Author: Gail Honeyman
Pages: 390
First Published: 2018
What is it about: Eleanor Oliphant leads a simple life. She wears the same clothes to work every day, eats the same meal every day and buys the same two bottles of vodka to drink every weekend.
Eleanor Oliphant is happy. Nothing is missing from her carefully timetabled existence. Except, sometimes, everything...
My Thoughts: I am a bit behind time with this book. When everyone was reading it when it first came out, I did not understand what the fuss was all about. So, when I saw a copy of the book in a charity shop, I decided to pick it up.
I have to admit, when I started it, it was so strange that I almost put it down. I powered through a few more pages and I was hooked!
Eleanor is a very strange woman. She has no clue how to interact with other people, resulting in extremely embarrassing and extremely funny at the same time.
Something has happened in her past and she doesn't talk about it. She has locked it far away in her mind, but this is affecting her reality.She experience love for the first time and it's like watching teenagers with their first crush.
"Well, there was a man that I took a bit of a liking to, a little
crush, you might say, and I got slightly carried away, and then I
realised that, actually, I'd been a bit silly. We weren't going to be
together. And he - well, it turned out that he wasn't even right
for me anyway. He wasn't the man I thought he was. I felt sad
about that, and I felt extremely stupid for getting it all so wrong.
That's all it was..."
- - - - - SPOILER ALERT beyond this line - - - - -
But the book is more than this. There is a story of abuse and murder. Eleanor is this way because of her mother. She is very much conditioned to what she thinks of her, even after all this time. Reading the book, I found myself thinking, well, why don't you just stop talking to her; she's not good for you, you can clearly do better. And yet, Eleanor, never missed her weekly call with "Mommy", as she calls her.
I definitely don't want to spoil the whole book here; but this story is funny and it makes you think at the same time. For how much a person thinks their strong on their own, we all need help, we all need love.
I am guilty of this myself. I always think that I am a strong independent woman, that I don't need anyone in my life but myself. And for how much I still believe this, there are moments in which a simple phone call or a text from my family means more than anything in the world.
I am blessed to have such amazing family and friends that I can count on for anything. Good and bad things.
This book makes you think.
This book made me think.
If anyone needs help, I invite them to seek it. Whether in a family member, in a friend or in a stranger - sometimes it's easier - but do not bottle up your feelings.
Life is beautiful and everyone deserves to live it in full.
Ciao Ciao,
V.
