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A review by thestorydoer
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine is an interesting and in depth character study which deals with themes of trauma and abuse (watch out for those content warnings). I feel like this book requires a re-read for me to properly formulate my thoughts on this book but here are a few brief thoughts~~~
Narratively, this book is fantastic. Each plot point flows from one beat to the next with a steady pace throughout the novel which is an impressive feat. Each character with an ebb and flow of introduction is introduced at the exact right time. It has excellent climactic reveals and the dialogue is good.
The character of Oliphant herself is utterly fantastic. An interesting character whose real world often intersects with her trauma in fascinating ways. There is an excellent emphasis on her social skills which walks the line on 'unsociable' people and how they can form a charisma in their own right.
This is about as far as I can talk about this book without spoiling so here we go:
The inclusion of Sammy is nothing short of excellent. When Eleanor is introduced to his family, it is also excellent in what this means to her. However, once Sammy dies, I couldn't help but feel the connection to that family was lost, especially once Eleanor's best friend Raymond loses interest in Laura. This is a shame, especially as Sammy as a character was also short lived, only included in four scenes I believe. I also don't understand the reason for Raymond losing interest in Laura, and I felt Sammy's family could've had a larger role to play in the novel.
The idea to make Eleanor's mother a figment of her subconscious was also an interesting narrative choice but one I grew to accept. However, the idea of Eleanor having a sister is predictable. Roughly 200 pages predictable. However, this thought would need a reread because I can't distinguish whether this was intentional or not. That being said, the dialogue with the social worker is a masterclass in writing with missing information and had me fooled the first time around.
There is also the classic issue with mental health. Her overcoming of her mental health issues leans slightly toward triumphant more than progressive. This, of course, begins to raise questions about the realism of the portrayal of her mental health issues which I feel I am not experienced enough to discuss.
I need to read this again so take this summary with a grain of salt.
Overall, an interesting and loveable character study which suffers from a couple pitfalls which hinder this book from greatness. 4/5
Narratively, this book is fantastic. Each plot point flows from one beat to the next with a steady pace throughout the novel which is an impressive feat. Each character with an ebb and flow of introduction is introduced at the exact right time. It has excellent climactic reveals and the dialogue is good.
The character of Oliphant herself is utterly fantastic. An interesting character whose real world often intersects with her trauma in fascinating ways. There is an excellent emphasis on her social skills which walks the line on 'unsociable' people and how they can form a charisma in their own right.
This is about as far as I can talk about this book without spoiling so here we go:
The idea to make Eleanor's mother a figment of her subconscious was also an interesting narrative choice but one I grew to accept. However, the idea of Eleanor having a sister is predictable. Roughly 200 pages predictable. However, this thought would need a reread because I can't distinguish whether this was intentional or not. That being said, the dialogue with the social worker is a masterclass in writing with missing information and had me fooled the first time around.
There is also the classic issue with mental health. Her overcoming of her mental health issues leans slightly toward triumphant more than progressive. This, of course, begins to raise questions about the realism of the portrayal of her mental health issues which I feel I am not experienced enough to discuss.
I need to read this again so take this summary with a grain of salt.
Overall, an interesting and loveable character study which suffers from a couple pitfalls which hinder this book from greatness. 4/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, and Rape