:: darcysbooks ::

:: Thursday, September 18, 2003 ::

white oleander
janet fitch

I should have known when I saw the "Oprah's book club" logo that I was in for a depressing reading experience ... now I know better! White Oleander follows the life of an artistically-talented, sensitive young girl who is damaged by the foster care system after her mother is jailed for murder. The book is well-written and did keep my interest, I found but the writer's implication that people--even young people--have so little control of their own lives and their own destinies--annoying. Astrid, the protagonist, asserts throughout that she can't make anything of her own life, or control her destructive impulses, without supervision every step of the way. For example, with the help of a loving foster mother, she thrives in school and applies for art colleges and scholarships. When she is taken out the home, she abandons all her applications, explicitly saying that without the constant support she can't do it. Not that I'm saying I think that overcoming the kind of obstacles Astrid is faced with is easy, but I get irritated with the helpless, reactive trip.
:: darcy 3:46 PM [+] ::
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we need to talk about kevin
lionel shriver

We Need to Talk About Kevin is a quiet, startling book written from the perspective of the mother of a psychopathic son who commits a Columbine-style mass murder. It's a rather ambiguous book, with no easy answers, and a lot to say about the power of forgiveness. Highly recommended.
:: darcy 12:49 PM [+] ::
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