Review: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

”There’s no reason to think that we’re going to stop loving each other. And there’s every reason to think we won’t.”

It’s 1986. Eleanor is the new girl in school, and she’s not exactly blessed with the most fortunate appearance. She’s overweight, has unruly red hair, and wears clothes from thrift store. Park is the only one in the bus who lets Eleanor sit with him, although grudgingly. They didn’t warm up instantly either. It takes piles of comic books and shared Walkman to get them to start talking. Countless legendary songs and what feels like million afternoon-after-school in Park’s house to get Eleanor to open up.

But Eleanor holds many secrets, and none of them are pretty. She is bullied because of her looks, and to top it off, her terrifying stepfather is watching her every step. Park knows that he can’t always be Eleanor’s hero, and it drives him frustrated sometimes. Eleanor is acutely aware that their time has limit, because nothing good can stay forever. Nothing can stay, especially nothing as good as Park.

Eleanor didn’t have anywhere to hide her secrets. In a box, on her bed. At Park’s house, a block away.

She was running out of time with him.

When I saw the cover and read the blurb, I knew that I’m bound to love this book. I love flawed characters. I love slow-pacing romance, and I love little things that characters do when they fall in love. For those reasons, I love Eleanor and Park to bits and pieces. Park is so sweet towards Eleanor, and I found myself smiling when they start to warm up toward each other. It was impossible not to root for their happy ending, because they feel so real and you just want them to have the happy ending they really deserve.

I like Eleanor’s character, she is very strong even in her darkest days. Yet, sometimes I found her insecurity is a tad bit frustrating. Eleanor guards her heart with all her might, and I really wished that someday she could see that that Park loves her because she deserves to be loved.

Park is a half-Korean, and having a protagonist who comes from minority is one thing I’m very pleased about. I’m glad that his heritage doesn’t overpower the story either. Park is a very nice and considerate guy, and he is in every aspect a perfect boyfriend. I really like the way Eleanor depicts Park. She describes Park so vividly, so much that I can imagine Park when I close my eyes. Green eyes, black hair. Skin the color of sunshine through honey. Park seems almost delicate, but his taekwondo lessons build him into a warrior. It’s very adorable that each of them find things they appreciate in each other, although both are unable to see those special things in themselves.

I’m not a big fan of the ending, however. I love it when pieces of the story are put perfectly to make a complete puzzle, and I felt like I missed one big, important puzzle when I finished this book. I heard that the author is thinking to make a sequel, and I really hope that it’s true. Because we need more of Eleanor’s snarky replies. More of Park’s subtle understanding. More of Eleanor and Park together, creating a world where only two of them exist.

With the music, the gorgeous writing, and the intricate romance, Eleanor and Park wholly deserves a place in your bookshelf.

When Eleanor got on the bus that afternoon, the Asian kid opened up Watchmen right where they’d left off. They were still reading it when they got to Eleanor’s stop – there was so much going on, they both stared at every frame for, like, entire minutes – and when she got up to leave, he handed it to her.

Eleanor was so surprised, she tried to hand it back, but he’d already turned away. She shoved the comic between her books like it was something secret, then got off the bus.

She read it three more times that night, lying on the top bunk, petting the scrubby old cat. Then she put it in her grapefruit box overnight, so that nothing would happen to it.

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I rate this book:

Four cups of tea. Amazing! Love the book, it’s simply awesome. I love the tea flavor!  A strong recommendation.

PS: If my reviews isn't convincing enough for you to give this book a go, try reading John Green's review of Eleanor & Park here. :)