BOOK REVIEW // Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - Gail Honeyman

Ah, where to start with this book, I didn't want it to end, although I'm pretty sure I think that with any good book but this one just sort of captures your heart, the characters, the storyline, the under currents throughout the book that all build up to the final few chapters of the book, it's so well written, sucks you in and you start to really care about the characters and what happens. Essentially the book follows the story of Eleanor Oliphant, the main character who has worked at the same company for the past 10 years, each weekend consists of the same routine and her main contact is a weekly call that takes place with her mother, very little changes in Eleanor's routine which is how she likes it until one day something does change and thus we follow Eleanor's story. 

This book has been talked about all over the place and for good reason, I first heard of it before it was released as did many as this book was shortlisted for the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize before it was even completed, I remember reading the blurb and immediately wanting to read it. I bought it as soon as it came out but I was already part way through a book and for some reason kept putting off reading it until later on in the year. I think because it had been so hyped both in the press and in my head, I didn't want it to disappoint. Eventually, when I did pick it up, I managed to read it in three days, it really is one of those that sucks you in. There's something about Eleanor Oliphant that you really warm to, to a certain extent I think we all know an Eleanor or certainly come across people like Eleanor in daily life, someone who comes across as being difficult or weird when in reality they're actually just struggling with something, be it trauma or mental health, there's a moral element in this book about judgement, no matter how someone acts or looks, until you truly know them, you have no idea of who they really are and I loved that, it was subtle but it was one of the themes that I really took away from this. 

Although the storyline is somewhat darker than you originally think, there's a real element of humour in the book, albeit somewhat subtly, Eleanor's views and opinions of people are so cutting at times, they really make you laugh out loud.
I'm going to really miss Eleanor even though she's only been part of my life for a few short days but I'm already so excited to read more from Gail Honeyman who I think is going to be a bit of a treasure of an author.


Have you read this, what did you think?


Soph x