2.27k reviews for:

Beli oleander

Janet Fitch

4.0 AVERAGE

edazreads's review against another edition

4.0

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haunting!! i cannot believe this is finch’s debut. captivating prose, interesting characters, and bleak setting(s) that make me feel so many emotions.

susanlawson's review against another edition

5.0

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A stunning story of abandonment and the enduring love of a daughter for a selfish, narcissistic mother. Astrid is moved through a series of foster homes when her mother, Ingrid, a poet, murders a former lover with the poison of the Oleander flower. She is physically, sexually and emotionally abused by a series of men and women. 'All my mothers. Like guests at a fairy-tale christening, they had bestowed their gifts on me.'

desmonday's review against another edition

5.0

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One of the most lyrically pleasing novels I have ever touched. Heavy, but hopeful.

jaide_monroe's review against another edition

2.5

adventurous hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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This book was not going where I thought it was. I got bored. 

gelisvb's review against another edition

5.0

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This book was simply amazing, the best coming of age novel that I've ever read.
I loved Astrid.I loved how she becomes a woman from the shadow that she was.
Loved how her voice becomes stronger and stronger, becoming the main charcter of her life instead of the audience of her mother that she was grown up to be.
This is not a simple or happy story.
Terrible things happens to the Mc, and she has no means to protect herself; before learning to fight back she has to learn how to be her own persona, just not her mother's daughter, and this is the main struggle.
She grows up, changes but doesn't really leave the past behind, she takes everything with her and she uses it to build the future.
Amazing. If you don't want t read the book, at least watch the movie, the book is better, but the movie has preserved the lyrical aspect of the book.

hlntn's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional sad 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

abbyhutchinson's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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

pages_and_cacti's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

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White Oleander by Janet Fitch

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis: Astrid is the only child of her single mom, Ingrid. Ingrid is a poet and and uses her beauty to entice, seduce and manipulate men. When she falls hard for Barry and is later rejected, Ingrid kills him and is sent to prison, leaving Astrid in the hands of the foster system. She must learn how to survive and even thrive. Each new home presents its challenges and rules. 

My Thoughts: This was a story of love, hope, beauty, disappointment, survival, finding one’s self and so many other things all wrapped up in amazingly between two covers.  This book recommended to me and it certainly lived up to the suggestion. 

jana6240's review against another edition

3.25

dark medium-paced

zoey_'s review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense 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