Welcome to my review of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman!
Summary
Meet Eleanor Oliphant: she struggles with appropriate social skills and tends to say exactly what she’s thinking. Nothing is missing in her carefully timetabled life of avoiding unnecessary human contact, where weekends are punctuated by frozen pizza, vodka, and phone chats with Mummy.
But everything changes when Eleanor meets Raymond, the bumbling and deeply unhygienic IT guy from her office. When she and Raymond together save Sammy, an elderly gentleman who has fallen, the three rescue one another from the lives of isolation that they had been living. Ultimately, it is Raymond’s big heart that will help Eleanor find the way to repair her own profoundly damaged one. If she does, she’ll learn that she, too, is capable of finding friendship—and even love—after all. (Summary is from Goodreads).
Review
If you’re looking for a quick recommendation, yes, I would definitely recommend this book!
I listened to this book on audio, and I really enjoyed the narrator. When I first started listening, I was off-put by Eleanor. She seemed robotic, unfeeling, and grey at first. But as the book went on, she developed. She became a caring, kind, and loving character, but it took a lot of learning about herself and her past. I have to warn you that Eleanor’s past is a dark one that involved abuse and neglect, which could be difficult for some to read about. The author doesn’t go into great detail, but there are certainly some sadder parts that address her difficult childhood.
I ended up really enjoying this book by the end because I so admired Eleanor’s growth. I think that’s a great talent on the author’s part to take me from disliking the main character to loving her by the end. To witness the changes Eleanor made is a gift, even if she may not be real. It’s amazing to know there are others who share a similar background, and they overcome their traumatic past to make better lives for themselves.
If you enjoy a book about overcoming challenges, but the traditional inspirational book seems boring, then this one might be the right book for you! I would definitely recommend this book to a busy mom. It’s heartwarming (near the end) and gives us a greater appreciation for life.
Rating
Five out of five stars
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If you enjoyed my review of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, you might also like A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. Check out my review!
If you’re interested in purchasing Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, here are some quick links to buy the book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. And, if you’re interested to see what others think, here’s the link to the book on Goodreads.
