A review by goodem9199
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

4.0

So I just finished Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell. I loved it. I'm a child of the 80's, so I appreciated the time period immensely. But I have to say that it may be the first time that I loved a book, and simultaneously hated one of the main characters. Eleanor is a pain in my ass. I know, I know, she's been abused and I sympathize with that, but dang girl...get a grip! Let me sum up the story: boy (cute, kind, semi-popular) meets new girl (chubby, red-headed, anti-fashionista, broken home) and they fall in love. Eleanor is a hot mess. For reals. Each and every time Park opens his mouth, Eleanor is falling over with emotion and taking everything the wrong way. It's tiring. I do not like this chick. Having said that, I think Rowell is a fantastic teen writer. She doesn't sugar coat reality. Eleanor's mother is an idiot who allows an abusive stepfather to run the house ,and the kids spirits, into the ground. Eleanor is bullied at school and can't seem to get a break in general. This book has some heavy topics, but the writing isn't bogged down with grief. On the other hand, it's not the teeny-bopper fluff that I can't stand, either. It reminded me of what falling in love for the first time was like. The "if-I-can't-see-him-for-2-days-over-the-weekend-i'm-going-to-die" feeling. And the "I-can't-seem-to-get-close-enough-to-this-person-even-if-i-stand-on-his-feet" feeling. And, yes Eleanor, I totally wanted to eat the face off of my first love, too.


Also, Eleanor is supposed to be chubby...but her cover drawing doesn't reflect that. A minor detail, but it irritated me.


I'd put it in the hands of adults who can appreciate YA, and teens over 14.