Book Review: Eleanor & Park

Having already posted a review of one of Rainbow Rowell's other works, Fan Girl, you can tell we are big fans of hers. But another of her books, Eleanor & Park, legitimately caught me off guard. I was not expecting to fly through it, nor feel all of the things I did while reading. 

Eleanor & Park is one of those books that becomes a part of you.

Set in 1980s America, Eleanor & Park, follows two misfit high school students and the relationship they share. Eleanor is the new girl. She is plump, dresses strangely, and has wild red hair. Park is half Korean and very into music, and he likes to keep his head down and not draw attention to himself. That is, until the day Eleanor gets on the school bus and he sacrifices his empty seat so the poor, awkward new girl won't have to stand in the aisle any longer.

From here the story slowly develops into one of the sweetest and most honest love stories I have ever read. They fall hopelessly in love, despite their wishes and what they believe to be their better judgement. It is cute, and funny, and wonderful. But it is not perfect. Eleanor comes from a very bad home situation which forces them to keep their relationship hidden from her family. It also makes Eleanor self-conscious in the relationship. And Park often struggles with being ok dating the new girl that everyone picks on.

It is what young love is all about. Rowell truly knows how to bring back all of those feelings and thoughts that everyone has had. She also does an amazing job describing how those feelings really feel.

It felt different. Like, it set her lungs and her stomach on edge. There was something exciting about it, and something nervous. It made Eleanor feel like everything, like the world, wasn't what she'd thought it was. And that was a good thing. That was the greatest thing.

Holding Eleanor's hand was like holding a butterfly. Or a heartbeat. Like holding something complete, and completely alive.

I melted. And honestly, I think I need Rainbow Rowell's help to find the words to tell you how I felt about this book. My feelings evolved as the story went on. They were light and sweet and nostalgic as they began to hold hands. They were deep and passionate when they shared their first kiss and couldn't bear to be away from one another. And they were fearful of the end, of what often happens to first loves and high school relationships. I thought the ending was going to be hard to get through; I thought it was going to be painful and beautiful.  But it was so much more than that. It was painful, it was joyful, it was perfect. 

By the end, I felt like I had gone through the roller-coaster that is first love. Eleanor & Park made me feel so much all at once, and when it was over, I was left with that terrible empty feeling you get when you finish a great book (that's a good thing).

Now, for any of you thinking, "Romance? Ew!" I agree; Ew (most of the time). Yet this book is not one of those "most of the time" books. The plot sounds simple, and the subject matter sissy and perhaps a bit Y.A. But, in my opinion, this is not a Y.A. novel. In fact, do not buy or recommend this book to anyone under the age of 18. It's not very graphic, but it's not for kids or young teens. And even if you are/have a mature teenager who you trust with adult language and light sexual subject matter, this book isn't for them. It's for people who have already lived through this part of their lives and can look back with Rowell and remember. It's for men and women who have felt like flying when they held someone's hand for the first time.

So if you'd like to look back and remember what it feels like to fly, read this book and laugh, and cry, and love.

Have you read Eleanor & Park? Did you fall in love? Was everyone as pumped as I was that it won best YA Fiction in the Goodreads Choice Awards?!

Title: Eleanor & Park

Author:  Rainbow Rowell

Genre: Fiction

Recommendation: Yes

Best Reader Audience: Mature Male and Female readers

Final Rating: Five out of Five mugs of hot chocolate

Title: Ready Player One

Author: Ernest Cline

Genre: Science-Fiction

Recommendation: Yes

Best Reader Audience: Male and Female readers from Young Adult level and up

Final Rating: Five out of Five mugs of hot chocolate

- See more at: http://lonebookclub.blogspot.com/2013/08/book-review-ready-player-one.html#sthash.QxXxY51X.dpuf

Title: Ready Player One

Author: Ernest Cline

Genre: Science-Fiction

Recommendation: Yes

Best Reader Audience: Male and Female readers from Young Adult level and up

Final Rating: Five out of Five mugs of hot chocolate

- See more at: http://lonebookclub.blogspot.com/2013/08/book-review-ready-player-one.html#sthash.QxXxY51X.dpuf

Do you want to relive falling in love for the first time? Use the link below and your purchase will help support the Lone Book Club!