A review by marissaheffler
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

challenging dark 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

2.75

This book was a bit of a slog to get through. Eleanor is established as a socially removed, critical character who uses unnecessarily big words to dissect the world around her. As she becomes more connected to the people and world around her, the story opens up a bit to learn about how her past as influenced her and how she begins to heal from past trauma. The end goal of this book was pretty clear from the get go and more of a logical conclusion than a moving conclusion to a narrative story. 

All that being said, it was an interesting experience to push myself to see the world through the lens of a protagonist so different than myself. I certainly came to care for Eleanor and was happy to see the growth in her ability both to develop a support network and appreciate it once present. 
(6 hr 10 min read)
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