White Oleander

Janet Fitch's book "White Oleander" is completely incredible. It speaks to my soul, and interestingly, I feel hugely attached to BOTH Ingrid and Astrid. They have such different motivations, but they both make total sense to me. I think this is because I am often conflicted in my head and in my personality. If I had to pick one, though, I must say I am attracted to Ingrid's pure, beautiful cruelty.


I regret nothing. The question of good and evil will always be one of philosophy's most intriguing problems, up there with the problem of existence itself. I'm not quarreling with your choice of issues, only with your intellectually diminished approach. If evil means to be self-motivated, to live on one's own terms, then every artist, every thinker, every original mind, is evil. Because we dare to look through our own eyes rather than mouth cliches lent us from the so-called Fathers. To dare to see is to steal fire from the Gods. This is mankind's destiny, the engine which fuels us as a race.
-Janet Fitch, White Oleander