An absolute trailblazer in this area of literary fiction, Eleanor Oliphant is a character that will stay with you long after you've closed the book.

I absolutely loved this book!
Review to be found on my blog page
I loved it, and recommend it to read x

Really enjoyable read. Good characters and a Good story. Well worth a read. Think others will enjoy.

This is a book which has been recommended to me over and over from different people in my life, and I put it on the very long TBR virtual pile... which I shouldn't have done. It is a book which causes animation in any situation where others have read it too - but as with many books very hard to talk about without spoilers! I warmed to Eleanor, without necessarily liking her at the beginning, and am glad that her voice has been heard. I loved that I presumed I knew what kind of story it was, then realised I was wrong, then realised I was wrong again... It kept me guessing where I didn't realise I needed to, when my brain had been lulled into thinking I understood what was happening. I would recommend it to all types of reader, because it has so many angles... romcom, thriller, easy read in many ways, narrative voice... Just read it.

Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine. She might struggle with social interactions and change but her life is carefully scheduled so that she is able to keep her simple life to herself, her vodka and her weekly chats with Mummy. Then she develops a crush on a local musician and she meets Raymond, the somewhat bumbling IT guy at work who shows her that her life could be so much more than fine.

The book opens with a quote from Olivia Laing's The Lonely City about the relationship between loneliness and fear or mistrust of social interactions. From the synopsis of the book, I got the impression that it was about a single woman who appears to be completely satisfied with her life. Therefore this piece prefacing the book immediately suggested that this book had secrets, which intrigued me even more.

Eleanor is a very funny, very unique character to spend time with. She has more than a touch of Asperger’s and is very particular with what she likes and dislikes. She sees the world in a completely different way to the average mind but she still manages to be relateable. As an introvert, her constant desire to be alone and avoid small talk resonated with me and I did see glimmers of myself within her.

She has also had a mysterious tragic past resulting in the physical scars on her face. This past is slowly revealed to us as the book races towards the end. Although she speaks to Mummy every week, Mummy is somewhere that Eleanor cannot visit. Her mother is less than complimentary to her daughter and although she peppers her speeches with declarations of ‘darling daughter of mine’, it’s a mask for her clear resentment of Eleanor. Eleanor appears to take the abuse well but as the book goes on, we see that it is having a terrible effect on her.

As she spends more time with other people in the world outside her flat, Eleanor learns that she can flourish into a happy confident woman. Watching her realise that she has the power to like herself and that she is worthy of being liked was really lovely. It was the kind of transformation and almost coming-of-age that is commonplace in YA novels. To see it in an adult novel reminds us that sometimes adults still have some growing to do too. We don’t all arrive at 30 fully formed and complete.

Eleanor Oliphant is a wonderfully charming contemporary with plenty of unpredictable twists. At times it’s sombre and sad but there’s no doubt that it’s an uplifting read with just the right amount of mystery that is perfect for fans of light-hearted intrigue. I would love to see more from Eleanor and see how she’s getting on after the events of this story.

Funny, surprising and heartbreaking. A stunning debut. I absolutely loved this book.. Eleanor is a standout character who you immediately empathise with and support. Seeing the world through her eyes and the effect of the kindness of strangers was heartwarming. Very well and uniquely written. I’m looking forward to reading more from the author in the future. This book was so good that I want to read it again.

Eleanor Oliphant was an interesting read. It was interesting to read from the perspective of an unreliable narrator and see the story beginning to unfold, wondering what the twist might be.
However, I don’t think this book lived up to the hype that it received. I personally just found it okay.

I did race through this so I was definitely gripped by it, and I did laugh out loud a couple of times. But it was all a bit contrived. Overall, just fine.

I get what all the fuss is about now! So lovely.

Eleanor can be a difficult character to like at times, but she's easy to empathise with, and getting to know her was a pleasure.

Eleanor is happy, she has two bottles of vodka and pizza at a weekend, she spends her lunch doing her crosswords and eating her meal deal alone and thats how it has alwyas been and probably always will be. She is content with her life, not really aiming for much more than she has.



When one evening changes her thoughts and she decides on her little task to mix up her life and get to her true love - well thats where this book comes into its own. Eleanor is slightly awkward, reading about her starts out awkward but thats because its her - i find her so heartwarming and sweet - it was unintentional.



This book broke my heart at times, i was sobbing but it is also filled me with light, love and hope. I found it lovely as the other characters came into play, unsuspecting characters that wanted to spend time with Eleanor.



It allowed Eleanor to find herself, to re evaulate what was important in her life and ask for help in a dark dark time. This was a brilliantly written novel that tackled some serious issues, and social issues. I adored it - it surprised me completely. The writing flowed brilliantly and i found myself constantly engrossed in the narrative rooting for Eleanor to find further happiness in life (because if you asked her - chances are she was pretty content before hand)



I would reccomend this book over and over and i can see why it has won awards, usually i am wary of books that i have because sometimes they jsut dont appeal to me - but this one. wow.

In a conversation with a publishers rep a few months ago, she told me that she was jealous of me having not read 'Eleanor Oliphant is Completey Fine' yet. She was jealous of the feelings that she hoped I would experience when reading this book for the first time, as she had already read it and felt such joy at reading such a great book, knowing that she wouldn't feel them again in the same way if she read it a second time. And she was right!

