White Oleander

by Janet Fitch

Paperback, 512 pages

Published Sept. 11, 1999 by Little, Brown & Company.

ISBN:: 978-1-86049-802-2

(16 reviews)

Everywhere hailed as a novel of rare beauty and power, 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.

33 editions

Sharyl reviewed White Oleander by Janet Fitch

Review of 'White Oleander' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

This was one of those books I never wanted to put down. It's the story of a girl's life (Astrid's), first with her mother, then in the foster care system, after her mother goes to prison for murder. There's no doubt who gets punished more for this crime! Astrid is subjected to the supervision of a succession of adults, all who have problems and agendas of their own. Astrid must struggle to become a level-headed young woman who knows herself and what she wants from her life. The movie was good, but, as usual, there's so much more to the book.