“She doubled over, pressing her forearms against her chest, pressing the air out of herself. “I press it within my body,” she said. “As the earth presses a lump of prehistoric dung in heat and crushing weight deep under the ground. I hate him. Hate. I hate him.” She whispered this last, but ferociously. “A jewel is forming inside my body. No, it’s not my heart. This is harder, cold and clean. I wrap myself around this new jewel, cradle it within me.”
White Oleander is a work of fiction that follows the life of Astrid Magnussen, a girl whose mother, Ingrid, is a brilliant but narcissistic poet. After Ingrid is sentenced to prison for murder, Astrid is placed into a series of foster homes across Southern California. Each home presents a different set of challenges and influences, shaping Astrid's identity as she grows from a child into a young woman. The narrative explores themes of resilience, the search for belonging, and the powerful, often destructive, bond between mother and daughter. The title refers to a poisonous flowering shrub, serving as a metaphor for Ingrid's beautiful yet dangerous influence on her daughter's life. more
Janet Fitch is a renowned American contemporary author, born on November 9, 1955, in California. Her works are known for their profound character development and unique narrative style, with notable titles including 'The Geeks' and 'Paint It Black'. more
“Love was a bear trap. The sick part was learning to love the pain.”
“Forever was never contemporary”
“Where do broken hearts go? Do Angels heal them, though the ruby love refuses stitches?”