White Oleander
14 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by Littlemave from Weston, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Sunday, June 29, 2003
Oprah's Book Club
From the back cover: A passionate, hypnotic and dangerous novel about a daughter and her mother. Astrid has been raised by her mother, Ingrid a beautiful, headstrong poet. Astrid's world revolves around Ingrid; she forgives her everything. Until Ingrid murders a former lover and is imprisoned for life...
Saw this for 50 cents while browsing the shelves in a local charity shop, and just couldn't pass it by! I have heard it is good, but have so much to read at the moment, will loan it to BookFrog who wants to read it too.
From the back cover: A passionate, hypnotic and dangerous novel about a daughter and her mother. Astrid has been raised by her mother, Ingrid a beautiful, headstrong poet. Astrid's world revolves around Ingrid; she forgives her everything. Until Ingrid murders a former lover and is imprisoned for life...
Saw this for 50 cents while browsing the shelves in a local charity shop, and just couldn't pass it by! I have heard it is good, but have so much to read at the moment, will loan it to BookFrog who wants to read it too.
After all the build up, it was alright. I mean it wasn't an awful book, I did finish it and I did want to finish it. I kept reading just in the hopes her life would get better.
Bit too depressing and sad, I suppose reflecting truth on the foster care system but still....
I wouldn't highly recommend this book. Thanks for the loan Littlemave.
Bit too depressing and sad, I suppose reflecting truth on the foster care system but still....
I wouldn't highly recommend this book. Thanks for the loan Littlemave.
Given back to Littlemave 19th July.
Journal Entry 4 by Littlemave from Weston, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Wednesday, December 10, 2003
I finished the book last night after I came back from Meet-up at Glebe Cafe Otto.
Astrid Magnussen was put through 6 (mostly awful) foster homes in as many years after her mother, Ingrid, a poet, murdered her lover and went to jail when Astrid was 12. Although her time in these places was so diverse and transient, she learned from each situation, and from each foster mother. Each one made her stronger in a different way.
She was an artist and constantly drew anything and everything - her mother was very arty and would take her to galleries at a young age and explain intricacies of poetry and art to her. Her mother always had a skewed view on life, and always changed her story about things ie Astrid's father, to suit herself.
I found the descriptions of places beautiful and couldnt skim anything, and any opportunity I had to read - I did! Even walking through the park reading!
A very good book, in fact I would be interested in seeing the film to see how they portrayed all the characters - surely they couldnt get everything in to a screenplay?
Astrid Magnussen was put through 6 (mostly awful) foster homes in as many years after her mother, Ingrid, a poet, murdered her lover and went to jail when Astrid was 12. Although her time in these places was so diverse and transient, she learned from each situation, and from each foster mother. Each one made her stronger in a different way.
She was an artist and constantly drew anything and everything - her mother was very arty and would take her to galleries at a young age and explain intricacies of poetry and art to her. Her mother always had a skewed view on life, and always changed her story about things ie Astrid's father, to suit herself.
I found the descriptions of places beautiful and couldnt skim anything, and any opportunity I had to read - I did! Even walking through the park reading!
A very good book, in fact I would be interested in seeing the film to see how they portrayed all the characters - surely they couldnt get everything in to a screenplay?
Journal Entry 5 by Littlemave from Weston, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Wednesday, December 10, 2003
I'm making this into a bookring now as some of the BCAUS members have shown an interest.
The list is as follows:
Guinevere69
Veracity
Tantie Spice
Jawin
Ravenbear
Scism
crystalclear
starflwr5 <-----next to read
**Meganh** --moved down--
>>kirst040<< -new-
>>tqd<< -new- (requested the end!)
and me - littlemave!
If you want to be added, PM and let me know.
The list is as follows:
Guinevere69
Veracity
Tantie Spice
Jawin
Ravenbear
Scism
crystalclear
starflwr5 <-----next to read
**Meganh** --moved down--
>>kirst040<< -new-
>>tqd<< -new- (requested the end!)
and me - littlemave!
If you want to be added, PM and let me know.
Released on Sunday, December 14, 2003 at Postal Release in Sydney, Australia Controlled Releases.
