You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was, exactly as expected and described, a stunning and poignant novel about a girl, Astrid, and her journey of self-discovery and self-love at the hands of all the wrong people minus one. After being raised by a mother that should never have been one, she is passed from foster home to foster home, experiencing a different part of grief and trauma at each place. By the end we're led to believe she's found a form of balance....but anyone that has experienced childhood trauma knows how tentative that can be.
This is a story ripe with trigger warnings but represents it's sensitive topics well and with respect. I would encourage caution and research of content warnings before starting it but I absolutely understand why it's considered such a classic and beautiful piece of literature.
This is a story ripe with trigger warnings but represents it's sensitive topics well and with respect. I would encourage caution and research of content warnings before starting it but I absolutely understand why it's considered such a classic and beautiful piece of literature.
I loved this book. A young woman searching for her sense of self while enduring a complicated and at times tragic existence.
I thought that this book was great! A very dramatic story about a girl going through the foster system and her relationship with her real mother. Even murder too!
5 Stars
See more on my Bookstagram: Shelf.Inspiration Instagram
“It's such a liability to love another person.” - White Oleander.
White Oleander tells the unforgettable story of Ingrid, a brilliant poet imprisoned for murder, and her daughter, Astrid, whose odyssey through a series of Los Angeles foster homes--each its own universe, with its own laws, its own dangers, its own hard lessons to be learned--becomes a redeeming and surprising journey of self-discovery.
I remember watching this movie a long time ago and enjoying it, but I recently remembered it was a book, so I had to read it. Thankfully I remembered next to nothing about the movie, so the book was almost like going in fresh. This is a hard-hitting, emotional read about Astrid who is sent from foster home to foster home after her mother is sent to prison. It examines the relationships between mother and daughter and also Astrid’s individual relationships and experiences with each home she is put into. The writing was amazing and the plot was so well done. I was definitely invested in Astrid and her story and could easily read more of it. I especially loved how introspective and human-like Astrid was in her thoughts and decisions. I felt that this brought a lot of depth and complexity to her character. If you enjoy books that follow a character throughout a large part of their life, are character-driven, or explore the complexities of familial relationships, definitely pick this up!
See more on my Bookstagram: Shelf.Inspiration Instagram
“It's such a liability to love another person.” - White Oleander.
White Oleander tells the unforgettable story of Ingrid, a brilliant poet imprisoned for murder, and her daughter, Astrid, whose odyssey through a series of Los Angeles foster homes--each its own universe, with its own laws, its own dangers, its own hard lessons to be learned--becomes a redeeming and surprising journey of self-discovery.
I remember watching this movie a long time ago and enjoying it, but I recently remembered it was a book, so I had to read it. Thankfully I remembered next to nothing about the movie, so the book was almost like going in fresh. This is a hard-hitting, emotional read about Astrid who is sent from foster home to foster home after her mother is sent to prison. It examines the relationships between mother and daughter and also Astrid’s individual relationships and experiences with each home she is put into. The writing was amazing and the plot was so well done. I was definitely invested in Astrid and her story and could easily read more of it. I especially loved how introspective and human-like Astrid was in her thoughts and decisions. I felt that this brought a lot of depth and complexity to her character. If you enjoy books that follow a character throughout a large part of their life, are character-driven, or explore the complexities of familial relationships, definitely pick this up!
What a book! I read this years before I was on Goodreads. I didn't remember most of the particulars from it, but I did recall it was a very well-written, very disturbing book focused on what can be the nightmare of foster care. I thought I would read it quickly, but instead I reread it word for word. How can such a tragic book be told with such poetry and beautiful sentences? This book tore me apart and broke my heart, but even still I am grateful to have the experience of reading it again.
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-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
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
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