Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
What a treat this book turned out to be! I decided to read this book because I usually enjoy books with quirky characters. Eleanor Olipahnt certainly fits that description. I was really grabbed by the book right away and before long I didn't want to put it down. I was completely fascinated by everything Eleanor Oliphant and had a lot of questions that I needed answered. I am so glad that I decided to give this wonderful book a try.
Eleanor Oliphant is a creature of routine. She goes to work, eats her lunch while she works a crossword puzzle, then goes back to her apartment where she makes herself a simple dinner. On weekends, she stays home and reads books while polishing off a bottle of vodka. Then she starts back over at the beginning. Her mother calls her every Wednesday night and she gets a pizza on Friday.
Eleanor doesn't really have a lot of personal connections. She has worked at the same job for the past 9 years but she isn't really a part of their group. Then she meets the new IT employee, Raymond. It is total chance that Raymond and Eleanor are walking together when an older man falls on the sidewalk and need their help. They spend a lot of time together and develop an unlikely friendship.
I really think that this is one of those books that it is best to go in not knowing a whole lot about where this story might be going. I really started reading this book thinking it would be one kind of book but I soon figured out it was something quite different. Something wonderful. I am still completely surprised by how much I was touched by this story.
I would highly recommend this book to others. It is such a wonderful story told from a very unique character. This book really starts out good but just keeps getting better until the very heartfelt ending. This is the first book by Gail Honeyman that I have read but I hope to read more from this talented author in the future.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Penguin Group Viking - Pamela Dorman Books via First to Read.
Initial Thoughts
This book drew me in from the very beginning. If you would have asked me where the story was going at the start of the book, I couldn't have come close to being right. Very well done.