336 pages
English language
Published Feb. 27, 2017
A sweet, charming, poignant little book.
Maybe I do love heartfelt stuff after all
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.
Bis zur Hälfte gezweifelt, ob ichs gut finde, aber danach wurde ich mehrmals positiv überrascht, und es gibt ein sehr schönes Ende!
This was a pretty good story about a quirky, kooky character until about the last quarter of the book. Then the story became far fetched and the ending was rushed and unbelievable. I mean it's good if you're not looking for anything too demanding and just need something easy to read to unwind.
I don't recall who recommended this book, but thank you, it was a very quick and enjoyable read, and I didn't know what to expect at all. The whole book is told from the point of view of Eleanor Oliphant, a very intelligent accountant at a graphics design firm who, we slowly come to realize, is not in fact completely fine. She exists - on a schedule predictable down to the minute - and has done so until the age of 30 where we first meet her. Her coworkers mock or ignore her, which doesn't particularly bother her, as she's long ago decided to simply be who she is and not pretend about anything.
Then two things disrupt her regularly scheduled life: winning a raffle ticket to a concert, where she's captivated by the handsome singer, causing her to start making some changes to her life to try and get …
I don't recall who recommended this book, but thank you, it was a very quick and enjoyable read, and I didn't know what to expect at all. The whole book is told from the point of view of Eleanor Oliphant, a very intelligent accountant at a graphics design firm who, we slowly come to realize, is not in fact completely fine. She exists - on a schedule predictable down to the minute - and has done so until the age of 30 where we first meet her. Her coworkers mock or ignore her, which doesn't particularly bother her, as she's long ago decided to simply be who she is and not pretend about anything.
Then two things disrupt her regularly scheduled life: winning a raffle ticket to a concert, where she's captivated by the handsome singer, causing her to start making some changes to her life to try and get to know him; and, being befriended by Raymond, the big-hearted IT guy at work.
What starts as a story of a regular woman at an everyday job slowly develops over the novel as we learn more and more tidbits about Eleanor's unusual circumstances and past. Why does she have a scar on one side of her face? Why are the conversations with her mother distinctly creepy? Why doesn't she remember much about her past? As she starts to break out of her old routine, we slowly learn more and more about Eleanor Oliphant, as she does also.
I really enjoyed slowly learning who Eleanor actually is, and why she is the way she is, all slowly and carefully revealed like layers peeling off an onion as the book progresses. An interesting look at an unusual person and the value of kindness, friendship, and humanity.
This story took a while for me to get into. Partly, it's that the protagonist isn't terribly likeable, and the main plot seems to be her just being horrible to people.
However, as things go on, you begin to enjoy getting to know her, and observing her interactions with people, her simultaneous intelligence and social cluelessness, it's hard not to start pulling for her. Even though you know very well that the crush she has on the musician (which drives a large part of the plot) is not going to turn out well.
It's a fascinating portrait of a person who has experienced deep trauma.
MILD SPOILER AHEAD
In the end, the emotional transformation is very satisfying, as is the ending, where she finally starts putting pieces together.
A sweet story about the terror of loneliness and the beauty of striving to reconnect.
Very well written. The story of Eleanor's past is revealed gradually - a comment here, a flash of memory there - as the main story progresses. Like In the Woods, this novel offers a study of how the human psyche copes with things that are just too overwhelming to integrate; it also illustrates the way that relationships can create safe spaces for healing to begin.
I finished this book in two days. What begins as a seemingly lighthearted read which reminded me of Britt Marie Was Here turns quickly into a deeply psychological exploration of loneliness, abuse, memory, and love. Would highly recommend.
I feel like there's a new sub-genre of fiction that is built around quirky curmudgeons who have awkward social skills (eg. A Man Called Ove, Britt Marie Was Here, Don't Let Me Go, etc.) and while there might be a gem in the pack (Ove?) it is starting to feel a bit formulaic. There were aspects of Eleanor Oliphant that I enjoyed, so had it been my first foray into this type of book, I probably would've given it four stars. Alas, apparently I'm as stingy and judgmental as Miss Oliphant.
