Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

196 reviews

naestolgia_'s review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This was an interesting and surprisingly enjoyable read. Eleanor is a complex character with what seems like a simple outlook on life. There are tough chapters to get through though - her past is truly troubling to unfold page after page, but she's a character I was really rooting for. I wish there was more of a "happy" ending but, like life, that's not always the case. You are left with a small nugget of hope for Eleanor, the ending still fell short in my opinion.

Fun note: I really loved having to whip out the dictionary for this read. Lol. Eleanor's love for crosswords makes for very colorful and eloquent language.

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Update: After book club discussion, where most folks did not like Eleanor in the beginning ("weirdo", "mean"), I realized another theme of this book is Eleanor's introduction/indoctrination into society. I personally liked her from the start. She wasn't yet watered down and boxed into what is considered normal by the masses. 

It is fun to think of how each reader relates to Eleanor, good or bad.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Suicide attempt, Child abuse, Death, Mental illness, and Self harm

Minor: Vomit and Rape

lizziaha's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

3.25

I found Eleanor to be intensely unlikable at the beginning of the story, which is sort of the point, but it was hard for me to get over it. She is a little (a lot) oblivious to how the world works, and while this is funny and endearing at times, it also involved a lot of second hand embarrassment for me. This gets a bit better, once Raymond begins to teach her how to be human. Her character growth is immense, but I don’t know if the payoff was quite worth it. I did really enjoy the writing style, so I might have to check out something else by this author. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Child death, Alcohol, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Ableism, Fatphobia, Body shaming, and Classism

tidals's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Lots of dry British humor. Guess I’ve been through a lot because I didn’t find her current state or her past particularly depressing; that’s life. If you’re quick to find things depressing don’t read this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Bullying, Body shaming, and Alcohol

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Rape, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Fire/Fire injury, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, Vomit, and Toxic relationship

w0rldofab00kw0rm's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Mental illness

Moderate: Murder, Grief, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Death, Death of parent, and Rape

thetearex's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Sexual assault, Child death, Mental illness, Self harm, Death, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Murder, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Rape, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Adult/minor relationship

lily_29's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Mental illness, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Child abuse, and Grief

Minor: Child death

corinnelora95's review against another edition

sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

"The covers are of very little help, because they always say only good things, and I've found out to my cost that they're rarely accurate. "Exhilarating" "Dazzling" "Hilarious." No." (Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, p 265)

This quote stuck out to me because the cover reviews for "Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine" are part of what led me to pick up and read this book. I found that it was not "beautifully written and incredibly funny," as Reese Witherspoon described it to be. It was not "hilarious and moving," as People claimed. And it certainly was not "completely wonderful," as Purewow said it would be.

For everyone who recommends this book because it's "light-hearted" or "funny," I have to wonder why. I found the majority of the book to be frustrating and depressing. Eleanor annoyed me for the entirety of the "Good Days" part of the book. She was slightly better in the "Bad Days" and "Better Days" parts, but I still found myself questioning why she was written to be so socially inept. It was maddening.

Overall, the book was easy to read, but it left me asking, "Why am I reading this?" over and over. I ultimately decided around the halfway point that I'd finish the book because I was too invested in Raymond and the other positive characters to quit. Raymond's care for Eleanor is what earned it the third star for me, but just barely.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, and Mental illness

Moderate: Grief, Alcoholism, Murder, Self harm, Stalking, Alcohol, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Child death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Addiction

Minor: Cursing and Animal cruelty

beriboo's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman is a beautifully written novel that delves deep into the life of the main character, Eleanor Oliphant. At first glance, Eleanor may seem like an odd and socially awkward individual, but as the story unfolds, we learn about the trauma and loneliness that have shaped her into the person she is today. 

What I loved most about this book is how the author skillfully balances moments of humor and light-heartedness with the darker themes of loneliness, mental health, and trauma. Despite the heavy subject matter, Honeyman's writing style is engaging and witty, making it a surprisingly uplifting read.

The character development in this book is truly exceptional. Eleanor is a complex and nuanced character, and as the reader, I found myself deeply invested in her journey towards self-discovery and healing. The relationships she forms with those around her, particularly with Raymond, are heartwarming and genuine, adding depth and warmth to the story.

Overall, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine is a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant novel that stayed with me long after I finished reading it. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a captivating and moving story about the power of human connection and the resilience of the human spirit.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Child death, Mental illness, Death, Sexual assault, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Rape, Grief, and Domestic abuse

mekay's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Excellent story with a dark plot twist. Contains some cussing and minimal amounts of cursing. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, Violence, Grief, and Gaslighting

joysmith's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse

Moderate: Child death, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Grief, Stalking, Suicide, and Toxic relationship