Genres: Fiction, YA
I read Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell last week when I was disappointed with myself on not being able to read anything at all. I just picked this eBook randomly as it was there in my laptop for a long time, beside John Green’s The Fault in our Stars.
This is my first Rainbow Rowell’s book and I have to say, it’s one of the better YA fiction book I have read. Previously read John Green and Stephenie Meyer I had a completely different experience with it. John Green’s books (Paper Towns & The Fault in our Stars) are fast paced, but somewhere in between they do get boring a few times. Eleanor & Park never gets boring. It’s fast paced, I was able to finish this book in five to six hours and in one go. The other reason of it being better than John Green’s books is that it is more realistic and authentic. I was not prepared of how moving it will be.
There are two main characters in this book, Eleanor and Park and you will end up in loving them both or you just can’t love anyone. They are like a package. If you love one of the character, you have to love the other character. 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.
Overall, the book is good. The setting of the plot, the characterization, the writing as I said earlier is realistic. It’s not a perfect book though, no book can be. There is a reason for it. They are written by humans and we humans aren’t much perfect in ourselves. This book gets lazy in the last chapters after racing my heart beat fast and that is least likable or the only disliked part from me.
The story do have some sad part, but I guess that’s one of it’s best part. It elaborates what real love is or can be. I am surely going to try her other books.
Do you even need to be convinced more that you should read it? I don’t think so. I think you should read it. And yes, it’s recommended!
4 out of 5!
Looking at your blog is almost like looking at mine. 🙂
Thanks Kev! Yeah, our blogs are quite similar in many ways 🙂
Okay, I’m going to buy this right away cause I’m in a reading funk and I also love John Green and if this is better I hope it’ll get me out of my funk! Thanks!
You’re welcome and I hope you enjoy the book 🙂
I haven’t been able to buy it but I HAVE to read it and I know its going to be awesome. You should read her second book titled Fan Girl which I hear is very awesome too 🙂
Thanks. Surely, I am going to try her other books now! 🙂
I read Rowell’s ‘Attachments’ and didn’t love it. I still want to read this, though. ‘Attachments’ in adult contemporary fiction, so I’m curious to see if I like her YA books any better. Nice review!
I don’t know about her book Attachments but this one is good 🙂 Go ahead, and fulfill your curiosity!
I just finished TFIOS and liked it, but not as much as everyone else did (except you – you seem to be more in my camp in terms of loving TFIOS). I loved Hazel, the narrator, but not so much Gus, her boyfriend. Anyway, I mention this because these days it seems you cannot see a mention of TFIOS without also mentioning Eleanor & Park. Which I suppose is another way of saying that your review is perfectly timed with mine. And since you highly recommend Eleanor & Park, I might just have to check it out. Thanks Aman! Rock on.
Yes, it seems we are on the same side in case of TFIOS!! 😛 Yes, these days every where it’s TFIOS, I think it’s bcoz of the movie.
You’re welcome! You should read it and I hope you enjoy it as well I did. 🙂
This sounds interesting and worth a read, though I don’t read that much YA fiction. Also like the cover a lot.
It’s a good book 🙂 You should read!
I have read Rainbow Rowell’s two adult books, Attachments and Landline. I have Fangirl on my Kindle, but haven’t yet read it. I don’t often read YA…but now I think Rowell’s winning style will surely carry over to this genre, too. Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome Laurel! I have to read her other books too 🙂
Read Fangirl next. 🙂
Surely, I’ll do. thanks 🙂
I like your writing style. Already read and loved the book! I have also read Attachments and for me, it wasn’t as much of a hit as this one but I enjoyed reading it. 🙂
Thanks! I am yet to read other books written by her.
I love this book <3
Thanks for reading the review.
This one is on my TBR list!