2.27k reviews for:

Beli oleander

Janet Fitch

4.0 AVERAGE

hollybo13's review against another edition

4.0

emotional medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

jobeeschneiter's review against another edition

3.75

challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

maya_zor's review against another edition

3.75

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

kieza88's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

rosemaryp27's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

karolinapaulson's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

beccazamir's review against another edition

5.0

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If I could jump into the pages and swim between the words, I would

mouseyreads's review against another edition

5.0

challenging emotional reflective 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

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I haven’t read this mesmerising a book in a while💔💔💔 A compulsive Bildungsroman from beginning till end, filled with a child’s painful, enduring longing. I love books about longing. What is life if not painful longing??? 🌫️

Through Astrid’s eyes from 12 to adolescence, we see how a daughter endures figurative imprisonment in exchange for a relationship with her mother: A traumatic loss first happens (as in every Bildungsroman) when her mother Ingrid whom she idolised, kills a scorned lover and gets a life sentence. As Astrid is forsaken, she goes through cruel ordeals from foster home to foster home whilst savouring every meagre letter her mother sends from prison. These events shape Astrid’s thoughts, behaviours; innocent beliefs about her mother evolving as she grows up and begins to understand the impact of her mother’s pivotal decision years ago.

I find books remarkable when
a) 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙢𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙞𝙨: this book has clear themes, Fitch draws a vivid picture of a daughter’s relationship with her mother; how an event can be formative; the pure, intense yearning of a child to be loved, seen and protected; the strength that comes from a need to survive. 
b) 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙮𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙮, 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙤𝙡𝙙. Fitch captures the affection of the reader through Astrid’s fierce resolve and resilience, persuasive characterisation that allows us to understand their motives, and consistently draws connections between parts of the novel (consequently between parts of Astrid’s life) to establish parallels and a realistic world.

With prose that is fluid and moving, this book is raw, powerful and heartfelt. I will recommend this book to anyone who’s looking to know a character’s whole world intimately and who loves taking pauses when they read a good line (cuz you’re gonna take lots of pauses in this one)🤍

aleeeeelov's review against another edition

5.0

emotional reflective

jozzie's review against another edition

5.0

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White Oleander by Janet Fitch is a uniquely powerful story that shows how circumstances can ruin the chances of even those with the most potential. Janet Fitch weaves the tale of a young girl who idolizes her mother until her mother is arrested and the young girl is bounced from foster home to foster home. Fitch manages to tell the story with language that reads like the most interesting poetry you have encountered. One powerful line from White Oleander comes from Astrid’s mother,

“Always learn poems by heart…They have to become the marrow in your bones. Like fluoride in the water, they’ll make your soul impervious to the world’s soft decay.”

Lines like these add a gentle beauty to an otherwise dark and painful story.


Keep reading here:
https://booksandteamoments.wordpress.com/2016/09/28/white-oleander-by-janet-fitch-with-lavender-tea/