White Oleander completely took me by surprise. I wasn’t expecting such a twisted story of a young girl lost in the system of substandard foster homes, controlled by her cold and beautiful mother even though she’s separated from her when Ingrid goes to jail for calculated murder - looking at the cover you’d never guess there was all that going on!
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I absolutely LOVED the characters, they all felt so real to me, and they were all desperately flawed, which makes it even more impressive when you start to root for them. Astrid was a brilliant main character, it was so tough watching her go through all of the shit thrown at her. But I did think that some of the drama felt a bit forced, I know it’s fiction but the chances of all of that happening to someone sometimes stretched the boundaries of credibility.
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Nonetheless I was utterly engrossed! I didn’t want to get off my train on a morning, the woes of work when you’re reading a damn good book! The writing was beautiful, it absorbed me completely, the elegance paired with the cruelty of events was perfect for the story.
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I wasn’t sure what I thought of the ending when I first finished it, but on reflection, I did like it. I think Fitch captured accurately the pull Astrid’s mother still had on her even after all they went through.
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This one is a must read for fans of mother/daughter narratives, twisted characters, and beautiful writing!