This novel has happiness, sadness, laughter, tears, and frustration running through it. All the characters were relatable and believable, and Eleanor's day to day experiences of navigating through a life that others find easy was heartwarming and touching (her social awkwardness, her lack of knowledge about popular culture, the gradual learning about her lack of awareness for other humans), but also dark and sad - her calls with Mummy, the odd snippet about a childhood destroyed. And Raymond. what a love. An unexpected friend who perseveres with her, who helps her navigate social situations with kindness and care, showing Eleanor that she is more than just the boring office jobsworth who doesn't need to drink three bottles of vodka to get through the weekend.

A wonderful debut novel, I would recommend to anyone!

A fantastic and gripping story. Eleanor is a great character and I could not put the book down. Powerful storyline even though the ending was a little sharp.

Not my usual read but was persuaded to give it a go by a friend and I absolutely loved this book. Eleanor is a delightfully quirky character.

I can't find anything original to say. Everything has already been said. Great book, and written in a way that compels you to keep on reading.

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman is a beautiful, powerful and incredibly heart breaking contemporary novel. My emotions were shot to pieces.
The reader will mourn a lost childhood and the events that produced a hurting adult. Loneliness hovers like a cloud over the novel. It is a loneliness that comes from feeling unworthy to be liked or associated with.
Words spoken over us remain for good or bad. If we continually hear negative words, we will believe what they say. We will look in a mirror and see ourselves as ugly because that is what we are conditioned to believe. Beauty is not as simple as inner or outer beauty. Beauty is also a state of mind.
The hand of friendship is extended. It is cautiously received and beautiful to watch the unfolding. Kindness goes hand in hand with friendship. It is a kindness that needs no words but says ‘I see you and you matter.’
There are the difficult topics of abuse, alcohol dependency, depression and suicidal thoughts. These are all sensitively portrayed.
Having spent many years working with teens with autism, I recognized the autistic tendencies of the lead character. Taking things literally and speaking one’s mind did create amusing moments for the reader. Being written in the first person means the reader becomes intimately acquainted with Eleanor Oliphant.
Pets are therapeutic. I loved the inclusion of a rescue cat in need of love and care.
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine is a work of great beauty and great sadness. I can certainly see why it won Costa’s Book Of The Year 2017. I am looking forward to reading more by Gail Honeyman.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

One of my favourite books of 2018! I am kicking myself for not reading it sooner.
I have been telling everyone about this book (I work in an outpatient department) and have even bought as a present for friends. I can't wait to see what this author brings out next.

This was on my to be read pile for the longest time and with all the ongoing hype about this book I couldn't ignore it any more and I can safely say it lived up to expectations. An emotional, moving read I would recommend to anyone. Loved it!

Read between: 15th November- 8th December
Format: ebook
Published: 18th May 2017
Publisher: Harper Collins.
Where did I get it?- Netgalley!

Synopsis: 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.

Rating: Related image

Review:

This book started off really slow but once I got into the story I started to enjoy it!

Eleanor Oliphant is a very peculiar character but in some ways, she is also very relatable. I can see why this book had so much hype, despite the trigger warnings of abuse, suicide and depression, I think it's a book for everyone.

I liked the mystery surrounding Eleanor. Honeyman manages to write the reveal of her life in a way that I was genuinely shocked. I am glad we were told though, because I'm a curious person and it would have bugged me trying to come up with my own theories.

I was disappointed that there was no romance between Eleanor and Raymond though, That would have ended the story nicely in my opinion.

Overall its a well thought out story about a woman trying her best to get through life. Thank you Netgalley for letting me read the book- although this review is really late! I ended up really liking it.

4/5 star.

Slow to start with but once you are eased into the story it's brilliant. I'd recommend it.

I'm a bit late to this party, but I finally read it! It was released a while ago now, and I've been&nbsp;<em>trying</em>&nbsp;to get it finished for some time, but life got in the way. Anyway, here is my review at last.
Throughout a decent chunk of the novel, I felt like there actually was no plot. Not in a bad way, but it was almost just a narration of Eleanor's life. The writing was so interesting and Eleanor so unique as a character that I <em>liked</em> that, though. And then a plot did start to develop, albeit not a particularly active one. As in, it was mostly about the past, not something that actually happened during the story. Like usual, I won't say too much about it.
Eleanor is a very strange individual, with absolutely no social skills whatsoever. It's rather comical at first, her attempts at everyday life quite laughable. But it's later revealed why she has such difficulty, and I found myself feeling incredibly bad for her. Her story is sad, and although I had guessed at what had happened, her personal revelation was huge. After a failed attempt at 'fixing' her life, Eleanor finds herself at rock bottom. But miraculously, she has someone to help her, who cares about her well-being. With his help, Eleanor learns some new coping mechanisms, and begins to rebuild her life.
I really liked this book, and the writing was great. Eleanor's personality was conveyed through the writing perfectly. 4.5 stars.

I wish I'd read this book sooner, because it really is as good as everyone says it is. It's a really hard book to try and review, because I don't want to spoil anything for you, but it's a proper life-affirming story. Eleanor is prickly and yes, a little bit strange, and she has no idea how to navigate social situations (for reasons that become very clear during the course of the book), but she's a brilliant character with so much to love and she's so relatable in many ways. To see her start venturing out of her comfort zone, even though it's for slightly dubious reasons, feels like I imagine watching your child take their first steps does. There is a plot, but really this book is absolutely character driven, and it's utterly wonderful. Read it.