I overheard the title of this book in many conversations at school and I had no idea that it was a book my peers were chatting about. I kept wondering: Who is Eleanor and Park? And why do people care so much about them?! I finally saw the novel on display at the book store and I bought it right away not even aware of the main plot. I am very glad I did though, because it is one of my favorite books. I read it a while ago but thought it was the perfect time to share my thoughts on it because it is Valentine's Day! After all it is a love story.
It is probably obvious already but the book centers around Eleanor and Park. Park has lived and gone to the same school in the town of Omaha, Nebraska all of his life. Eleanor is new and the first time they meet is on the over-crowded school bus and the only seat left is one right next to Park. They don't hit it off right away but over time they realize that they have a unique connection.
The first thing I realized about this book is that it does not take place in present day, but in the eighties, which I thought was quite awesome. It made it a more unique read and I enjoyed the references to comic books and music. Eleanor and Park seem to bond over the music and comics a lot and the author did a great job of reminding the reader subtly through those references that it took place in the past. The intro actually makes the reader aware that Park is reminiscing on these times and that he actually ends up being separated from Eleanor. I was kind of put off by the fact that it was not going to end happily, but I will get back to that.
One of the main themes in the book is family. Park lives in a nice house with his brother and his very in love parents. They are essentially a close and happy family. Park's father is very in to sports , but Park has other interests, making him feel like his father will never accept him. Eleanor lives in a poor home with her mother, younger siblings, and Step-Father Richie.
Unfortunately, Richie is often drunk and abusive, making Eleanor's home life miserable. Eleanor finds solace in Park and in his calmer household. Park finds peace with the fact that Eleanor accepts him for who he is. It is their differences that bring them together essentially.
Another evident theme is bullying. Eleanor is not as thin as the other girls, tall, and has a massive amount of red curly hair and her peers are not very accepting and neither is Park at first. He spends a lot of his life keeping quiet and avoiding conflict and to be friends with most bullies target was out of the question. But, as time goes on, his connection with Eleanor over powers his need to fit in. He defends Eleanor on many occasions actually and it tightens their relationship even more.
I particularly loved Eleanor's character. She was so unique and her hair sounded fantastic. She had her own sense of style and was not afraid to show people who she was. Plus, her life was particularly hard but she was courageous and wise in how she handled it. I find her to be admirable and the author, Rainbow Rowell, did an excellent job illustrating her.
Like I said, they end up separated in the end, but it is not as bad as I thought. And don't let that stop you from reading the book either. The journey leading up to the end was lovely. Eleanor and Park's relationship is not the same as other high school relationships and is far from shallow. They both deal with mature obstacles and over come them together with courage and devotion. They are not only in love but loyal friends too, who stick together until the very end and on. The end is actually my favorite and I still think about it today. You must read it to understand and I encourage you to do so.
For more information about the book and its brilliant author, check out her cite!
http://rainbowrowell.com/blog/
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