I’m kicking off this bookish blog with an oldie. For much of this year and a lot of last year, I have been catching up on the titles that I didn’t have the chance to read earlier. Hence this blogpost on a book that came out in 2012 – it had been on my TBR list forever.
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell is a YA novel that covers some serious topics in its 333 pages. I was not expecting there to be much more than the cutesy insta-love teenage drama that usually ensues in many YA romance novels but was pleasantly surprised.
Synopsis: Two high school misfits, Eleanor and Park, tell their story in a dual narrative, as they navigate their way through school, bullies, growing up, family issues and first love.
Plot: There really isn't much of a plot until the very end, and even then it only lasts around 20 pages until it is semi-resolved. The main plotline involves the two characters getting together and how they struggle with their attraction for each other. It was not a straightforward love story, which was very refreshing. There are nuisances and each character has their own issues to deal with as well, so not everything revolves around teenage love.
Characters: I LOVE these characters! Although the plot is on the simpler side, these characters were so multi-faceted. I despise reading a love story where the girl and guy are cliché love story characters. Eleanor wasn't a skinny stick or the most beautiful girl in class; she suffered from issues at home and had a real personality. Park was so lovely as well as we watched him grow into himself and experiment with makeup and talk about what it meant for him to be Asian in a very white school. These characters were different, as the way they dressed and their interests showed, and it was amazing to read about them. The parents were also incredible to read about as well! The time the main characters spent with their families was my favorite part from the whole novel. Family dynamics are often glazed over, and Rowell did not do that, so we got a real insight into their family lives which was funny, insightful and heart-breaking, all at the same time.
In the end I gave it 3.5/5 stars. Characters were the best. Plot a little slow.
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