Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Eleanor & Park

by Rainbow Rowell

'Reminded me not just what it's like to be young and in love, but what it's like to be young and in love with a book' John Green, author of The Fault in our Stars

Eleanor is the new girl in town, and she's never felt more alone. All mismatched clothes, mad red hair and chaotic home life, she couldn't stick out more if she tried.

Then she takes the seat on the bus next to Park. Quiet, careful and - in Eleanor's eyes - impossibly cool, Park's worked out that flying under the radar is the best way to get by.

Slowly, steadily, through late-night conversations and an ever-growing stack of mix tapes, Eleanor and Park fall in love. They fall in love the way you do the first time, when you're 16, and you have nothing and everything to lose.

Set over the course of one school year in 1986, Eleanor & Park is funny, sad, shocking and true - an exquisite nostalgia trip for anyone who has never forgotten their first love.

Reviewed by reveriesociety_ on

5 of 5 stars

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I really would have liked to see more of what Eleanor would have done to get over her problems related to Ritchie.
But otherwise, I loved this book. Even though it centered on just two people, it unfocused the camera just enough for us to see the broader picture, their families and friends. The writing kept me on the edge of my seat (literally, because I've been reading it in class)

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 13 June, 2014: Finished reading
  • 13 June, 2014: Reviewed