Very enjoyable. Quirky, funny, a mystery slowly unravelling. Ultimately kind and humane. This is another where it feels churlish to quibble, but I feel like the plot could have been a little more complex, but maybe that misses the point. Also slightly unsure of how realistic it is (depiction of mental illness, also many people seem just a little bit too nice), but ultimately it's very effective (and affecting) so I'm not holding it against it. I recommend. ( )

A heavy read, but a great exploration of loneliness, trauma, and mental health. However, it can drag on a bit in the first act. ( )

Eleanor Oliphant wasn't always completely fine - she became so - and this story by Gail Honeyman tells us how Eleanor did it.

The genius of Honeyman's writing is that by the end of the book, the reader is in no doubt that "completely fine" perfectly describes Eleanor's mental state.

And, given the situations which Eleanor experiences to become "completely fine", you might even be tempted to go further: Eleanor Oliphant is alright! ( )

This is a truly wonderful book! I have to admit, at first I was fairly sceptical at the prospect of yet another socially-awkward character, but very soon Eleanor won me over completely.
As we follow Eleanor through her daily routine, it soon becomes apparent that her inability to relate to others in a social context is the result of emotional and psychological abuse as a child. This becomes particularly clear during Eleanor's weekly calls to "Mummy", which completely chilled me to the bone.

Everything in Eleanor's carefully planned life, however, is about to change as two extraordinary things happen: first, she falls in love with a musician while attending a concert; second, she meets Raymond, the bumbling new IT guy from her office, and Sammy, an elderly gentleman whom she and Raymond save after he falls on a sidewalk. Suddenly forced to amend her routine and looking to obtain a complete makeover to win over her man, Eleanor starts to realise that she can be loved and she deserves more than she had so far. But in order to do so, she will need to confront secrets she buried so deep, even she doesn't remember the truth anymore - and she'll need to do it before their weight crushes her. As she embarks on this journey of discovery of herself and the world around her, Eleanor has to come to terms with a past that is far too painful - and she has to accept that she doesn't have to do it alone.

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine is a tiny jewel of a book. At times funny (Eleanor's first wax had me doubled over), at times heartbreaking, always tender, this book broke my heart and put it back together several times. I loved watching the world through Eleanor's eyes, and I felt like cheering her on at every small step she took towards regaining control over her own life. This is one character I am certain will stay with me for a really long time. I enjoyed the writing style very much, and found more than once that I did not want to stop reading. I could hardly believe this was the author's debut! I'll definitely look out for more of her books.

For this and more reviews, visit Book for Thought.

I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way. ( )

What a great book. A friend suggested this one and I'm so glad she did! There was a reveal at the end that I actually didn't even guess! ( )