
I loved the beauty of the language in this novel as well as the protagonists unique view points of the events unfolding around her. The book had a coolness, poise almost to it that completely paralleled the expected emotion of the events. The characters of Astrid and Ingrid are too rich for reality, yet the author brought them to life to seem somehow muted. I loved reading a book that finally brought depth to a teenage girl, even if it was beyond possibility.
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I read this book every few years and it always is a meaningful experience. It has an uncanny way of aging with me from my early 20’s and through motherhood. Characters, environment, and prose are all woven together to create an emotional experience every chapter. This one will always stay with you.
This book explores the life of a 12 year old girl (Astrid) who spends six years in foster care after her mother (Ingrid) murdered her boyfriend and went to prison. Its a book about self discovery and how we as people go through the process of trying on different personalities and masks as we try to find who we are as people. In the end you find that you take a little bit from every personality and a little bit from every person that teaches you something in the world and we bare the scars from each point in our lives. It's also a book about relationships, particularly mother-daughter relationships, but overall how important they are. This book was written so beautifully. There is so much to understand and learn from both Astrid and her mother Ingrid. The way that they view the world as artist and poet is amazingly described through a very poetic writing style in itself. Which I find ironic since the book is written from Astrid's point of view who in her mother's mind is not a poet at all. I loved it and would recommend it to artists, poets, and book lovers alike!
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes