Monday, June 23, 2014

Monday, June 23, 2014 - , , , No comments

Eleanor and Park:

Rating: 5 Stars
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Version: Hardcover

 GoodReads:
Two misfits.
One extraordinary love.

Eleanor... Red hair, wrong clothes. Standing behind him until he turns his head. Lying beside him until he wakes up. Making everyone else seem drabber and flatter and never good enough...Eleanor.

Park... He knows she'll love a song before he plays it for her. He laughs at her jokes before she ever gets to the punch line. There's a place on his chest, just below his throat, that makes her want to keep promises...Park.


Set over the course of one school year, this is the story of two star-crossed sixteen-year-olds—smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try.

 Review:

 I absolutely loved this book - as I do with all of Rainbow Rowells’s works! 

If you’ve ever changed schools or been to high school in general, then you’ll be able to relate to Eleanor. She’s just transferred schools and is met with a less than welcoming environment to say the least. Things aren’t better at home either, because her stepdad makes life a living hell and he’s the financial backbone of the household. Eleanor shares a small room with her siblings, who cling to each other for support, especially when hearing their “parents” fight. 

This book bothered me, simply because I could relate to Eleanor. I also had a step parent who made my life a living hell. However, that’s all in the past. Yet, like then, I can’t understand why Eleanor’s mom couldn’t escape her situation or why she CHOSE to allow situations to happen. It’s really hard to say what I mean without giving away spoilers, but Eleanor’s mom allowed Richie (the stepdad), to treat her like trash. She even forced Eleanor and her children in the car when Richie was driving drunk. There are plenty of other instances that are up for discussion, but I’ll stop here. 

The ending of this book was a huge WOW factor. I caught a little bit of foreshadowing when Maisie and Richie were watching TV together, but I honestly didn’t connect that to Eleanor’s situation. Another part of the ending I really enjoyed was seeing Eleanor’s ‘enemies’ helping her in her time of need, it was truly heart touching. 

I realized I haven’t said a word about Park yet. For Eleanor, Park seems to be the light at the end of the tunnel or the sole thing keeping her alive. Without Park, Eleanor would be in hell 24/7 and the little bits of time they can schedule together: bus rides home, “Tina’s” house, etc… are why she keeps preserving through. It was nice being able to see how their relationship grew and changed from each’s perspective, Rainbow Rowell is just fantastic at doing this.  As for Park, I disliked him at first, but he slowly grew on me. HIs family on the other hand, I still don’t particularly like his dad, but his mom was awesome. 


Let me know what you think of Eleanor and Park when you read it, because you’re definitely going to, right? Of course you are :D. 

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