Astrid is the only child of a single mother, Ingrid, a brilliant, obsessed poet who wields her luminous beauty to intimidate and manipulate men. Astrid worships her mother and cherishes their private world full of ritual and mystery - but their idyll is shattered when Astrid's mother falls apart over a lover. Deranged by rejection, Ingrid murders the man, and is sentenced to life in prison. White Oleander is the unforgettable story of Astrid's journey...

Ingrid, a smart, free-spirited, and somewhat narcissistic artist kills her deceitful lover in a crime of passion. Even while serving a prison sentence, she exerts control over her adoring teenage daughter, Astrid, who's forced to spend her teenage years in a series of foster homes before becoming her own person. Explores the strange relationship of Ingrid and Astrid, and includes Astrid's relationship with her foster mothers. At first merely an appendage...