From the back cover:
Everywhere hailed as a novel of rare beauty and power, White Oleander tells the unforgettable story of Ingrid, a brilliant poet imprisoned for murder, and her daughter, Astrid, whose odyssey through a series of Los Angeles foster homes--each its own universe, with its own laws, its own dangers, its own hard lessons to be learned--becomes a redeeming and surprising journey of self-discovery.

Before reading this one myself, I sent it out on a bookring. It successfully came back to me.

Participants:
gerenggat - UK
spiderchic - UK
arturogrande - UK
DianeO - UK
airehead - Canada
Back to me - karendawn - Indiana

UPDATE Jan 13, 2005: My TBR pile is so overwhelming that I feel the need to cut back on it. This is a book that I have chosen to pass on unread. I hope someone else will enjoy it.

Released on Friday, May 28, 2004 at Mailed to a fellow Bookcrosser in n/a, n/a Controlled Releases.

traveling to the UK via airmail

Arrived safely in Gateshead. Thank you karendawn :-)

Have just started reading - sorry it took me so long. (I've had a busy time at work and at home) I think I should finish it within the next week and send it on its way again.

Just finished reading this book last night. It is a very captivating story about a young girl growing up with her mother, and in several foster homes.
I can't see how the blurb on the back of the book calls this a redeeming and surprising journey of self-discovery. Surprising maybe, but certainly not a redeeming life story for Astrid, the protagonist. And I don't think it's a story of self-discovery either. Astrid moves from home to home, without knowing what to expect, but learing always to expect the worst - because the worst is bound to happen. She learns to be adaptable and has the incredible ability to fit in everywhere she is sent. Claire makes her find out things about herself, things she never thought about before. Did she like coconut or apple soap? But even here I'm not sure if this is self discovery or an adult imposing decissions on her.
I think it is a very sad story showing us all how easy it is to mess up a childs life and how carful we need to be with children, because it is so easy to change their life forever. It leaves with a ray of hope, that even all the horrible circumstances have not managed to destroy Astrid's life completely, and that she is able to survive and to build something new.
I really liked the references to books and music a lot, and I think I will have to read at least some of the books and listen to some of the music mentioned in this book :-)
Thank you very much for sharing this book.

Release planned for Tuesday, July 13, 2004 at 2nd class in Controlled Release, Controlled Release Controlled Releases.

Will be posted to spiderchic tomorrow. We have changed shipping order, because arturogrande is busy reading a couple of other ring/ray books. She will be next after spiderchic. (Hope this makes sense)

Yay received this book today. Had just finished a book last night so am free to start this straight away - great timing!
thank you!

Finished this book last night. I really enjoyed it. I didn't realise it had been made into a film, maybe interesting to see although I know films are never as good as the books!!
Thank you for sharing karendawn!!
Shall be passing on to arturogrande asap

Sent to arturogrande today. Enjoy!

Arrived this morning - and it looks great. Thanks very much to karendawn for sharing this book, and to gerenggat and spiderchic for being so understanding about the fact that I was bogged down with bookrings at the time!
I am currently halfway through Affinity (on another ring), but I should be finished with that in a couple of days, and then I will start this straight away.

Truth and beauty are key themes running through this book, so it is entirely fitting that the writing itself is so beautiful. It's hard to believe that this is Janet Fitch's debut novel, as it is so accomplished.
It's very difficult to write a good BAD character, if that makes sense, but Fitch has carried it off brilliantly with Ingrid Magnussen. She's not actually 'on stage' for a large portion of the book, but her presence looms on every page, if only because it was her hideously selfish act which forced Astrid into a series of foster homes and shattered her life.
Ingrid is hateful, but she is also compelling. If she had been a badly-written, one-dimensional Mommy Dearest, the vital relationship between mother and daughter would not have held up, and then the bond between the two of them would not be believable.
Astrid could also have been a one-dimensional character in the wrong hands - given the sentimental 'foster-child-as-victimised-angel' treatment.
But she too is deeply flawed, and it is her flaws which are also her greatest resources, allowing her to claw back some self-respect and build her life again out of her mother's shadow.
This was a fabulous book, and I was sorry when I had finished it. I don't know whether Janet Fitch has had anything else published yet, but I am sure to be on the lookout for more work by this brilliant writer.

The book is now on its way to DianeO in Chesterfield. I hope you enjoy it.
Thanks also to karendawn for starting this ring.

Received today - thanks! Have read mixed reviews of this - hoping to start it soon.

If you want to get a very realistic perspective on the many different paths your life can take at the drop of a hat, read this book and listen to her message! However, the ending definitely left me unsatisfied.

RELEASE NOTES:

Ooops - forgot to say I had released this! On it's way to Alberta, Canada.

Recieved in mail yesterday, will read as soon as I finish the one I'm into.

Good book, interesting to see how one's experiences can affect how your life turns out.

Sent back to karendawn, Thank You.

The book arrived back home today. Thank you everyone for a successful bookring!!

Now I just have to read this one myself. :)

RELEASE NOTES:

sent to bmattice from The Cheshire Kat

I got this from a Member of TheCheshireKat.Com
Looking foreward to reading it.Becky