She lives in a beautiful house with several foster girls, but her true purpose is to appropriate the government subsidy for her own use. For Ingrid, Astrid has always been an extension of herself, someone who shares in her feelings.Īstrid's third foster mother, Amelia Ramos, is an aristocratic woman from Argentina. The letters are always full of her mother's news, hardly ever asking after Astrid. Astrid manages to protect Olivia but has to leave without being able to say good-bye when Marvel calls the Children's Service while she's at school.Īll this while, letters from Astrid's mother continue coming. Marvel hits her, despite her stitched wounds, and calls the police. There's a great uproar when Marvel catches her coming out of Olivia's house.

Christmastime comes, and Astrid escapes to Olivia's house, where they both get drunk. One night, on her walk to calm her restlessness about Olivia, vicious dogs attack Astrid, leaving scars on her face, arms and legs. However, Olivia is not as beholden to Astrid. Through Olivia, Astrid learns the pleasure of luxury. Olivia used to be a loan officer with an MBA, but she now makes a living by pleasing men. Despite Marvel's warning not to associate with her, Astrid is drawn to Olivia's elegance. She is also an avowed racist who wastes no opportunity to slur insults at her neighbor who is an elegant black woman. The only person who stays is Davey, Starr's son, who is now thrust into the foster care system, because of Astrid.Īstrid's next foster mother is Marvel Turlock who only wants Astrid as a wage-free servant. Ray, the man Astrid loves so much, does not stay to help her. Finally, everything ends in bloody violence as Starr shoots Astrid three times and runs away. Starr, noticing this, goes off her abstinence from alcohol and even breaks her son's arm. The lure of Astrid's innocent beauty is too much for Ray to resist, and they cross over the line and start a sexual relationship. As Astrid turns fourteen, she finds herself falling in love with Starr's hippie boyfriend, Ray. She professes to believe in Jesus Christ but her lifestyle and attire suggest otherwise. The first foster mother is Starr, an ex-stripper and alcoholic. While her mother is in prison, Astrid has the first-hand experience of the foster care system.

When Barry, after wooing her and slipping into their lives, drops her without warning, Ingrid becomes quite psychotic, resulting in his murder. Astrid's delicate balance crumbles when her mother falls in love with Barry Kolker, who is the type of man Ingrid deems unworthy of her. She sees herself stronger and tries to live her life in simple elegance. Ingrid sees herself as a Valkyrie who would rather rule in Hell than serve in Heaven. Her mother is the kind of beauty who turns people's heads. Astrid is a twelve-year-old girl who lives with her beautiful mother, Ingrid, a poet.

White oleander novel