Pros: well-written and descriptive story, developed characters Cons: some tough subject matter
Yep, another Oprah pick. It seems at one time I gravitated towards her books…not sure why but I was on a kick for a while. Thankfully, this was one of those said books that I might actually recommend, unlike the few before it. Oprah did ...
Pros: good story, well developed characters, interesting read Cons: can be a little depressing
I did it! I found an Oprah book I really really like! I never thought it would happen. I thought I was doomed to reading dark, dismal books looking for that glimmer of hope. I was determined to find something I could enjoy on that long book list of hers....
Pros: intriguing characters, lush description
Cons: depressing, main character not all that sympathetic in parts, ending falls apart
I have not, in general, been happy with the Oprah's Club picks I've read so far. (includes Mother of Pearl, The Reader, Vinegar Hill, She's Come Undone, and I Know This Much is True.) The most complimentary thing I...
Pros: Well-written, involving story Cons: Can be depressing
My book club on Okinawa tended to stay away from the Oprah Book Club picks because those of us voracious readers that had delved into them found them depressing, kind of a “dysfunction of the month” theme. Last March, as I prepared to leave Okinawa for...
When I arrived home last weekend with an audiobook version of White Oleander in hand, I was disappointed to find that I had accidentally picked up an abridged version of the book. But, without the time for another visit to the library before my...
Pros: Astrid, the protagonist, has an intriguing plight. Fitch writes with an interesting, mesmerizing poetic tilt. Cons: This is not a lighthearted novel. Also, while interesting, Fitch's poetic style can be overbearing.
"Oleanders could live through anything . . . So what did they need poison for? . . . Maybe it was a poison in the soil, something about L.A., the hatred, the callousness, something we didn't want to think about, that the plant concentrated in its...
Pros: Wonderful narrative style Cons: Is there no good in anyone?
THE AUTHOR
How do you define aesthetic? Webster:The study of the nature of beauty. Janet Fitch (author) describes the leading character in this book as being aesthetic. She likens her to a character who might rise at dawn to watch the sun...
Pros: Clear and beautiful writing style Cons: Stereotyping great art as requiring the soul although mundane artists can live ordinary lives.
This novel is about a woman and her daughter, or more truthfully about a woman and her mother. It is written with startling clarity, and has a certain terrifying energy. The emotions and experiences Astrid, the daughter of Ingrid, are brutally real to...
Pros: Poetic descriptions Cons: Some parts sad and depressing
I received White Oleander as a gift and wasn't really thrilled about reading it. For some reason it is rare that I like an Oprah Book Club choice but after opening up and being drawn into Astrid Magnussens' life I couldn't put it down.
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Pros: Unlikely that you will spontaneously combust while reading it Cons: Depressing plot, dismal characters, too much poetic language
My coworker recommended this book, saying how wonderful it was. I told her I'd read it, and I like to keep my word. So, I forced myself to finish this truly horrid book. I found nothing redeeming about it, and it is very hard for me to find a book...
Pros: that it wasn't longer Cons: disgustingly flowery language, melodramatic plot, weak characters
I couldn't wait to read White Oleander. Rave reviews spewed from all my friends, who declared that this book touched them in ways no other book had. They claimed to have felt the excruciating pain of the main character, and sobbed that her experiences...
Pros: Interesting plot, good writing style Cons: Not enough depth to make the story touch on the real.
I really wanted to love this book. It came to me highly recommended. One of my roommates came home from vacation saying it was the best book she had ever read, blah, blah, blah. She and I usually have similar loves and hates when it comes to fiction,...
Pros: Janet Fitch writes with a poetic style, Astrid is a round character Cons: A lot of Male bashing.
Well, before I start I have to tell you something, I cheated. I watched the movie first. I really wish I had not but I did. The movie was just so beautiful I just had to read the book, get a whole taste of it. White Oleander by Janet Fitch, is a story ...
Pros: well-written, kept my interest, beautiful imagery Cons: Depressing, Very few likeable characters
White Oleander is not a typical example of the fiction I like to read. I am more of a legal thriller kind of gal. This is one of those books that's kind of hard to ignore though. Everywhere you go, people are asking you if you've read it, (maybe only if...
A bestselling first novel about a young woman growing up the hard way, this is a powerful story of mothers and daughters, their ambiguous alliances, a...More at HotBookSale
A bestselling first novel about a young woman growing up the hard way, this is a powerful story of mothers and daughters, their ambiguous alliances, a...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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