Eleanor And Park - Rainbow Rowell

[Emmybuddy]

A lot of people say noone should write books for young adult/teenagers if they don't remember being one, but, oh my goodness, Rainbow Rowell certainly remembers! She takes two typical teenagers who you wouldn't often hear stories about into two amazing characters that I certainly will carry in my heart for a long time as two of my favourite character. Often, books that have teenagers in them are normally focused around the 'popular' group or the typically favourited group of teenagers. But this book is nothing like that, in fact it focuses on two teenagers that in the school I went to would of been seen as one of the non-populars. I don't normally change my favourite book often but this certainly became my number one favourite book and I suddenly find myself wanting to tell everyone to read it, whatever age you are.

Eleanor is a new girl at school and like most of the students has to get the bus to school, with noone to sit by, Park rudely tells her to sit next to him. From the start I expected them to have a hate relationship towards each other and I honestly expected Park to somewhat bully Eleanor because of the friends he has. Although he is not the typical popular guy, he does mix with friends who are in that group at the back of the bus that like to shout things at everyone and cause attention. As the weeks at school go by, Eleanor starts to read over Parks shoulders which kind of settles them into a friendship. He offers her loads of magazines she should read, but didn't help Eleanor at all when he went over to her house. She comes from a family with a very abusive and angry step-dad, who doesn't want Eleanor to have a boyfriend.
But, Eleanor and Parks relationship blossoms, she finds herself lying to her family about who she's hanging out with all this time.
As someone who has found myself in a situation where I have lied to my family about who I am going to see, I could somewhat relate to that aspect of the book which I think drew me into the book a lot more. What else drew me into the book was Eleanor's lack of confidence, as a teenager myself I could totally relate to her. I found myself crying in the middle of the book when Park becomes very defensive over Eleanor and even ends up in a fight with one of his friends because he was being mean to her. This is where it becomes clear what Park feels about Eleanor and really when their relationship becomes defined as boyfriend and girlfriend. But nothing ever has a happy ending, nothing at all, as I learn very quickly in this book.

*Spoilers Alert*
You could see Eleanors lies spinning herself into a web of danger throughout the book and you could sense something was going to come out. Eleanor had been having people writing horrible things in her study books and thought it was Parks childhood girlfriend to start with but when she comes home one day to her step-dad screaming at her mom she goes to her room to find all the things Park had gave her broken and over the floor. She finally realises it was her step-dad writing all the horrible messages in her study book. But realisation hits home when she figures out he knows about Park, in attempt to run away she goes to Parks childhood girlfriends house, Tina, who then takes her to Parks house. Park agrees to take her to her uncle's house miles away from Park, an emotional drive up there and an emotional goodbye led up to more of an emotional ending. After weeks of ignoring Park's letters, Eleanor finally writes back, all we get as a reader, is that she only wrote 3 words. But by his reaction it seemed to be good.

The ending really disappointed me, I was on the edge of my seat hoping they would somehow reunite and get back together, the 3 words she wrote could literally be anything but I am hoping it is something along the lines of, 'i love you.' I hope Rainbow Rowell writes a second story to this one, because I am begging to find out what happens between these two fantastic characters.

[For-book-love]

I am extremely excited to read this and fangirl

[nikki_p]

I bought this a couple of months ago and have heard nothing but good things. Thanks for posting a review, I'll be sure to read it as soon as I get the chance!

[fari30]

I really want to read the book!! I put it on hold at the library and it still hasn't come because there's SUCH a long like of people waiting to read it! Everybody who read it has been telling me to read it and I'm so excited!!

[Blackswan]

I absolutely loved this book. Rainbow Rowell did such a fantastic job of making the characters "real".

[ryancody]

It is lovely book for young adults and a beautiful, haunting love story.

[Gfarrell]

I just bought this book and I am so excited to start reading it!

[parrazgloria]

I LOVE this book. It talked about teenage love and how people are bullied. I loved how Park shows kindness to Eleanor and I was just wanted them to be together from the beginning. I loved how the chapters were different point of views. The humor was hilarious and had me cracking up like an idiot. I did shed some tears towards the end but it is on my list of favorites.

[LDB81]

This was a wonderful book from beginning to end. I enjoyed reading from both Park and Eleanor's point of view. I loved how the author developed their families and I really felt like I was a part of the book. I was curious how the author was planning on ending the book, but I must say, I enjoyed the ending. I also enjoyed the 1986 setting with the mixtapes, cassette player, and the vintage music. A great novel that I would recommend to anyone.

[Sveta]

I loved reading it: so unique and beautiful and memorable.

[Colbycomp22]

I don't usually read romance novels but I decided to take a chance on this novel because of the good reviews I saw it was getting.

I actually really enjoyed this book and thought it was a good read to pass the time. I really like how there are two points of views in this book and that really connects you to the characters.

I only have about one problem with the book and that is that the story essentially didn't have anything going for it. Things do happen in the book but nothing happens that is very major.
I wanted a big confrontation between Eleanor and her mother or Richie and maybe get a sight about how they feel. I wanted some closure on her mom and her stepdad.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and I just might try to read the authors other novels.

[kcfreeman]

I LOVED this book. It was so real. I could relate to Eleanor in a way I have never related to another book character. The ending was a bit disappointing, but I can't help but wish that it would end in a happy, no loose ends type of way. Especially when you consider the fact that I had my own feelings wrapped so much into the story.

[verymuchmeg]

I don't recall the last time a book affected me so profoundly as when I read this one! Her books for adults are okay, but her YA stuff is amazeballs.

[Viviana_Ortiz]

I want to give this book a try, looks likes it's a really good book, and sounds like something I might read. Hopefully I can get my hands in a copy soon.

[ghostpixie]

I didn't like Eleanor and Park, surprisingly enough! It was so promising, to me, and then I was just really disappointed. I liked Rowell's book Attachments much more than Eleanor and Park. I just found E&P to be really unbelievable, I guess. It's been a bit since I read it, but I do remember sitting in bed in disbelief at the ending, IMing a couple of my fellow bookworms on Facebook saying things along the lines of, "WHAT?!?!?! I'm so angry!!! I just finished this book and I HATED the ending!!!" This seems to be a really unpopular opinion, but whatever. That's just my two cents.