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A review by valyriereven
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
1.0
[1/5] • DNF @ 10% • Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Insufferable.
I'm still trying to process the couple of chapters I just read. I have never read a book with a protagonist so completely unredeemable and unlikable. The author's energy reads to me as "mean girl" who is trying to write an awkward (or possibly attempting to write an Asperger's?) character but has no idea what awkwardness/neurodivergence actually entails. Thus, it comes off supremely artificial, hollow, and nonsensical. Eleanor is not "socially awkward". She's an outright bad person.
Now, a writer can have a protagonist who's a bad person. When done well, challenging protagonists are interesting and fun to read! Gotta love the journey of a good character growth arc. However, many authors know the principle of "saving the cat" — you have to give some reason for your audience to connect with and root for your protagonist. There is no reason to root for Eleanor Oliphant. She's miserable and nasty, and then acts like everyone else is the problem. Did not and will not finish.
I'm still trying to process the couple of chapters I just read. I have never read a book with a protagonist so completely unredeemable and unlikable. The author's energy reads to me as "mean girl" who is trying to write an awkward (or possibly attempting to write an Asperger's?) character but has no idea what awkwardness/neurodivergence actually entails. Thus, it comes off supremely artificial, hollow, and nonsensical. Eleanor is not "socially awkward". She's an outright bad person.
Now, a writer can have a protagonist who's a bad person. When done well, challenging protagonists are interesting and fun to read! Gotta love the journey of a good character growth arc. However, many authors know the principle of "saving the cat" — you have to give some reason for your audience to connect with and root for your protagonist. There is no reason to root for Eleanor Oliphant. She's miserable and nasty, and then acts like everyone else is the problem. Did not and will not finish.