Book Review #62: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Hey Guys x

This is a book that has been talked about for so long, and for whatever reason, I just didn't feel the need to buy it. I never found out what it was about, and nothing in me really wanted to own it. But then in Waterstones one day, I noticed it was on sale (buy one get one free), so I thought that, since I was there anyway, I might as well pick it up and see what all the fuss was about.

Eleanor Oliphant is a creature of habit. She does the same things, in the same way, every single week, and never feels the need to change her routine. But when something out of the ordinary happens, Eleanor chooses to go with the flow. And suddenly, she finds that, as great as her routine is, she's been lonely for far too long without even realizing it.

The number one thing that I knew about this book was the way that people described it - everyone describes it in exactly the same way: 'I wasn't sure about it when I started reading, but by the end I thought it was amazing.'

And while I wouldn't go as far as to call it 'amazing', I do have to agree with that analysis.

The beginning of the book, or rather, Eleanor at the beginning of the book, is extremely off-putting. If I didn't have any hope of it getting better the more you read, I might have put it down and forgotten about it. Honestly, there was a day or two where I actually rolled my eyes thinking about how much I didn't want to read any more of the book.

And then something happened.

Suddenly, I was addicted to it. I didn't particularly like it, but at the same time, I couldn't put it down. And when I did put it down, I was just thinking about what was going to happen next, and planning how much more I could read before I absolutely had to stop for the night.

And this has a lot to do with Eleanor. Because while her personality doesn't change a huge amount throughout the book, it's really easy to warm to her. Yes, she's annoying, and socially awkward without knowing it, and maybe in need of professional help. But after spending time in her head, you really do see her like a friend. You want her to prosper, to have the life that she deserves, to finally overcome her demons. You root for her. And that's a real credit to Gail Honeyman, who managed to make the world root for a character that we don't even really like.

The other reason I warmed to the book was because of the other main character, Raymond, who I'm completely and utterly in love with, for no other reason than his unfathomable kindness. It only takes a small gesture to make someone's day, and Raymond is the king of the small gesture. He changes the lives of those around him by simply asking them to lunch or visiting them when they're feeling down, and it's really endearing and heartwarming.

What I found really interesting, was the subject matter of the book, because it could have been about many things. It could have been a love story, a thriller, a fraught drama or 'chick lit' and still would have been completely marketable. But the fact that it's simply a story about loneliness and the power of friendship is what made me love it. I'm sure everyone reading can see even a tiny part of Eleanor in themselves, and the relatability of the character is why this book is as popular as it is, in my opinion.

What was good?
In addition to everything I just mentioned, Honeyman did a great job of weaving in more than one story. She gave hints at just the right places, and even when you think that you know absolutely everything about Eleanor's past, there's still a secret or two that need uncovering.

What was bad?
As I already said, the first 1/4 or so is really hard to get through, or at least, it was for me. Also, when you read the story and look at the events that happened individually, it seems like you as the reader have been through quite a journey with Eleanor. But when you look back on it with hindsight, not that much actually happens.

Overall
I would definitely recommend this book. If you think you can't get through the first quarter, keep pushing, because soon you won't be able to put it down.

3.5/5 Stars!

Lou