Posted off to Guinevere69 on Monday morning 15th December.
Happy travels little book!
Posted off to Guinevere69 on Monday morning 15th December.
Happy travels little book!
Journal Entry 7 by guinevere69 from Willetton, Western Australia Australia on Saturday, December 20, 2003
Harrowing story of a girl sent to numerous foster families. It was so awful I felt it must be true, these things truely do happen. I was amazed she came through it, i am sure I wouldn't have. Couldn't put it down.
Received in the mail this morning. Will read after another Ray I am part of (Man & Boy)
Shivers!! Thought I had journalled this a while ago, but obviously not....I am towards the end at the moment, and thoroughly enjoying it. More soon!
Finished last night! I really loved this book - and really wanted a better life for Astrid. I liked that her story was left a little open-ended - I wonder what she will do next?
Released by mail to Jawin - enjoy!!
This arrived in the mail today - thanks Tantie. I'm catching up with Ravenbear next week, so I'll move this to the top of the pile and pass it on to her then.
Journal Entry 13 by Littlemave from Weston, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Wednesday, March 24, 2004
Stop press!!
Crystalclear has requested to join the ring, so will put her after meganh.
Starflwr5 is another late edition after crystalclear.
Thanks, and hope you enjoyed the book. :-)
Crystalclear has requested to join the ring, so will put her after meganh.
Starflwr5 is another late edition after crystalclear.
Thanks, and hope you enjoyed the book. :-)
Sheesh - makes my bad days look pathetic!
Astrid truly has a depressing life but I could not put this book down - like watching a train smash.
Astrid truly has a depressing life but I could not put this book down - like watching a train smash.
Received this from Jawin a couple of days ago. I loved this book. The writing was exquisite, the word pictures vivid, conjuring even smells - I swear I could smell violets sometimes - the characters in this book were as real as the person sitting next to me. I quite literally could not put this book down, read it even at traffic lights waiting for the red to turn to green...the only time I have wanted lights to turn red. Despite the rawness of her life I was happy to read that Astrid would survive on her own terms, without giving herself away. Sleepless nights of the past two days saw me finish it at 3am today. Will send on its way today.
I received this in the mail today (April 23) and plan to have it read by May 20. I was very moved by the film, so I'm hoping the book is even more satisfying.
Surprisingly, I'm not enjoying this book at all. I've read about 50 pages, and have decided to stop for the moment. I'm not finding it nearly as powerful as the movie (strange - it's usually the other way around for me). But since I was so moved by the film, I don't want to keep reading the book and be disappointed.
I plan to mail it on to the next person by the end of this week. In the meantime, I'll keep it hanging around in case I feel the urge to give it a second chance.
I plan to mail it on to the next person by the end of this week. In the meantime, I'll keep it hanging around in case I feel the urge to give it a second chance.
Mailed to crystalclear yesterday, May 4th. Hope you get more out of it than I did! Thanks anyway for the opportunity to give this one a try, littlemave.
Journal Entry 19 by crystalclear from Shellharbour, New South Wales Australia on Thursday, May 13, 2004
Sorry a bit slow registering that I received this book which I did a few days ago and looking forward to reading it, will be in a little while but as quick as I can.
Journal Entry 20 by crystalclear from Shellharbour, New South Wales Australia on Friday, August 27, 2004
I had heard a lot about this book before reading it and found that I was disappointed in the book.
I enjoyed it but felt something was missing from it.
Thanks for letting me read the book, sorry took me so long, will be posted off on Wednesday.
I enjoyed it but felt something was missing from it.
Thanks for letting me read the book, sorry took me so long, will be posted off on Wednesday.
Journal Entry 21 by crystalclear at Controlled release in Enmore, New South Wales Australia on Sunday, September 19, 2004
Released 19 yrs ago (9/19/2004 UTC) at Controlled release in Enmore, New South Wales Australia
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Received this in the post very unexpectedly. I had forgotten to reply to an email and thought that I would be skipped over. Am very happy not to have been and am currently reading it.
Will forward on to Meganh when done.
Will forward on to Meganh when done.
Really enjoyed the writing in this book.
