Oh, wow. What a book! I found myself completely drawn into Eleanor’s world. I felt and understood her insecurities and loneliness. I felt for her as I witnessed her insecurities and loneliness. Just … wow.

This book is beautifully written. Honeyman’s style is easy and warm, and it’s impossible to not slip inside the world she creates. I wanted so much to be able to help Eleanor.

So, the story ... Eleanor had something terrible happen to her when she was nine years old. Slowly, we uncover this event was a fire, and that it killed her younger sister Marianne. Since then, Eleanor was pushed from foster home to foster home, but due to the bad treatment and odd upbringing of her mother until that point, she has no social skills. She has never cared. What does she need with other people? But then, she meets Raymond, the computer tech guy at work, and he likes her. The progression of their friendship is beautiful to watch. I love Raymond. I think we could all use a friend like him. And the more Eleanor opens up to him, the more she begins to live and to realise how lonely she was before. She makes a comment at one point about how she understands how people literally die of loneliness, and I had tears streaming down my face at that point.

Eleanor’s boss, Bob, is a fantastic character, too. I wanted to hug him and thank him for really caring about Eleanor.

This is essentially a book about loneliness. Eleanor Oliphant has no one for company except for her mother’s once-weekly phone call, in which she berates Eleanor and tells her how evil and disgusting she is. I hated her mother. The twist at the end is perfect. I kind of thought that might be the case (I won’t give it away), but I wasn’t disappointed that it was guessable. It made the story perfect.

At times, I cried; at times, I laughed. A perfect mix of emotions within this book. I loved it. It’s a book I’ll definitely return to at some point because it’s not what will happen next that matters. It’s the relationships, the characters. It’s the portrayal of loneliness and friendship. It's simply fantastic!

Anyone who needs a pick-me-up. Anyone who wants to feel a little less alone. I think it probably falls into the YA genre. But, it's a book for adults just as much as younger people.

Gail Honeyman's writing. pulled me so close, I felt I was part of it. She writes with so much understanding of her subject.

Find other Gail Honeyman books to read. But I don't think she's published any others at the moment. At least, I couldn't find them if she has.

A whole range of emotions. Sad, happy, angry, warm. Ultimately, uplifted.

What a fantastic writer Gail Honeyman is. I recommend her.

It's bloomin' fabulous!

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Created Jun 07, 2021 at 6:02am • Submit your own review...