book thoughts

I recently (and by recently, I mean this morning) finished reading White Oleander (check out the summary link) by Janet Fitch. It was amazing. Not because it was necessarily uplifting or inspiring but because of the incredible crafting of words that brought you into the world inhabited by Astrid and her mother, Ingrid. Fitch has created characters who expose the world of mother-daughter relationships for what it often is--a minefield, a battle of wills, a connection so deep it cannot be severed regardless of how it may have been abused or twisted. I connected with Astrid, despite growing up in circumstances completely different from hers. I connected with the way mothers can manipulate you without you even knowing. I connected with feeling like you are finding your own way in the world, without much needed guidance. In spite of the direness of the situations Astrid finds herself in, she finds a way to persevere. She carries on. She fights. And in the end, she seems to have overcome, though not in a way that causes her to be completely happy. It speaks volumes about the intricacies of human relationships and about the resiliancy of the human spirit and I encourage you to give it a try.