Received in the mail last night along with two other bookrings - lucky me! Will read and pass on asap.
I have nearly finished this book. It is a good holiday read (although I'm not on holidays!)and am enjoying it for it's descriptions - I can visualise it as a movie so will probably seek out the video at some stage. I am finding the story of Ariel a bit too unbelievable, but am reading the book quickly as the story is quite gripping.
11/11 update. I put this aside to read a couple of quickies to take to Sydney. I will finish in time to hand over to kirst040 at the first ABC.
I really enjoyed the beginning and the end parts which focussed heavily on Ingrid. The huge influence Ingrid had on her daughter's life was quite interesting.The middle section of Ariel's life with various foster families was complicated.
Journal Entry 26 by kirst040 from Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on Friday, November 12, 2004
Received at the conference tonight. Great to meet you meganh.
I have one bookring ahead of this so will get to it shortly.
I have one bookring ahead of this so will get to it shortly.
Journal Entry 27 by kirst040 from Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on Monday, November 22, 2004
I had trouble getting in to this, mustn't have been in the right frame of mind for such a depressing story. I felt for Astrid but the hold Ingrid had over her, even from prison and the lack of real support offered to her apart from intermittent case workers and dysfunctional foster families angered me. It was, however, a well written story and perhaps a more patient kirst040 may have enjoyed it more !!
To tqd next.
Update 14/12/04 - tqd has opted to pass on this one, book has been handed back to littlemave to recover from its big adventure around Australia.
To tqd next.
Update 14/12/04 - tqd has opted to pass on this one, book has been handed back to littlemave to recover from its big adventure around Australia.
Journal Entry 28 by Tindomiel from Chatswood, New South Wales Australia on Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Picked up at meetup - heard some good reviews of it while there.
Journal Entry 29 by Littlemave from Weston, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Aaah, yes, got the book back from Kirst040 just before Christmas and popped it on my shelf....
Hrmmm what should I take to meetup? Oh look this little traveller could get out more!
OOPS, so forgot, well, that's me at the moment, I'll catch up eventually...
[hope you enjoy the book tindomiel, I did wonder who snaffled it up so quickly!]
Hrmmm what should I take to meetup? Oh look this little traveller could get out more!
OOPS, so forgot, well, that's me at the moment, I'll catch up eventually...
[hope you enjoy the book tindomiel, I did wonder who snaffled it up so quickly!]
Journal Entry 30 by Tindomiel from Chatswood, New South Wales Australia on Monday, November 27, 2006
Wow.
It started pretty slow and took a while for me to get into it. It felt like the author was trying just a little too hard to be descriptive at times (sadly, my own creative writing can be ilke that).
But after a while I got dragged in deeper and deeper! This book just spoke to me.
Sure, it's a hard life she has; but her trials and tribulations aren't there just to tug at the heart strings. They show the gruelling experiences that this teenager goes through as she turns into a woman. You can see it happening page by page. As Ingrid puts it: "A woman's mistakes are different from a girl's".
It started pretty slow and took a while for me to get into it. It felt like the author was trying just a little too hard to be descriptive at times (sadly, my own creative writing can be ilke that).
But after a while I got dragged in deeper and deeper! This book just spoke to me.
Sure, it's a hard life she has; but her trials and tribulations aren't there just to tug at the heart strings. They show the gruelling experiences that this teenager goes through as she turns into a woman. You can see it happening page by page. As Ingrid puts it: "A woman's mistakes are different from a girl's".
Journal Entry 31 by deense from Marrickville, New South Wales Australia on Saturday, December 2, 2006
So there I was at an SCA event at the IMAR community centre last night, and what do I see? The yellow "i'm not lost" sticky note on the front of a book!
Not only that it was a book i've wanted to read for some time, but never managed to get around to! how serendipitous!
In fact, can you believe this is my FIRST wild catch?? After almost 3 years as a BC-er!
Cheers
Denise
Not only that it was a book i've wanted to read for some time, but never managed to get around to! how serendipitous!
In fact, can you believe this is my FIRST wild catch?? After almost 3 years as a BC-er!
Cheers
Denise
