Fourth Grade Journey

A Fourth Grade Teacher's Journey Through the World of Books

Tuesday, February 6, 2018

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

How I Heard About It:  My sister, who is also a reader, told me about this title.  When I saw it on the "Cloud Library" app, I downloaded it and have been listening to it the last couple of weeks during my commute to and from work.  

What It Is About:  Eleanor is an adult women that lives a predictable life.  She wears the same type of clothing each day.  She eats the same type of food for each meal.  Eleanor is a creature of habit.  She likes her life to have a routine, order, and schedule.  While she would like to connect with others, she has a difficult time with personal relationships and social situations.  One coping mechanism Eleanor has is her "friendship" with the vodka bottle.  She is able to keep this part of her life a secret until a friend/co-worker discovers there may be an issue with Eleanor and alcohol.  Eleanor has never had a relationship, but is determined to meet a local musician and begin a new life with him.  When her plan doesn't quite go her way, she spirals down, and ends up in therapy.  During her sessions, she begins to uncover the secrets she has been hiding since her childhood.  Her mother is strictly opposed to Eleanor sharing these pieces of information and will do everything in her power to keep their family "issues" kept hidden from the rest of the world.  

What I Thought Of It:  I listened for quite a long time to make sure Eleanor was completely fine.  She was a character that I cared about and found myself wanting to help her on more than one occasion during the story.  I knew there had to be something "BIG" from her childhood that contributed to her adult state, and boy was I right.  Eleanor wanted the best for herself, and I found myself wanting the best for her also.  Her support system was incredible and those that opposed her were just as incredible.  It was a great story, strong plot, and one heck of a lead female character.  

Who Should Read It:   I would say this is the perfect novel for adults that enjoy character driven stories.  Female readers may be drawn to the book more than males due to the fact it centers on Eleanor, but I wouldn't say men couldn't read this book.  It was extremely well-written and the plot flowed from page to page.  Happy Reading!  

Rating:  5 STARS out of 5 Stars





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