Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine | Book Review

Monday, April 23, 2018

I’ve heard so much about this book on social media yet when I finally decided to pick it up I didn’t know a whole lot about it. Not in detail anyway. In fact I was even a bit critical and unsure whether it would be worth the hype. But that was before I started reading. I don’t think it took more than 2 pages at most to get me hooked on this book!

The story follows Eleanor who leads a simple life, with a job she doesn’t particularly like and a set routine involving quite a bit of vodka at the weekends. At first – when we don’t yet know a lot about her - she isn’t particularly likeable but the more we read the more we understand the way Eleanor acts. All the way up to completely shocking revelations about Eleanor’s past.

Eleanor tends to say what she thinks without giving too much thought to other people’s feelings, carefully avoids social interaction and methodically plans out her everyday life until she meets her one and only and her life starts to revolve around making him notice her. But then comes the day when Eleanor meets Raymond and one unplanned and random act of kindness changes everything!

I LOVED this book. It’s not fast paced and not your classic page turner yet it’s kinda unputdownable! I really wanted to find out what had happened to Eleanor and how her life would turn out. I loved her observations and all the funny remarks she (mostly unintentionally) made. I love the kindness with which Raymond treats Eleanor without receiving much back for a long time.

And this book really made me think about the way we go about our everyday lives without much thought for other people. Easily dismissing others as ‘crazy’ or ‘weird’ or even ‘weak’. It is so so important to remind ourselves that we don’t know what other people are going through, what made them the way they are. And with that what a little kindness and some nice words can do for somebody else.

If you’re looking for a good book and don’t mind shedding a few tears then this is the one for you. I highly highly recommend it!!

You can get your copy on amazon by clicking here*: