Book Talk | Eleanor and Park

Title: Eleanor and Park
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Page Count: 329
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance
Goodreads Rating: 4.12
My Rating: 4
Book Cover Rating: 3/5
Would Recommend To: Fluffy romance lovers.
Bad Book Review: Let a girl read your comic book and she will fall in love with you
Review Type: Spoiler free
 

Synopsis

Eleanor is the new girl in town, and she's never felt more alone. All mismatched clothes, mad red hair and chaotic home life, she couldn't stick out more if she tried. Then she takes the seat on the bus next to Park. Quiet, careful and - in Eleanor's eyes - impossibly cool, Park's worked out that flying under the radar is the best way to get by.

Slowly, steadily, through late-night conversations and an ever-growing stack of mix tapes, Eleanor and Park fall in love. They fall in love the way you do the first time, when you're 16, and you have nothing and everything to lose. Set over the course of one school year in 1986, Eleanor & Park is funny, sad, shocking and true - an exquisite nostalgia trip for anyone who has never forgotten their first love. 

The Storyline

I have to be honest and say that not that much happened in this book, but that didn't really matter to me because everything that happened was so cute that it didn't have to be thrilling and exciting, because I wanted to continue reading no matter what.

Obviously, this book is about two teenagers who fall in love. That's not a spoiler, it's literally on the cover of the book. I don't want to call their relationship instant love, because it wasn't, but it did kind of feel like it came out of nowhere to me. They were riding on the bus and not talking to each other and than Park gives her comic books, still not talking to her, and then they are suddenly holding hands. It just felt like their whole relationship started out of the blue. To me it felt like they didn't take enough time to really get to know each other.

 The Main Characters

I'm gonna say something that most people won't agree with, but both Eleanor and Park felt a bit flat to me. Maybe that's just a contemporary novel thing, I don't know, I usually read fantasy and historical fiction. I just really feel like I didn't get to know them. Both Eleanor and Park have their own POV in this novel, and yet I know almost nothing about either of them, just things such as their hobbies and how old they are. The only character we got a little bit of history from was Eleanor, but even that wasn't much.

Aside from their love for each other, there also weren't many feelings involved. I never felt either of them feel sad, or happy or anything besides love each other. It was just a big shame to me.

Despite all of that, I did really like both characters. I could relate to Park a lot, because I also love rock/indie music and like dressing grunge. Eleanor I could relate to less. I also have curly hair, so I know how much of a struggle it is, but I take really good care of it and feel like Eleanor would look so much better if she did too. I also love to wear nice clothes and look good, so I couldn't really relate to Eleanor on that level either.

Eleanor's Home Situation

This is also a very important part of the book and oh my god how much I hate Richie. Eleanor's parents are divorced (this also isn't a spoiler because you find out really quick) and her mother married this guy named Richie. Richie is an abusive asshole. All of the 5 kids in the house sleep in the same room (unbelievable) and he actually kicked Eleanor out of the house for a whole year. Every time he was being an asshole or arguing with her mother, I just wanted to tell her mom to take her kids and leave the place. Sometimes I was so angry at her mom because she did nothing to stand up to Richie. Of course it isn't easy and she's scared and leaving wasn't really an option, but she couldn't done something to stand up to him. Instead she just sat and watched.

My review for this book may be a bit critical, but I did really enjoy this book. Rainbow Rowell her novels may not be the best and deepest works of literature out there, but they make me smile and I like books that make me smile.
Don't forget to leave a comment with your thoughts!

 

Favorite Quotes

“Eleanor was right. She never looked nice. She looked like art, and art wasn't supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something.” 

 ~

“You saved my life, she tried to tell him. Not forever, not for good. Probably just temporarily. But you saved my life, and now I'm yours. The me that's me right now is yours. Always.” 

   

~

“And because I’m so out of control, I can’t help myself. I’m not even mine anymore, I’m yours, and what if you decide that you don’t want me? How could you want me like I want you?”