#eleanor oliphant se simte excelent

[booksoanahasread]

Eleanor Oliphant se simte excelent by Gail Honeyman

This is not an easy read, not a light read, not a romance novel. This is an incredible depiction of human spirit and what it means to deal with pain and trauma. 

The choice for the setting of the novel was note-worthy, Glasgow. It somehow fit the entire plot of the story perfectly, without making much of a fuss about it being Scotland. In all honesty, I read the translated version of the novel, so there may be some things lost in translation, but even so it was a phenomenal book.

The writing itself was suspenseful, it always managed to keep you glued to your seat and reading. It was well-thought out and planned. Everything just made sense and was perfectly constructed to reveal the surprising ending. 

I must admit the novel really annoyed me at the beginning, Eleanor wasn’t a relatable character for me, but that was until I saw the true manner of the novel and what she had been through. She is an incredibly strong woman who was dealt a hand that she really didn’t deserve. 

Eleanor at first seems like a robot, unable to feel emotions, strives to continue following her strict routine (work, food, vodka). What she didn’t realise is how life is supposed to be lived. Her past traumas really affected her on a day-to-day basis. She couldn’t function like most of the other people in her office. 

Her friendship with Raymond I think brought out the best in her, it showed her that she deserved love, no matter what the past had been. She reinvented herself, experimented with makeup, new clothes, and new situations. Her whole character arc was a journey of self-discovery and healing. 

Her admiration of Sammy, the old man she and Raymond saved near the beginning of the book, is brought to a satisfying finale when Keith, Sammy’s son, gives her Sammy’s sweater. She loved the idea of having a true family to belong to, one where she could truly feel safe and secure in her own skin. It was something she never had as a child, after the burning of her childhood home. 

Her mother was frequently contacted in the novel, but only in the end we find out that in reality she didn’t actually talk to Eleanor. but rather she was long dead. Nothing about her relationship with her mother was healthy. When she was little, her mother was cruel and hurtful. She didn’t love her daughters, evidently clear in the passage at the end of the novel in the newspaper. The poor girls were absolutely terrified of their mother, who would constantly reprimand them and beat them, leaving bruises and cuts on their fragile skin. Of course they hadn’t deserved it, the way no child deserves to be pulled out of school for no reason. 

It really breaks your heart to hear the past of the protagonist. Eleanor was in a toxic relationship in university, where her boyfriend wouldn’t let her do anything other than what he wanted. She was beaten by him, bruises and broken arms weren’t out of the question. The only way she actually left him was after a trip to the hospital when a nurse told her that “people who truly love you don’t hurt you”. Thankfully, Eleanor took her advice and told the abuser to leave, while it may not have been easy, it must have been worth it. 

I loved how Eleanor took in the world around her, it was refreshing to see such an analysis surrounding much of modern culture, such as a smokey eye makeup, high heels, and manicures. She was so blunt in her honesty that it was incredible to see how the rest of the world interacted with her. Her interactions with barmen were fascinating. She was entirely clueless as to what other people feel at the beginning. 

When she hit her lowest low, it was hard to read. Written with such emotion and hard-hitting reality, you truly understand what goes on in her mind, for better or worse. She deserved none of her harsh criticism about her obsession over that singer. She was incredible, even if she didn’t notice it or comprehend it. 

Her visits to the therapist were such a window into her past and into her soul. She was able to finally make progress and begin functioning like a healthy person, even with clinical depression. Whenever she started opening up about herself and her past, she was divulging a piece of her that she wanted to hide away from the light. She had constant harmful thoughts that were voiced by her mother and that she couldn’t really get over, at least not without help. 

Raymond, I must admit, was an absolutely incredible friend to Eleanor. He always checked up on her, helped her with whatever she needed. This was easiest to prove when he barged into her apartment during her darkest days and took care of her, since she couldn’t do that. He was so sweet and thoughtful, absolutely wonderful. I loved the way he just accepted her unconditionally, how he wanted to help her, and how he just let her be herself. He was her first proper friend after the fire. 

I loved so many things about this book and I’m so glad I bought it. It made me feel really good about life. For a debut novel, this is a masterpiece. This book reveals so many truths about the world we live in, about trauma, and about what personality traits we should value over others. I will recommend this book to a lot of people. 

[enlilwind]

Eleanor Oliphant se simte excelent de Gail Honeyman - Book Review

[artasimplitatii]

“Uneori, ai nevoie pur şi simplu de cineva cumsecade care să stea cu tine în timp ce tu te ocupi de ale tale”

- Eleanor Oliphant se simte excelent (Gail Honeymann)

#eleanoroliphantiscompletelyfine #gailhoneyman #eleanoroliphantsesimteexcelent #reading #carte #book #citescdeciexist #weekendreading #bookstagram #cititulnuingrasa #cititulecool

[rosesandjasmine]

“Eleanor Oliphant se simte excelent” de Gail Honeyman O comedie cu subtonuri tragice. Tragedia prin care a trecut Eleanor i-a format viata monotona, devenind o proscrisa.