White Oleander

by Janet Fitch

A beautiful first novel about a young woman growing up the hard way, this is a powerful story of mothers and daughters, their ambiguous alliances, and the search for love and identity.

Astrid has been raised by her mother, who is a beautiful, headstrong poet, in a loving but isolated relationship. The two are inseparable until Ingrid murders a former lover and is imprisoned for life. Astrid becomes one of the thousands of foster children in Los Angeles. As she navigates this new reality -- a series of homes, each its own universe, each with its own limits and dangers -- she finds strength in her unshakable certainty of her own worth and her unfettered sense of the absurd.

Her fierce determination to find an authentic self and a place to stand in the world makes her a lovable and unforgettable figure in this brilliantly written debut.

• ISBN10: 0316285269
• ISBN13: 9780316285261
• Publish Date: 26 June 1999 (first published 5 May 1999)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Little Brown and Company
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 390
• Language: English

Reviews

[kimbacaffeinate]

The horrid tale of a child thrust into the Calf. foster care system after her mother kills her boyfriend. This is a story that will leave its mark on you.

[Eve1972]

Fabulous book!