Ami's Totally BOOK-ish Review: "Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine" by Gail Honeyman

It was a lazy summer day and I was on vacation. There are two things my family does on holiday: eat a ton and find the local bookstore!
 
After the eating was done, the rest and relaxation with a book began! 
 
I lay out on my lounge chair and picked up Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. I loved the title. I loved the cover. I was suspicious if I would love the book (bookseller’s hint: books with the best covers often have the worst plots).
 
But as I dove into the story of quirky and eccentric Eleanor Oliphant, I fell head over heels for this character and her story. 
 
There is psychology, neurodiversity, trauma, humour and most importantly, friendship. I read it in one sunny sitting, and I hope you do too (that is, if we get any sun… welcome to West Coast Spring).
 
Life for Eleanor has always been fine, and she is fine with fine. 
 
Life is predictable, if not a little lonely. Sure, she doesn’t always know how to act in social situations. Sure, she doesn’t always think before she speaks. But she does always have a plan for the weekend: pizza, vodka (lots), and phone chats with Mummy.
 
But then one day everything is thrown up in the air. When Sammy, an elderly gentleman, falls on the sidewalk, Eleanor, along with Raymond (the clumsy and awkward IT guy from her office) join forces to help him. 
 
Up to this point Raymond has been a stranger she works with. He doesn’t make the best impression, and impressions are important to Eleanor. He’s a bit sloppy - a bit unhygienic - but as Sammy, Eleanor, and Raymond begin to learn about each other, a reluctant friendship develops.  
 
For Eleanor, suddenly life doesn’t seem that predictable anymore. Raymond and Sammy accept her, maybe even like her. And for Raymond and Sammy, friendship seems to be changing them as well.
 
Could friendship really be in the cards for someone like them? And if Eleanor opens her heart to other people, will it heal what’s been broken inside her for far too long?
 
This is a warm, uplifting story that is a cross between The Maid (Nita Prose) and A Man Called Ove (Fredrik Backman), with a side of weird and wit thrown in. 
 
One of my favourites, it’s on the shelf now at Totally Book-ish.

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