Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
Ratings621
Average rating4.1
This is a story of survival and hope. I highly recommend this book for it's simplicity with which it has dealt with complex mental health issues. However, trigger warning: note that this book deals with issues of parent-child psychological abuse.
Eleanor Oliphant is a book that will challenge your idea of depression and dealing with severe childhood trauma. Although this may sound like a sad book, on the contrary, it is a story of quiet perseverance.
Wow. I kinda thought this was going to be another disappointing “I Hope This Finds You Well” kind of book, but it was so much more. Wow. Same!
Jane Eyre + Bridget Jones + Gone Girl.
I picked this up thinking it'd be a forgettable romance, but the first person narration was gripping and strangely empathetic. Just when you think you understand the entirety of the story, the floor drops out below you, and you find yourself stunned, the world entirely changed.
It's also hilarious. 5 well-deserved stars.
This is one of those books that is bound to stay with you in that little corner of your heart, ages after you have finished reading it. A beautiful coming of age story of a woman who has been through some unexpectedly dangerous incidents in the past and has survived to be a rather responsible adult. Well, as per what the society expects of responsible adults. Except for one thing, she has never got around to exploring what it means to be an emotionally intelligent adult.
She is an extremely awkward character who is discombobulated in social settings one can even say an unlikable misfit who doesn't even try in the slightest to fit in. On top of that, she's judgemental to her very core and often comes across as rude and mean with her words. Although, I enjoyed her internal monologue throughout, which is funny and makes it a hilarious read.
The whole story is divided into three parts, the good, the bad and the better. I loved how the book explores the theme of loneliness in adulthood and its devastating consequences on our mental health. The story also sheds light on how important it is to come to grips with our past and how crucial it is to learn to forgive ourselves and make peace in the present.
Eleanor Oliphant highlights those parts of us which we may have maybe hidden away in the crevices of our hearts, never to be bothered again. The message the book tries to impart is one of hope and how it's very important to talk and share our heart out from time to time with the people who care about us and our loved ones. And that it's never too late to start doing that. The conclusion when Eleanor comes to realise that how everyone is going through something or may have been through something and it's imperative to be kind to people. It's a long way for her and damn difficult but good to see her walking down that path of growth, towards the end of the book.
A beautiful read! I'd give this one 4.75 out of 5. Deducting 0.25 stars for how the writer has shown Eleanor being mean to people at times, with her words. That something I think could have been toned down a bit. Overall, it's an amazing read!💯
I have no words. This is a story that will stick with me. My thoughts are consumed, trying to process this amazing story.
I do not know when I last read a more enjoyable book. As someone on the spectrum, Eleanor's thoughts are completely relatable. She is a funny, fragile heroine you root for from beginning to end.
Wow, I don't think I've read a book about loneliness that's so personal in its experience.
In Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine you slowly but surely develop a picture of a whole person. She's not a great person, but she's not a bad either. She doesn't know who she is, she doesn't know she's struggling, which I think is the part that got me the most. This book is a perfect encapsulation of the simple fact that the small moments that we share with others may mean nothing to you, but so much to others.
Definitely a tough read if you're struggling with any sort of mental illness, loneliness or depression. It's a beautiful book of resiliency, but it doesn't mean that it's not hard to read.
4.25
This novel is about the titular character Eleanor Oliphant, a 29 year old women, who lives a lonely life. She is completely fine with that until she isn't and decides to make some significant changes in her life after having a chance encounter with the “love of her life.”
According to Honeyman, through this book she wanted to address the increasing loneliness among young people and that led to inception of Eleanor.
The first half of this book is boring and a bit too long, Eleanor gets a crush and she starts creating a cookie-cutter fantasy with him in her head. But when this fantasy is shattered by the reality of her life, that's when this book gets interesting.
We get to see this character unravel and face their issues. I really liked the fact that the book didn't let the other characters “fix” Eleanor but rather gave her the agency to do it at her pace.
DNF @ 11%. It's not that the book wasn't well written or interesting. It's just that I wanted something more light hearted. The description makes it sound like Eleanor is just a girl who's a little antisocial and she finds friends and learns that life is worth living. I was excepting something feel good like Hallmark movie. This book is not that. Eleanor is pretty unlikable, very odd, and she's got some TRAUMA to overcome. I'm sure it's a wonderful story but...I just wanted to listen to a low stakes audiobook while I'm at work.
Loved this book so much, its hard to describe :)) It's a bit slow at first, especially getting used to the protagonist (an odd woman who continually misses social cues but ironically blames it on others social incapacities) but its so worth pushing through those first few chapters! Enter some kind souls who sort of bear through her antics, get to know her a bit better and continue to care and support her when life goes south.
I wouldn't say this is a light read, Eleanor is who she is because she's suffered loss and both physical and psychological trauma in the past, which is slowly revealed to the reader. She continues to struggle through alcoholism, depression and isolation throughout the book, which she is only able to survive with the help of therapy and the support of a friend. In saying that, despite dealing with such heavy topics, the book still manages to transmit a positive message that restores ones faith in humanity and the strength of the human spirit.
