Book Review: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

“I feel sorry for beautiful people. Beauty, from the moment you possess it, is already slipping away, ephemeral. That must be difficult. Always having to prove that there’s more to you, wanting people to see beneath the surface, to be loved for yourself, and not your stunning body, sparkling eyes or thick, lustrous hair.”

Gail Honeyman, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

Review:

Eleanor Oliphant is certain she’s found ‘the one’ — a handsome band member who she sees on stage one night after winning tickets to a concert. It was fate. 

While she begins to work on her ‘project’, Eleanor meets a new co-worker named Raymond. They end up spending more time together after they save the life of an elderly man they find in the street, They become honorary members of Sammy’s family, and for the first time, Eleanor finds herself amongst friends. 

I’ve had this book on my TBR for years after a friend of mine recommended it to me. I’ve put it off, knowing that I trusted this friend’s recommendation and wanted to wait for the perfect moment to pick it up. As I’d anticipated, it won my heart. 

While I can’t claim to wholly relate to Eleanor’s character/personality (honestly, I wish I could speak my mind as she does, there was a lot in this book that hit me. The book tackles some difficult topics and doesn’t shy away from the grit. It also focuses a great deal on friendship with hints of found family. It wasn’t quite what I’d anticipated, nonetheless, it was a lovely reading experience. 

Likes & Dislikes:

What I liked:

• The perspective of an anxious/neurodivergent character.
• The relationship between Eleanor and Raymond.
• Elements of found family.

What I didn’t like:

• Some scenes/comments rubbed me the wrong way.
• There were a couple of noticeable plotholes, especially pertaining to Eleanor’s past.

Afterthoughts:

Am I alone in seeing a subtle parallel to Breakfast at Tiffany’s? Not in the way where I would say that Eleanor is a clone of Holly, but Holly is in her own way neurodivergent and Raymond is similar to Paul in the way he looks out for her, caring for her as herself.

Where to buy the book: