Eleanor & Park review

I honestly thought I would never find a book I would love more then The Perks Of Being A Wallflower but I think I may have!

As I am currently doing my second year of A-levels, one of them being English Lit, I don’t have much time to read books that aren’t going to be written in an exam or graded in some way. This meant this summer was packed with finishing as many books before they got turned into films or before it would be a year till I could read it. But once I saw the blurb for this book I knew I couldn’t wait a year!

This is the first book I’ve read by Rainbow Rowell, although I cheekily did buy this and Fangirl together (review coming soon) but I think I may have found a new favourite author. I can’t wait for this year to be over just so I can read her other books. I’m a dork I know!

Eleanor and Park is obviously about Eleanor and Park and how their unlikely love story started. Don’t get me wrong it’s defiantly a love story but it’s defiantly not a typical movie or book love story. This one is so relatable, all the awkward moments, late night and planned conversations, friend’s comments and families’ views that try and ruin their relationship.

The book is based in 1986 and shows what it was like to date before we had the power of mobile phones and social media sites which made it easy to find out where someone is and what their past was like. They show what it’s like to be in a proper relationship. One of the main things I love about their relationship is that they are honest. They don’t have one big argument end then get back together. They are realistic; they disagree, get into little fights and show how much they love each other constantly.

A love story that has a proper realistic and relatable relationship.

Eleanor to me is such a relatable character that comes from a broken home, gets insecure about what she wears and is just trying to be herself. A girl that I’m sure we’ve all connected with at some point.

Park is an Asian boy who is a lovable dork, into black t-shirts, constantly reading a comic and listening to his mix tapes. I fell in love with him instantly!

The two characters are completely different which makes their relationship so much better.

Without spoiling the ending it has to be one of the best cliffhanger endings I’ve read…if you can call it a cliffhanger. It ends with you being able to decide how it ends. I normally don’t like those types of books that much but I loved this one. It’s up to you to make the characters nice, mean or needy, or leave it without a specific answer.

The book is full of amazing quotes that I’ve just fallen in love with and have often looked back at. My favourites are:

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

“I just can’t believe that life would give us to each other,’ he said, ‘and then take it back.’

‘I can,’ she said. ‘Life’s a bastard.”

“If you couldn’t save your own life, was it even worth saving?”

I have so many that I might as well just write the whole book here! I honestly adore this book and would recommend it to anyone who wanted a relatable page-turner. It is stated on the book that it’s not suitable for young readers due to there being some swearing but other then that it’s a perfect book for young teens to adults.

The end of the book contains a note from Rainbow Rowell which explains why she ended the book like she did and how she views the characters which just made me fall in love with her and the book even more. The inside covers of the book has reviews from everyday readers which just shows how amazing this book is. The front cover even has a quote from John Green saying how much he loves it and if John Green loves it then it has to be read!

A massive 5/5

Talk to you later x.

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/12813861/?claim=3kstyxjd7j8">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>