“I simply didn't know how to make things better. I could not solve the puzzle of me.”
What a surprise of a book! 4.5 ✨
Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine by Gail Honeyman is an emotional read that will stay with me for years to come.
In the book we follow our heroine, Eleanor, who is extremely socially awkward, takes everything literally and says exactly what she is thinking without a filter. At times, she can be very difficult to root for but the way the author handled Eleanor's growth is excellent.
During the first half I thought it wasnt going to be a particularly memorable read for me — Eleanor, while at times relatable, frustrated me a couple of times. However, the second hand of the book makes it all come together so beautifully that it made me love the story and root for Eleanor. She truly is one of a kind 💕
The thing I loved most about the book was the way mental health struggles were portrayed. They were well-written, handled with care and relatable. This is what made the ending feel so rewarding and it gives you hope for the future without being overdone.
I love and truly appreciate seeing neurodivergent characters being written with so much care.
This book will definitely stay with me for awhile.
If you like audiobooks, I can highly recommend this one, it was superb.
Rating: 4.6 leaves out of 5-Characters: 4/5 -Cover: 5/5-Story: 4.75/5-Writing: 5/5Genre: Mental Health, Psychological, Contemporary, Romance-Mental Health: 4/5-Psychological: 5/5-Contemporary: 4/5-Romance: 1/5 Type: AudiobookWorth?: Yes!Hated Disliked Meh It Was Okay Liked Loved FavoritedI never thought I would pick up this book. It was never something that caught my eye but thanks to Casually Bookish (a discord book club) I gave it a go. I will admit I didn't quite like Eleanor for a good chunk of the book. You can have sympathy for people but that doesn't mean you have to like them. I know a lot of people will say different. As kindly as I can say this, eff them. Anyway, back to the book. So the beginning of the book to about 1/4th of the book I wasn't really into her but the people around her. Then things started to turn and I love her. The second half of the book is so emotional and by the end I was in tears. Worth the read!
#SPOILERS START HERE!
I think I fell in love with the narrator from the first page as she works in an office environment since I do too. I really did resonate with her feelings and point of views. That the story is written in a slow but meticulous flow helps further the development of the story.
I particularly like that Eleanor and Raymond don't end up as a couple. As someone who has often had similar feelings that Eleanor has, it's not love that I seek. It's more often than not, for someone to just... be there. Regularly.
This is an absolutely well written book and one that delves into the themes of depression, trauma, and abuse with a degree of accuracy. I commend the author for putting this story out.
What did you guys think of the novel? How did Eleanor come across to you?
What a gem. Perfect mix of humor and heartbreak, along with a cast of perfectly drawn characters, made this an immensely satisfying reading experience.
If I didn't have to give full stars, this would likely be a 4.5, but I'm rounding up because I really loved this book. I loved getting to know these characters. Through reading this book, you start to get to know Eleanor, her way of thinking, her routines, and her story. Told from her perspective, you see the world through her eyes and the stories she tells herself. It's equal parts delightful and tragic. I miss her already!
Very readable and engaging, surprisingly dark. I enjoyed the portrayal of the counselling/therapy and found it realistic. Autism is never mentioned in this book, yet the main charactor Eleanor certainly has recognisable autistic traits, particularly literal thinking, alexithymia, and preference for routine. Yet I found this portrayal to verge on stereotypical tropes at times, and what behaviours were trauma and what was neurodivergence were very blurred sometimes. This might not be an issue in itself except for the fact that when Eleanor was shown to recover from trauma, some of her autistic behaviours were written away and she began to camouflage more and try to “fit in”. This was depicted as a good thing, a sign she was healing getting better, like the autistic traits were a sign of ill-health. So yeah, didn't feel comfortable on that one. But I did like the depiction of the slow and gradual building of connection, gradual trust, interest and opening up after trauma. That was very real and beautiful.
a frank, mostly unsurprisin' yet captivating little story about a pretentious, rude but somehow charming woman who is struggling to reconnect to the world. if you've ever been in a really dark, depressed spot in your life, you may find her inner monologue and self-criticism especially relatable.
i liked it a lot. i'd say it's overall a good, not great, book.
if you liked this, i'd pass a slight recommendation of Where'd You Go, Bernadette? (either the book, or the movie.) a less tragic story of an equally eccentric, agoraphobic woman who has lost her place in the world
I've got fairly mixed feelings about this. On one hand, there's a very potent message of coming to terms with grief, one I believe is generally handled well. There's a certain moment towards the end of the book that genuinely had my eyes a bit watery. But on the other hand, the way Eleanor is written didn't always work for me - there's a handful of things about her social ineptitude, etc, that felt a bit odd or served to make Eleanor seem more childlike than she should. I'm not opposed to the ideas, just think that the writing was a bit off at times. But otherwise, there's a lot I loved about this. Would recommend it overall.