I am going to leave the description of the plot to other reviews and simply encourage people to consider this lovely novel for their summer reading although it is decidedly not a traditional beach book.This book joins a long list of recent novels where our not-so-likeable protagonist in the beginning of the novel is going to turn out completely fine in the end. Surely the reader could not be blamed for jumping to conclusions here, with the prompt to do so right in the title. And it is good thing that our Eleanor gets right to it because some of her story, both in the past and present, is woven of such deep tragedy the reader is tempted to jump ahead to where everything is indeed fine. But don't. The writing in this book is like butter and there are manycomic gems sprinkled throughout the narration, some of them laugh out funny. They glide the reader through many cringe worthy moments to ultimate victory for a wounded person who climbs her way out of hell with the support of people who surround all of us if we open ourselves up a small bit. Almost 5 stars. ###

I almost didn't finish this book, because Eleanor is not a very likable character. I decided instead to plow on through to see if I would change my mind, and because I just hate not finishing a book. Too my pleasant surprise, her character grows and as she does, so did my interest in her and where the story was going.This is a well written story, and I'm glad I did finish reading it, because Eleanor grows into a much better, sympathetic and more likable human by the end. First impressions aren't always right.

My favorite books always feature beautifully flawed, quirky characters, and Eleanor Oliphant is one of the best of those characters to whom I have been introduced for quite some time. Gail Honeyman has crafted a delightfully eccentric character whose tragic past left her scarred, both literally and figuratively, and the story of her journey to understanding and accepting that past and the ways that it has shaped her identity is told in a beautifully insightful way that covers a great expanse of emotions.Eleanor Oliphant is very unique. She lives alone, sticks to very strict routines, and has a frankness that is very often off-putting to those around her. She speaks to her mother on the phone once a week, and the reader is led to understand that her mother is in jail for reasons somehow connected to a fire in Eleanor's childhood and her resulting placement with social services, but the details of Eleanor's childhood do not become clear until the end of the book. Eleanor develops a bit of an obsessive crush on a local musician, drinks entirely too much vodka, and makes her first real friend in a recently hired coworker, Raymond.Throughout it all, readers are provided with a first person point-of-view that is different from any other narrator I have ever read. Eleanor views the world in fairly black and white terms. When she treats herself to a manicure for the first time, she very honestly tells the reader (and the manicurist, actually) that she could have done a better job herself for free. She does not understand many pop culture references, and I found her reaction to a Spongebob Squarepants helium balloon quite delightful. Her difficulty understanding human emotions and the emotional needs of others was intriguing, and her interactions with others were sometimes cringe-worthy and many times humorous.Above all else, I found Honeyman's writing style to be very descriptive in a way that enabled me to envision the characters and events in the book in my head, but also to understand exactly how they felt. As someone very familiar with clinical depression on a personal level, I found Honeyman's description of Eleanor's thoughts and feelings spot-on. Eleanor is one of those characters who has tried to make loving her very difficult, but I knew from the first chapter that her efforts would make me love her even more dearly.I was right.Eleanor Oliphant stole my heart.

Eleanor Oliphant wants you to know that she is completely fine thank you very much. She goes to work, comes home to her one-bedroom flat, spends her evenings and weekends alone, enjoys crossword puzzles, and drinking vodka, and every Wednesday she speaks to her mummy. She is perfectly content, and doesn’t need anything, or anyone, else. Then she attends a concert, where as soon as she lays eyes on the lead singer, is convinced he is the man for her, and makes it her mission to meet him. Around the same time she meets, Raymond, the IT guy from her office, whose irritating habits, and personal grooming leave a lot to be desired. And when Eleanor and Raymond come to the rescue of an elderly man, Sammy, after he collapses in the street, Eleanor’s carefully ordered life really starts to change.This was a phenomenal read, that really messed with my emotions. I’d be in fits of laughter one minute, enveloped with a warm feeling the next, then blinking back the tears, and swallowing the lump in my throat. It dealt with some very serious issues, but was never a depressing read. Nor was it a light read, but it was a fun one, which sounds like a contradiction, but you’ll see what I mean.Eleanor and Raymond were both wonderful characters with a lot of depth. I was certain going in that I had the reason for Eleanor being the way she was pegged, but I was completely wrong, which made this a very unexpected, touching, and powerful book. I really admired Eleanor for being so strong and positive. She was truly an inspiration, and watching her slowly blossom and heal was pure joy. And Raymond was such a sweetheart – genuine, kind and patient – you couldn’t have asked for a better man for Eleanor to meet. Oh and he’s Scottish, love those accents, can’t wait for the movie. Eleanor and Raymond’s relationship was beyond cute and adorable – a slow burn that felt real and natural.Feeling blessed right now to have read this, and am excited to see what Gail Honeyman writes next.

Eleanor Oliphant is a very socially awkward individual who is also a loner. Early on it is revealed that something happened to her face but the cause of this is not revealed until the end of the book. While one cringes at some of the comments that Eleanor makes, I found her very endearing and eagerly awaited her transformation. The weekly conversations with her mother are difficult to read and I found myself wishing she would just hang up the phone on her. As the book progresses, Eleanor develops more self confidence and readers are cheering for her the entire time.This book has many sad parts and many enjoyable, funny parts. It is very well written and I would strongly encourage everyone to read it.