Book Review of White Oleander
Book Review
Janet Fitch’s "White Oleander"
Astrid Magnussen takes the reader with her as she journeys from her strange, but familiar world with her mother through her unpredictable, tragic teen life into womanhood. Janet Fitch’s first novel "White Oleander", follows the narrator, Astrid through the many twists and turns her life takes after an enormously life-altering event.
Accompanying Astrid through the heartbreaking episodes that are her life, enables the reader to understand why someone who has the life Astrid has, would make the decisions that she does. Without the context of the book, Astrid may seem like an unlikely character, however, the situations she finds herself having to survive explains how she develops into the person she becomes. This aspect of the novel expands beyond the book into the real world.
With "White Oleander", Fitch is able to do two important things for different kinds of readers. For people, particularly females, who have lived a life as chaotic as Astrid’s, Fitch provides a character with whom they can identify. This is important because people with this sort of history rarely find characters they can truly recognize themselves in. For anyone who can identify with her, Astrid is written so realistically. The choices Astrid makes and Fitch’s development of her character are flawless.
For people who cannot necessarily identify with Astrid or her life, Fitch is able to generate awareness to readers that they might never have developed otherwise. This awareness facet of Fitch’s book is of great importance. Fortunately, the majority of people find it difficult to identify with Astrid or her disastrous life. However, Fitch’s realistic approach to this book makes it difficult to ignore the realities faced by so many young women in the position of the fictional Astrid.
It becomes obvious fairly early on in the book, that Fitch has a strong understanding of the type of character she writes in Astrid. For this book, Fitch did extensive research. Information was obtained from many perspectives that provide “outsiders” with the insight needed to understand the life, attitudes and decisions of someone like Astrid. By gathering information from kids of incarcerated parents, foster daughters, social workers and doctors, Fitch is able to write a full, rich person in Astrid.
While the situations Astrid faces may seem outlandish, there is nothing she faces that is completely ridiculous, when taken in context. A teenage girl getting shot by a foster mother may seem absurd, however, when you read about the life Astrid has with Starr and Ray, the events that take place and the character of Starr, Astrid getting shot does not seem so outlandish. Comparing this with the lives of real girls, in which outcomes may seem preposterous, living or knowing the events that lead up to those outcomes can make the endings seem almost logical. "White Oleander" educates people and expands awareness to some of the many realities faced by foster girls and/or children of imprisoned parents.
Before Astrid loses her mother, Ingrid, the two have a dysfunctional, bizarre life and relationship. Ingrid is cruel, evil and distant from Astrid, yet Astrid loves her. Ingrid is what Astrid knows and aspires to be. Ingrid’s distance and evil streak extend beyond Astrid into a relationship with a man. When Ingrid is left to feel the fool, she retaliates with murder. Thus begins the tragedy of Astrid’s life.
At only twelve years of age, Astrid is placed in her first of several foster homes and begins the long wait of her mother’s return. When Astrid is shown affection for the first time, she plummets into love with the (adult) boyfriend, Ray, of her foster mother. This relationship becomes sexual as Astrid tries desperately to find someone to hold onto (and someone to hold onto her). The tragedy that begins here torments the reader throughout the novel, as Astrid’s beautiful innocence is continuously ripped from her soul, until it is no more.
The affair Astrid pursues with Ray creates such a rift in Astrid’s and Ingrid’s relationship, that Astrid finally shows some anger and resentment towards her mother. Ingrid’s disapproval of the affair becomes more fervent and cruel. Calling Astrid “retarded” in a letter, she writes, “You’ll attach yourself to anyone who shows you the least bit of attention, won’t you?” (149). With her epic failure to provide Astrid the attention and affection any child would require, Ingrid has essentially created the devastating flaw that she so quickly despises her daughter for possessing.
Janet Fitch’s characters and stories in "White Oleander", have the ability to teach readers the significance adults have in children’s lives (including teenagers). The reader learns how a man can be seduced by a child, and how important it is for men to be steadfast in their decision to be appropriate. No matter how enticing and convincing Astrid became, Ray was a grown man and he was ultimately responsible for his actions as well as Astrid’s well-being (physical, mental and emotional). The strength this book holds is in its ability to educate adults on just how crucial their roles and decisions are to children. The instability, lack of love, neglect, and abuse that Astrid endures all contribute to the person she becomes. Any one person in Astrid’s life could have done or said things differently and changed the person she would become. It is an undeniable wakeup call to readers connected to children that their role matters and everything they do or say (or don’t do or say) can have an impact, positively or negatively.
