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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.
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.
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
chartreuse_2's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
slow-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
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Rape
Minor: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit
livyadri's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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? No
4.25
Trauma shapes people in ways that many don’t understand. Eleanor was ignorant to social norms, judgmental, and isolated herself from the people around her. Her development throughout the book was beautiful. The friendships formed felt realistic, wholesome, and crucial to her healing. While it was sad, the whole story was also very sweet to experience.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Alcoholism
Minor: Sexual assault, Death, and Domestic abuse
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
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
mangokiste's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Child death, Alcohol, Child abuse, Suicide attempt, Rape, Physical abuse, Murder, and Death
arukeni's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Death of parent, Child abuse, Rape, Fatphobia, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Self harm, Grief, and Death
sophiab27's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Alcoholism, Suicide, Fire/Fire injury, Death, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Animal cruelty
hello_lovely13's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
3.5
This was so much weirder than I was expecting it to be (you have no idea what you're getting into just from the blurb). However, the ending really turned it around for me (it was an absolutely fantastic ending, and anyone that is thinking of DNFing while in the first half of the book should endure to the end because it is so worth it). This has interesting things to say about loneliness, which is what my first impression was, then it got...weird. During the first half of the book, I found Eleanor relatable at times, but mostly extremely judgmental and amoral to the point where I wasn't really rooting for her. However, from the midpoint of the book onwards, as she became less isolated and more ingrained into a social life, she became more and more understanding. Then, at the 75% mark, she finally snaps out of what really made me uncomfortable about her behavior (her literally stalking a musician she became obsessed with ) and then really addressed all the things I didn't like about her and showed her change and willingness to continue to work on changing for the better (therapy and all). In the last ten minutes of the audiobook, the twist that was revealed was one I did not see coming at all (I guessed most of her backstory, but not about the fact that her mother was dead the whole time and that she died in the fire! I was so shocked that I had to take a brief pause before finishing the book). I liked that the ending was a bit open (even though I usually hate open endings) because that last moment could be taken in one of two ways, and I definitely have a strong preference between the two (the entire time I was dreading that they would try to make Raymond and Eleanor be romantic, and I am adamantly against it! It is unnecessary and doesn't make any sense. That is why I am so glad that the final kiss on the cheek could be taken as either a purely platonic, affectionate gesture or a hesitant romantic beginning. In my head, it is the former. ). I wasn't too connected to Sammy, as we didn't see too much of him and we didn't see Eleanor and him form that strong of a connection, and they only really interacted about 3 times in the entire book. Raymond and Eleanor's friendship was a bit more developed, though I honestly wasn't overly attached to Raymond as a character or their relationship. It is done well, and they have an ease, understanding, and support to their friendship that enriches the novel. However, the way that Eleanor spoke of him for most of the first half of the novel slightly lessened it's effect for me (I know it was addressed why she thought and acted the way she did, and that was done well, but it still put that distance for me in the relationship, so I couldn't fully be invested; perhaps upon a reread (though I don't know when or if I ever will reread this), with the knowledge of how the book ends I can have more appreciation for their relationship). The true relationship that Eleanor interacts with in this book is with herself and her mental health and trauma, and the payoff is well-done (there could have been a more cathartic end to a certain source of negativity (her weekly calls with her mother, though the twist really took care of that ), but it was nonetheless satisfactory and satisfying in a slightly more realistic way). Overall, much weirder than expected, but one that I will recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Child death, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Rape, Vomit, and Fatphobia
moanareads's review against another edition
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic relationship, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Stalking, Murder, and Mental illness
liviabuu's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Alcohol