Ratings614
Average rating4.1
** all we need is a little love (and food, shelter, money, medicines) but yeah, human companionship **
I was so worried that this was going to be a case of “over-hyped books that are actually just average.” Happy to report I was only 27% right. This book apparently made it to Reese Witherspoon's book club and thus causing a riot. (later part may need fact-checking)
I have been wanting to read the book for over a year now. I saw this popping up everywhere. On my Instagram page, recommended by Bookgrammers, overpriced airport book shops, in newsletters of artists I respect and admire. Heck, a stranger even raved about it in one of my book club visits.
So last week I decided, Eleanor Oliphant it is! Since I can't buy stuff right now and Amazon won't deliver (read: national lockdown), I got an ebook on my iPad. I firmly believe that if I had read this as a paperback, I would have enjoyed it 13% more. (Don't ask me why I know I would have).
I start very slow, I felt a bit lost, but the simple fluid writing got me through it. It was very reminiscent of Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion. The first 100 or so pages felt very average; it wasn't a badly written story - I just didn't see the mass appeal around it. But as Eleanor's character grew, so did my interest and involvement with the book. Her character arc is paced very well, and Gail Honeyman did a bloody good job with it, more so since this is her debut novel. You're with Eleanor as she goes through the ebb and flow of growing, hurting, learning, and growing a bit more. I did feel the musician story arc was a bit rushed and ended a bit abruptly since it was presented as a singular focus of the protagonist for most of the first half of the book. But I nitpick.
It was an absolute joy and delight to see how many genuinely nice human beings through the book. All these characters - strangers, trying to be kind, supportive, warm, friendly, and overall decent human beings. With all the hard work and kindness of essential works and healthcare staff in our current times, this just restored my faith in humans even more. The central theme of the book is the value of fostering deep human relations - the introduction of which causes Eleanor's life to change for the better. It's visible with characters like Raymond, Sammy, and Laura.
Can we talk about Raymond for a hot second? Let's do that. Raymond, you gem of a human being. Anyone who knows me well has been an audience to my “nice guy” rant at least once. I hate the “nice guy” trope. I despise it when men are all “nice” and “sweet” and “helpful” but also dorky in their own adorable way but whine when they don't get the girl (read: Brian Jackson from Starter for Ten) feeling that they were entitled to it be with her, to begin with. Like, nuh-uh, ain't nobody got time for that drama. Raymond was a refreshing character. He is genuinely a nice human being. Ladies and Gentlemen, news flash, a real nice guy won't tell you he is one every five seconds - his actions speak for him.
The plot could have very easily divulged into a rom-com story but didn't, instead of celebrating the power and grace of a healthy, positive friendship. We don't see Raymond or Eleanor trying to do nice things to get into each other's pants, but just do them for the sake of it. Raymond is your classic gentleman - goofy, a little shabby, big-heart, pragmatic, but also pushing boundaries. His efforts to support Eleanor through her trauma and pushing her out of her comfort zone, sometimes through mundane acts like grabbing lunch or a pint, is truly nice. Being nice is when you do things without expecting something in return, and that's what my man Raymond does. It is just so comforting to see two individuals of opposite sex helping one another and enabling their growth because they are “pals” and “that's what friends do” without forcefully driving it into a romantic direction. YES - need more of this, please.
This book deal with some weighty issues - childhood trauma, gaslighting, domestic abuse, chronic depression, toxic relationships. But as a reader, not once did I feel like Eleanor was a “victim.” As she declares in the last chapter, “I am a survivor!” - heck yes, you are! We are delicately guided through Eleanor's trauma and adversities while giving us space to deal with our own reality. I saw a very non-fluff, a non-romanticized depiction of therapy in this book. It is slow; it is messy, and once your hour's up - you could be a hot crying mess but will still be guided out of the room. Getting help for mental health is neither shown as shameful, not glamorous, just like getting help for a physical alignment and for that, kudos.
Now, more than ever, since we are all isolated some comforting human connections, maybe this book will remind you to reach out to your friends and have a heart to heart.
It's a solid book with a slightly predictable storyline, but the stellar set of characters make it worth reading. Yes, it was slow to grow one, but by the end of it, I had a big fat smile on me ‘ol face. (argh, I am reading too much British fiction)