Word Count: 912
Janet Fitch’s "White Oleander"
Astrid Magnussen takes the reader with her as she journeys from her strange, but familiar world with her mother through her unpredictable, tragic teen life into womanhood. Janet Fitch’s first novel "White Oleander", follows the narrator, Astrid through the many twists and turns her life takes after an enormously life-altering event.
Accompanying Astrid through the heartbreaking episodes that are her life, enables the reader to understand why someone who has the life Astrid has, would make the decisions that she does. Without the context of the book, Astrid may seem like an unlikely character, however, the situations she finds herself having to survive explains how she develops into the person she becomes. This aspect of the novel expands beyond the book into the real world.
With "White Oleander", Fitch is able to do two important things for different kinds of readers. For people, particularly females, who have lived a life as chaotic as Astrid’s, Fitch provides a character with whom they can identify. This is important because people with this sort of history rarely find characters they can truly recognize themselves in. For anyone who can identify with her, Astrid is written so realistically. The choices Astrid makes and Fitch’s development of her character are flawless.
For people who cannot necessarily identify with Astrid or her life, Fitch is able to generate awareness to readers that they might never have developed otherwise. This awareness facet of Fitch’s book is of great importance. Fortunately, the majority of people find it difficult to identify with Astrid or her disastrous life. However, Fitch’s realistic approach to this book makes it difficult to ignore the realities faced by so many young women in the position of the fictional Astrid.
It becomes obvious fairly early on in the book, that Fitch has a strong understanding of the type of character she writes in Astrid. For this book, Fitch did extensive research. Information was obtained from many perspectives that provide “outsiders” with the insight needed to understand the life, attitudes and decisions of someone like Astrid. By gathering information from kids of incarcerated parents, foster daughters, social workers and doctors, Fitch is able to write a full, rich person in Astrid.
While the situations Astrid faces may seem outlandish, there is nothing she faces that is completely ridiculous, when taken in context. A teenage girl getting shot by a foster mother may seem absurd, however, when you read about the life Astrid has with Starr and Ray, the events that take place and the character of Starr, Astrid getting shot does not seem so outlandish. Comparing this with the lives of real girls, in which outcomes may seem preposterous, living or knowing the events that lead up to those outcomes can make the endings seem almost logical. "White Oleander" educates people and expands awareness to some of the many realities faced by foster girls and/or children of imprisoned parents.
Before Astrid loses her mother, Ingrid, the two have a dysfunctional, bizarre life and relationship. Ingrid is cruel, evil and distant from Astrid, yet Astrid loves her. Ingrid is what Astrid knows and aspires to be. Ingrid’s distance and evil streak extend beyond Astrid into a relationship with a man. When Ingrid is left to feel the fool, she retaliates with murder. Thus begins the tragedy of Astrid’s life.
At only twelve years of age, Astrid is placed in her first of several foster homes and begins the long wait of her mother’s return. When Astrid is shown affection for the first time, she plummets into love with the (adult) boyfriend, Ray, of her foster mother. This relationship becomes sexual as Astrid tries desperately to find someone to hold onto (and someone to hold onto her). The tragedy that begins here torments the reader throughout the novel, as Astrid’s beautiful innocence is continuously ripped from her soul, until it is no more.
The affair Astrid pursues with Ray creates such a rift in Astrid’s and Ingrid’s relationship, that Astrid finally shows some anger and resentment towards her mother. Ingrid’s disapproval of the affair becomes more fervent and cruel. Calling Astrid “retarded” in a letter, she writes, “You’ll attach yourself to anyone who shows you the least bit of attention, won’t you?” (149). With her epic failure to provide Astrid the attention and affection any child would require, Ingrid has essentially created the devastating flaw that she so quickly despises her daughter for possessing.
Janet Fitch’s characters and stories in "White Oleander", have the ability to teach readers the significance adults have in children’s lives (including teenagers). The reader learns how a man can be seduced by a child, and how important it is for men to be steadfast in their decision to be appropriate. No matter how enticing and convincing Astrid became, Ray was a grown man and he was ultimately responsible for his actions as well as Astrid’s well-being (physical, mental and emotional). The strength this book holds is in its ability to educate adults on just how crucial their roles and decisions are to children. The instability, lack of love, neglect, and abuse that Astrid endures all contribute to the person she becomes. Any one person in Astrid’s life could have done or said things differently and changed the person she would become. It is an undeniable wakeup call to readers connected to children that their role matters and everything they do or say (or don’t do or say) can have an impact, positively or negatively.
Word Count: 912
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