Laura’s Rating: 4.5/5 stars
For my first review, I decided to do Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. I chose this book for several reasons, including the fact that it is a fairly recent novel (published in 2017), it was the book we discussed yesterday at the book club that I irregularly participate in, and finally, I enjoyed the novel very much. This book is also part of Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club if that is something that interests you. My review (below) can also be found on my goodreads account, where I rated the book 5 stars, due to the lack of an option to select half stars.
The Analysis:
Thankfully, this book avoided what I assumed would be a cliché of a “damaged” girl who drinks too much and has destructive behavior, but miraculously still functions socially and is ultimately likeable. Many times I think character flaws are used to make a character seem interesting, without really shaping their personality. However, this book genuinely shows a woman with a traumatic past and poor mental health in a raw, realistic way. Eleanor is not cute or quirky, she is messed up. She does not understand how to function according to societal norms and is unapologetically herself. This book delivers real insight into the fact that many of us take simple social graces and customs for granted and don’t realize that not everyone grows up with the privilege of learning these norms through their parents or friends. While a few people at book club said it felt unrealistic for Eleanor not to have knowledge of Spongebob Squarepants or not have an iPhone, I think that these things are definitely possible as part of the reality Eleanor has experienced. The fact that some of the things Eleanor has missed out on are shocking to us as readers just shows the gravity of how her past experiences have shaped her current life. Despite the heavy subject matter at some points, the book manages to leave the reader feeling uplifted. Eleanor’s actions are cringeworthy and her flaws are not softened in order to make her more palatable to readers. Yet somehow, she manages to charm the reader into rooting for her. This book is sad, heartwarming, and full of depth. A must read.
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