#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER AND THE PERFECT HOLIDAY GIFT A Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick“Beautifully written and incredibly funny, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine is about the importance of friendship and human connection. I fell in love with Eleanor, an eccentric and regimented loner whose life beautifully unfolds after a chance encounter with a stranger; I think you will fall in love, … stranger; I think you will fall in love, too!” —Reese Witherspoon
No one’s ever told Eleanor that life should be better than fine.
Meet Eleanor Oliphant: She struggles with appropriate social skills and tends to say exactly what she’s thinking. Nothing is missing in her carefully timetabled life of avoiding social interactions, where weekends are punctuated by frozen pizza, vodka, and phone chats with Mummy.
But everything changes when Eleanor meets Raymond, the bumbling and deeply unhygienic IT guy from her office. When she and Raymond together save Sammy, an elderly gentleman who has fallen on the sidewalk, the three become the kinds of friends who rescue one another from the lives of isolation they have each been living. And it is Raymond’s big heart that will ultimately help Eleanor find the way to repair her own profoundly damaged one.
Soon to be a major motion picture produced by Reese Witherspoon, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine is the smart, warm, and uplifting story of an out-of-the-ordinary heroine whose deadpan weirdness and unconscious wit make for an irresistible journey as she realizes. . .
The only way to survive is to open your heart.
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It’s nice to read a book where you like the characters. It was a bit predictable, but it was a nice, positive book. A refreshing read.
Very unique story line. I enjoyed the twist!
This book was described to me as humorous which I didn’t find it was. However it is a story of survival and of making the best of life. It definitely is a surprising book as you read it … very good for a book club.
Great book. I really enjoyed it
At first I didn’t think I would continue reading the book. I pictured it going in a comical direction which just didn’t interest me. But the further I read, the better the book got. Twists that weren’t anticipated; realistic characters; insight into the horrors humans can inflict on others as well as beautiful interactions that demonstrate the unconditional care and love we are capable of. For a first-time author, this was an amazing work. I can’t wait until the next book.
Great to read a novel with such an original protagonist’s voice.
I truly didn’t expect to love this one as much as I did! It struck a nerve both with its quirky protagonist, Eleanor, and the storyline, which explores both mental illness and loneliness. Readers will root for Eleanor as she meets Raymond from IT and finally confronts the demons that have been haunting her for far too long. I highly recommend!
Loved this book! Went through so many emotions as I experienced the hilarious Eleanor Oliphant and her social awkwardness. My heart ached for and her solitary life. The author wove a beautiful story together with many surprises along the way. I didn’t want the story to end!
Needless to say, Eleanor Oliphant — isolated, prickly, totally tactless, verging on the autistic — is far from fine. She’s scarred — inside and out. It’s so difficult to keep from revealing to much after reading Gail Honeyman’s flawless debut novel about a very flawed character, so let me limit myself to this: Eleanor has been in and out of foster homes since she was 10 years old and has been completely unable to fit in anywhere. She’s worked as some office drone at the first office job she got straight out of school without a single friend, probably because she has worse social skills than my daughters, both of whom are high-functioning autistics.
But Eleanor has the solution to her isolation! She’s seen a handsome singer in a startup punk band named Johnny Lomond, and she methodically sets out to win his heart. The story is equal parts hilarious, poignant, cringe-worthy and uplifting.
Special thanks to my Great Escape Sisters, who made this our June buddy read. Yes, I know it’s now November, but better late than never! Thanks for picking a fabulous book that I know I would never have otherwise read.
Underwhelming, but it kept me interested.
Great book!!
Great book with really quirky characters! If you want to see how one of those quirky people you work with thinks, this might be a fun book for you!
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
May 2017
Fiction
Miss Eleanor Oliphant is 30 years old living an extremely structured life since graduating from University with a degree in Classics. She has worked as a finance clerk for Bob, the owner, since she was 21 years old. Although she has experienced a lot of trauma in her childhood moving from foster homes frequently. Aside from her weekly phone calls on Wednesday nights with her narcissistic, manipulative mother, Eleanor feels that everything is fine. Her mother serves up weekly condescending and cruel insults.
Eleanor manages to cope with her difficult past by suppressing the memories and keeping her routine. She is aware that her outward appearance draws unwanted attention since the accident. Slowly, Eleanor discovers a reason to venture outside her comfort zone…a crush on a local musician.
She also makes an unlikely connection with a coworker when they happen upon an elderly man in medical distress on the sidewalk. They continue to check on Sam and gradually become involved with his family. The trio are an unlikely match but their connection is endearing.
What I enjoyed most this book was the manner in which Eleanor Oliphant expressed herself. She is well spoken and articulate often using “flowery” language reminiscent of her strict, proper childhood. I love the manner in which she navigates her way to a more “normal” life. Through the ups and downs of her experiences she realizes she is stronger and braver than she ever knew. Her life does not need to be defined by her past.
Such a delightful character that will have you cheering for her and laughing at her faux pas. She is a testament that good can come from bad.
Great book!
Great Book
Didn’t finish, didn’t care for the story.
In Eleanor’s perfect world everything is fine and under control. She works, drinks a lot of vodka and does her crossword puzzles without wanting more. One day a man falle on the street and Eleanor gets involved with getting him help. Slowly her childhood comes to light and the truth is shattering.
Oh, Eleanor. Your quirkiness hooked me and I wanted to know more about how you became you. This book doesn’t disappoint. It’s a love story wrapped up in a delicious character study wrapped up in a mystery.
It was a really good story
A little hard to get into at first, but a very charming read.