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  • White Oleander

  • By: Janet Fitch
  • Narrated by: Oprah Winfrey
  • Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (66 ratings)
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White Oleander cover art

White Oleander

By: Janet Fitch
Narrated by: Oprah Winfrey
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Summary

Astrid is the only child of a single mother, Ingrid, a brilliant, obsessed poet who wields her luminous beauty to intimidate and manipulate men. Astrid worships her mother and cherishes their private world full of ritual and mystery, but their idyll is shattered when Astrid's mother falls apart over a lover. Deranged by rejection, Ingrid murders the man, and is sentenced to life in prison.

White Oleander is the unforgettable story of Astrid's journey through a series of foster homes and her efforts to find a place for herself in impossible circumstances. Each home is its own universe, with a new set of laws and lessons to be learned. With determination and humour, Astrid confronts the challenges of loneliness and poverty, and strives to learn who a motherless child in an indifferent world can be. Tough, irrepressible, funny, and warm, Astrid is one of the most indelible characters in recent fiction. White Oleander is an unforgettable story of mothers and daughters, burgeoning sexuality, the redemptive powers of art, and the unstoppable force of the emergent self.

©1999 Janet Finch (P)1999 Time Warner Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"Extraordinary ¿ Her prose is full of startling images, snippets of poetry and one magnificent, blisteringly angry 'found' poem. This highly impressive debut takes on all the big themes"Observer
"Hard-hitting, compelling and brilliantly written" Cosmopolitan
"Tangled, complex and extraordinarily written"Observer

What listeners say about White Oleander

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

This book is very addictive

What did you like most about White Oleander?

I love the story of a young women who is growing up, who makes her own choices and comes to independent conclusions. I enjoyed the vivid language as well.

What other book might you compare White Oleander to, and why?

I've never read anything like this before.

Which character – as performed by Oprah Winfrey – was your favourite?

Definitely Astrid was my favourite character.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The most moving moment was when Astrid's foster mother dies.

Any additional comments?

This is a dark, disturbing, and beautiful book that you will never forget.

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2 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Warning! It’s abridged!!!

Was loving the narration until I realised huge chunks of astrid’s life had been taken out, nowhere did it say this is abridged. Why do they do this??? PLEASE audible, do an unabridged version of this book. I don’t listen to audiobooks to get through the story quicker, I listen to them to enjoy the story in another way.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic read could'nt put it down!!

Janet Fitch is a fantastic writer...White Oleander is a fantastic book and a bonus with oprah narrating.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

one of my favorit story

Leander Fehr is one of my favorite books & movies, and time has done no harm to it. Still very good

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Love this

Gorgeous writing and beautifully read. Great description of mother with narcissistic personality disorder. Recommend for age over 18’s.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Background noise Chapter 7 8:33

Can anyone else hear people talking in the background, or am I going crazy. Great so far, except the mysterious bleed in the background.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

engaging rich langauage , beautifully by Oprah

loved the language, the atmosphere recreated in every home , the depth of characters and the smells . Oprah amazing

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A journey for the senses

Loved this...especially the voice of Oprah, gritty and soothing both at the same time. She could read anything and I'd listen.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

One of the best books ever.

I absolutely loved this book, its exquisite writing and ability to really show what it is to be a person yearning for the love of a mother and having nothing. There was just one issue, which is that Oprah sounds like and older black woman whereas the MC is a young, blonde girl. Normally this would bother me but she reads so beautifully, getting ever single nuance right, that I couldn't possibly dislike it. Love love love this book!

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