I Finally Read Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

My top ten reads list for 2019 is filling up fast and I've still got 5 months to go. This book is definitely on the list. It's a novel I've had my eye on since it first came out in hardcover; but as you know, other books crowd in and it's soon pushed waaaay back on the list. So far back that even buying the paperback earlier this year still didn't push it to the top of my TBR list. 

However, on Instagram I follow Penguin Random House, and they've been showing a new book bag that features Eleanor Oliphant. I really would like that bag! But their Instagram did what it was supposed to do, and it had me looking through my bookcases at home to find my copy. There were a few moments of "I'm pretty sure I bought a copy...I'm pretty sure...I think..." and yes, I was right. I did have a copy tucked away. I spent Sunday afternoon diving into Eleanor's world, and I was immediately captivated. 

Eleanor is the voice inside your head that says everything you wish you could say out loud. And not because she's mean-she's just very honest and observant. She's also very lonely. In a world where everyone has some kind of contact or relationship with at least someone, Eleanor has none. Her weekly phone call to Mummy is filled with angst and dread, because Mummy is "away", and Mummy is a horribly mean person. Abusive, in fact. 

Eleanor meets Raymond, an IT fix it guy at work when her computer freezes and he comes to her desk to fix it. He's just an everyday Joe, and Eleanor slowly  begins a friendship with Raymond. And by slow, I mean bit by bit. As you read Eleanor's story, you quickly realize she's got a lot of issues, and she has quite the journey to overcoming those issues. But that journey is the best part of this novel. 

Eleanor is one of those characters that captures your heart right away, even as you hurt for her and sympathize with her. You understand why she is who she is-what made her a 30 year old lonely, timid woman. Her understanding that her life is not okay, and she's not completely fine, are key to her slow steps towards healing. She's weird, she's funny--oh so funny; you just want to give her a big hug. If she would let you. 

Read it, if you haven't already. It's a book that I will wholeheartedly recommend to anyone. Gail Honeyman really created one unforgettable heroine--and yes, she is a heroine. Read the book and you'll understand why. 

Rating:  6/6! Yes! For a book that will have you laughing, tearing up, cheering, and thinking about those who are quietly suffering. It's a book about acceptance, friendship, and simple gestures that can mean the world to someone. 

Available in paperback, hardcover, ebook, and audio. It's been optioned by Reese Witherspoon for a movie...I hope the movie does the book justice.