4.5 Stars
“You’re a bit mental, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” I said, “yes, I suppose I am.”
Before I begin, I need to take a second to address Eleanor directly . . . . .
Eleanor is my new book bestie. Quickly approaching 30, Eleanor has been working in the accounting department of a graphic design firm since she was 21 and is quite the creature of habit . . . .
“From Monday to Friday, I come in at 3:30. I take the Daily Telegraph, not because I like it particularly, but because it has the best cryptic crossword. [I] work till 5:30. The bus home takes half an hour. I make supper and eat it while I listen to the Archers. I usually have pasta with pesto and salad – one pan and one plate. I usually (well always) talk to Mummy on a Wednesday evening for fifteen minutes. I go to bed around ten, read for half an hour and then put the light out. On Fridays I . . . buy a margherita pizza, some Chianti and two big bottles of Glen’s vodka. When I get home, I eat the pizza and drink the wine. I have some vodka afterward . . . I drink the rest of the vodka over the weekend, spread it throughout both days so I’m neither drunk nor sober. Monday takes a long time to come around.”
All that may change, however, if Eleanor’s new “project” with thedouchey up-and-coming musician in her neighborhood works out . . . .
Things should go swimmingly – well, as soon as Eleanor gets a makeover . . . .
I’m kind of at a loss for what to say about this book. I guess since I’m a horrible curmudgeon the simple fact that I loved it says a lot. Also, the fact that I (along with Mitchell) loved it, should serve as a warning that this isn’t necessarily a traditional “feel good” type of story. On the other hand, while it definitely had its share of dark moments . . . .
“You get used to being on your own,” I said. “Actually, it really is much better than being punched in the face or raped.”
And I haven’t met a “Mummy” comparable to this one since back in the day . . . .
At the end of it all, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine was a story about walking through fire and surviving, about cohabitating with a roommate who was “a recluse at heart, like J.D. Salinger or the Unabomber,” and about finding friendship with one of the most unlikely people an office employee could ever imagine . . . .
Eleanor’s story made my Grinch heart grow three sizes and I cried real human tears. Ha! Just kidding. This is how I normally “cry” . . . . .
I’m sure there are some out there who will find Eleanor’s tale to be quite the downer for a good portion of time, but I don’t think only people with robot hearts like me will find the waterworks factory out-of-order this time around due to the abundance of humor so well-placed throughout . . . .
“I’m no epicure; however, surely it is a culinary truth universally acknowledged that fish and cheese do not go together? Someone really out to tell Mr. McDonald.”
“I started to wonder why the band was singing about, presumably, the Young Men’s Christian Association.”
A high 4 Star rating – missing the full 5 Star mark for one teensie little tidbit at the end that I found completely unnecessary and that cheapened things a little for me. Still highly recommended! I also want to give kudos to the author (who I do not know aside from reading her Goodreads’ blurb) for working a full-time job while writing this story. It’s nice to see someone who still lives in the real world and realizes people have to work for a living and where award-winning bestsellers aren’t simply handed to them on silver platters.
“Yes,” I said, “yes, I suppose I am.”
Before I begin, I need to take a second to address Eleanor directly . . . . .
Eleanor is my new book bestie. Quickly approaching 30, Eleanor has been working in the accounting department of a graphic design firm since she was 21 and is quite the creature of habit . . . .
“From Monday to Friday, I come in at 3:30. I take the Daily Telegraph, not because I like it particularly, but because it has the best cryptic crossword. [I] work till 5:30. The bus home takes half an hour. I make supper and eat it while I listen to the Archers. I usually have pasta with pesto and salad – one pan and one plate. I usually (well always) talk to Mummy on a Wednesday evening for fifteen minutes. I go to bed around ten, read for half an hour and then put the light out. On Fridays I . . . buy a margherita pizza, some Chianti and two big bottles of Glen’s vodka. When I get home, I eat the pizza and drink the wine. I have some vodka afterward . . . I drink the rest of the vodka over the weekend, spread it throughout both days so I’m neither drunk nor sober. Monday takes a long time to come around.”
All that may change, however, if Eleanor’s new “project” with the
Things should go swimmingly – well, as soon as Eleanor gets a makeover . . . .
I’m kind of at a loss for what to say about this book. I guess since I’m a horrible curmudgeon the simple fact that I loved it says a lot. Also, the fact that I (along with Mitchell) loved it, should serve as a warning that this isn’t necessarily a traditional “feel good” type of story. On the other hand, while it definitely had its share of dark moments . . . .
“You get used to being on your own,” I said. “Actually, it really is much better than being punched in the face or raped.”
And I haven’t met a “Mummy” comparable to this one since back in the day . . . .
At the end of it all, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine was a story about walking through fire and surviving, about cohabitating with a roommate who was “a recluse at heart, like J.D. Salinger or the Unabomber,” and about finding friendship with one of the most unlikely people an office employee could ever imagine . . . .
Eleanor’s story made my Grinch heart grow three sizes and I cried real human tears. Ha! Just kidding. This is how I normally “cry” . . . . .
I’m sure there are some out there who will find Eleanor’s tale to be quite the downer for a good portion of time, but I don’t think only people with robot hearts like me will find the waterworks factory out-of-order this time around due to the abundance of humor so well-placed throughout . . . .
“I’m no epicure; however, surely it is a culinary truth universally acknowledged that fish and cheese do not go together? Someone really out to tell Mr. McDonald.”
“I started to wonder why the band was singing about, presumably, the Young Men’s Christian Association.”
A high 4 Star rating – missing the full 5 Star mark for one teensie little tidbit at the end that I found completely unnecessary and that cheapened things a little for me. Still highly recommended! I also want to give kudos to the author (who I do not know aside from reading her Goodreads’ blurb) for working a full-time job while writing this story. It’s nice to see someone who still lives in the real world and realizes people have to work for a living and where award-winning bestsellers aren’t simply handed to them on silver platters.
No comments:
Post a Comment