ELEANOR & PARK: A quick review

"She never looked nice. She looked like art, and art wasn't supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something."

-Park

(Minimal to no spoilers at all so go read!)

TITLE: Eleanor & Park
AUTHOR/s: Rainbow Rowell
PUBLICATION DATE: 12th of April, 2012
AVAILABLE AT: Amazon | The Book Depository

The introductory quote above was something I stumbled upon months ago and it instantly become a fave(orite). Fast forward to some time later, after reading Eleanor & Park, I discovered that it actually came from the book.

Hearing tons about it from all over the internet (and not to mention lots of recommendations from my friends), I was a bit skeptical about reading it. Sure, I was curious about it since it has made quite the splash in the bookworms' lairs but when I searched about it, I wasn't really that enticed to read it (and I thought it was too mainstream to read at that time)

Anyway, just a few days ago, I did actually give it a shot and wow, I'm definitely glad I did! And now, after completely digesting (but still not getting over) all my feels, I'll be doing a quick review! Yay :)

(via Goodreads)

Two misfits.
One extraordinary love.

Eleanor... Red hair, wrong clothes. Standing behind him until he turns his head. Lying beside him until he wakes up. Making everyone else seem drabber and flatter and never good enough...Eleanor.

Park... He knows she'll love a song before he plays it for her. He laughs at her jokes before she ever gets to the punch line. There's a place on his chest, just below his throat, that makes her want to keep promises...Park.

Set over the course of one school year, this is the story of two star-crossed sixteen-year-olds—smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try.

For me, this summary isn't enough to describe E&P. It's way more than your average "we're two teenagers and we fell in love" kind of love story. In fact, it's not just a love story. E&P deals with racial issues, abuse at home, family problems, teenage matters and so much more.

GETTING TO KNOW THEM MORE:

Eleanor: The New Girl

"Eleanor"
(Photo Credits to owner! Got this cute work HERE! You can find her at siminiblocker.tumblr.com)

- Being the new girl (or boy) is NEVER easy. You got to adjust to people around you, test the waters, gather new friends, impress new teachers, etc. But it's slightly (okay, a lot) more difficult if you have flaming red hair, a plus-sized body, weird fashion taste, and everything else in between.

- I guess I can say that I can relate to Eleanor in some aspects. Like her, I have a soft spot for literature and of course, there are days whereas I feel as attractive as a piece of rock. I have 0% fashion sense too (Well not really 0% but a different one, I guess) I won't deny that I have weight issues too (but not that much of a big deal for me, most of the times haha) Then there's the financial problems (though not as bad as hers).

- In totality, I can say Eleanor was well written. She stands out on her own without having to be the "pretty girl" or the "brainy gal" like other female leads (not that I don't like the other female leads, though!)

Park: The Asian Kid

"Park"
(Photo Credits to owner! Got this cool work HERE!You can find her at andiree.tumblr.com)

- I'm asian, okay? and the way Park was portrayed, I guess it does show a lot of asian qualities. Like Eleanor, he wasn't shown as the stereotypical "hunk" or "pretty face" kind of guy. He wasn't the usual "jock" or "heartthrob" (though he got involved with lots of girls in his past). But still even though he is this asian dude who loves comic books and knows martial arts, he's got a lot on him that definitely captures the heart of the readers (for Eleanor's behalf of course.)

-Also, what sets him apart from the other lead guys I've read is that I know that I like him (a lot) but not for me. Does that make any sense? It's just that I don't think I'll like him in real life but it doesn't mean that I'll hate him. It's just pretty much unexplainable. hahaha

THE STORY:

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell (UK Cover)

I don't know how to even begin. The feels are just overwhelming and I can't even. What I'm sure of is that Eleanor & Park is NOT your usual teenage story. It's really way more than that.Yeah, it does involve lots of mushy stuff but I enjoyed every single one of it. A very good representation of teenage romance. But aside from that, the other issues that makes the story progressive was very well dealt with.

In contrast to some reviews I've read, I can say that the story was slow and steady but not dragging and definitely not "undercooked" or "raw". The development was nice and it doesn't really seemed rush for me. It's very much well written. PLUS, the quotes were beautiful and are memorable. The conclusion though, I don't know how to feel about it (And I know most readers have the same sentiments as me.) One word: AMBIVALENCE. It's like I'm satisfied with the ending but at the same time, I'm not. I want to have a sequel but at the same moment, I know I really don't. The ending was hanging and some characters are left well, left out. But nevertheless, it seems like it's already all enough. Yeah, ambivalence all over.

I think I could say that Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor & Park has been a very great read! Miss Rowell's really a great writer. I loved her so much that I've already added all her other books in my to-read pile!

Anyway, to end all these ramblings and whatnot, I'm glad to say that this novel deserves a five star rating. Two thumbs up! Go read! :)

5/5 rating :)