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bethanyangharads's review against another edition
5.0
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I read this with a bunch of other readers in the @beth_and_bookclub Club for May and I absolutely loved it. To be honest, I'm surprised by how much I loved it considering how heavily Eleanor is relied on as a source of interest. There isn't really much plot to this novel and it more about following Eleanor as she grows whilst a few things are revealed to the reader about her past. However, Honeyman did a really good job of keeping Eleanor interesting enough that I really wanted to learn more about her and that is what kept me reading.
Another aspect that I really enjoyed is the LACK of an actual romance. Essentially, Eleanor is pining over this man that she doesn't know... but there is no real romance there. When a male friend is introduced, it was nice to see that there wasn't an instant romantic connection. They were able to stay just friends and I appreciate that. Too often, novels introduce characters and romance blooms. Well, I say NO - just be PLATONIC! So yeah, happy that was a thing.
I do think that some reveals were anticlimatic and we figured out what 'happened' well before it was revealed but I also see how this could be a nod to how Eleanor knew what happened to her but was repressing her memories.
triggers(spoilery): abuse from parents, depression, alcoholism, suicide attempts, death
I read this with a bunch of other readers in the @beth_and_bookclub Club for May and I absolutely loved it. To be honest, I'm surprised by how much I loved it considering how heavily Eleanor is relied on as a source of interest. There isn't really much plot to this novel and it more about following Eleanor as she grows whilst a few things are revealed to the reader about her past. However, Honeyman did a really good job of keeping Eleanor interesting enough that I really wanted to learn more about her and that is what kept me reading.
Another aspect that I really enjoyed is the LACK of an actual romance. Essentially, Eleanor is pining over this man that she doesn't know... but there is no real romance there. When a male friend is introduced, it was nice to see that there wasn't an instant romantic connection. They were able to stay just friends and I appreciate that. Too often, novels introduce characters and romance blooms. Well, I say NO - just be PLATONIC! So yeah, happy that was a thing.
I do think that some reveals were anticlimatic and we figured out what 'happened' well before it was revealed but I also see how this could be a nod to how Eleanor knew what happened to her but was repressing her memories.
triggers(spoilery): abuse from parents, depression, alcoholism, suicide attempts, death
crashburn's review against another edition
1.0
I think I have to revise my intent to give each book 100 pages. Seems that with having a 2nd child my time is even more valuable and I can only give books 50 pages to convince me to read on. This one got 75 before I gave up. Once again a character that doesn‘t spike my interest. Nothing I‘m curious about. I simply do not care about what‘s going to happen in the rest of the book so why waste my time with it. It just isn‘t for me I guess.
oregonian329's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
stephco172's review against another edition
3.0
Thought this book was okay. I would normally give it 2.5 stars but since its a fully star rating system, it's closer to 3. It wasn't anything to rave about. I was originally going to just give it a 3 but the ending of this book made it 2.5. I hate abrupt endings like that. It didn't really wrap up anything in my mind.
frazzlefran's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
ssjd411's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
blreed's review against another edition
4.0
I expected this to be a much lighter read than it turned out to be. It’s engaging and well-written, but at times I found it difficult to read because, while Eleanor and I had vastly different childhoods, much of her daily life reminded me uncomfortably of mine before my autism diagnosis and the therapy that has helped me to cope with my anxiety. I didn’t find many of the situations in the book to be funny, because I’ve been the person excluded at work, struggling to understand why people act the way they do, going long stretches of time without talking to anyone, forming obsessive parasocial attachments, etc. For these reasons, I felt much more empathy for Eleanor than some other readers, and was invested in her story’s outcome even if I cringed my way to the final pages. I know what I hope happens when the book ends, but/and I wouldn’t mind a sequel.
lgeraghty13's review against another edition
5.0
Really enjoyed this book. Was a great journey through Eleanor’s mind and getting to be a fly on the wall of her quirky life. Definitely worth the read.
ceegj's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0