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au_conn1's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Mind the content warnings on this novel. It feels lighthearted throughout, with snippets of darker undertones peeking out. Eleanor has her quirks, but she grows on you fast.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Child death, Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
emmachinami's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm
Moderate: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, and Abandonment
aksmith92's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The Setup: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman tells the story of a socially awkward (and likely many mental health challenges peppered into her life) and profoundly lonely woman in her thirties. Eleanor lives in a strict, isolated routine - she goes to work, eats the same meals, and spends her weekends alone with vodka. The novel explores themes of loneliness, trauma, and the slow healing process as Eleanor starts to form meaningful connections.
Her relationship with Raymond, a kind and unassuming IT colleague, becomes central to her transformation. Through their friendship, Eleanor begins to break free from her emotional barriers and face the deep scars from her abusive childhood, particularly the manipulative influence of her mother.
Honeyman expertly balances humor with heartbreak in this story, making it relatable to everyday life. The novel is not just a character study of a lonely woman potentially battling mental health challenges but a testament to the power of human connection, kindness, and self-acceptance.
What I Loved: I loved everything in this book. It was a bit satirical while still capturing the real challenges of loneliness. That said, I don't think this was as funny to me as I thought it would be (based on reviews)—the book was heartbreaking in a way, especially about two-thirds of the way through. However, Honeyman still made Eleanor strong - very unique and individualized. Eleanor wasn't necessarily likable or even super relatable, but she was very Eleanor and had a wonderfully distinct and interesting voice in the novel.
I'm a firm believer in "people aren't medicine," and this novel skirted that line slightly. However, I ended up loving it because it showed that while it's super important to build the bridge to healing yourself, you can rarely get there without the help of others. Raymond was such an incredible friend—he wasn't perfect, yet he cared deeply for Eleanor and recognized that a respectful and friendly demeanor can go a long way toward helping someone. That relationship wasn't the novel's highlight, but it sure was well done.
I loved Eleanor most, which surprised me because, in the beginning, I was like, "Yikes, who is this?!" We saw her hit rock bottom and try to work her way out. We saw her grapple with getting out of her comfort zone and having a good time. We saw her grow, shrink, and stand tall again. While this book is heavily character-driven, without much plot, I felt invested in Eleanor's story.
What Could Have Made It a 5?! I almost decided to rate this a 5, but I decided against it at the last minute for only one reason: I felt the ending was rushed. And I mean more from a "plot" rather than a writing perspective. Without giving away spoilers, we see Eleanor go through a lot and trying to work herself out of her rock bottom. While it was great to see therapy involved and her working through some other issues, there was a slight plot twist and some grappling with that afterward that I felt was rushed. There wasn't enough time for Eleanor to sit with this, and she almost felt ~whatever~ about it, even though it's a huge deal. I only knocked off a half-star, though, because, in general, we, the readers, were supposed to understand that Eleanor was our narrator, and this was typically how she handled things thrown at her.
Lastly—although I didn't take away stars for this—I guessed the slight plot twist, but only because I checked the trigger warnings for this novel. While that doesn't give it away, per se, it did plant the idea in my head.
Overall, though, this book was so well done, and I'll be thinking about Ms. Eleanor Oliphant for quite some time in my life.
Her relationship with Raymond, a kind and unassuming IT colleague, becomes central to her transformation. Through their friendship, Eleanor begins to break free from her emotional barriers and face the deep scars from her abusive childhood, particularly the manipulative influence of her mother.
Honeyman expertly balances humor with heartbreak in this story, making it relatable to everyday life. The novel is not just a character study of a lonely woman potentially battling mental health challenges but a testament to the power of human connection, kindness, and self-acceptance.
What I Loved: I loved everything in this book. It was a bit satirical while still capturing the real challenges of loneliness. That said, I don't think this was as funny to me as I thought it would be (based on reviews)—the book was heartbreaking in a way, especially about two-thirds of the way through. However, Honeyman still made Eleanor strong - very unique and individualized. Eleanor wasn't necessarily likable or even super relatable, but she was very Eleanor and had a wonderfully distinct and interesting voice in the novel.
I'm a firm believer in "people aren't medicine," and this novel skirted that line slightly. However, I ended up loving it because it showed that while it's super important to build the bridge to healing yourself, you can rarely get there without the help of others. Raymond was such an incredible friend—he wasn't perfect, yet he cared deeply for Eleanor and recognized that a respectful and friendly demeanor can go a long way toward helping someone. That relationship wasn't the novel's highlight, but it sure was well done.
I loved Eleanor most, which surprised me because, in the beginning, I was like, "Yikes, who is this?!" We saw her hit rock bottom and try to work her way out. We saw her grapple with getting out of her comfort zone and having a good time. We saw her grow, shrink, and stand tall again. While this book is heavily character-driven, without much plot, I felt invested in Eleanor's story.
What Could Have Made It a 5?! I almost decided to rate this a 5, but I decided against it at the last minute for only one reason: I felt the ending was rushed. And I mean more from a "plot" rather than a writing perspective. Without giving away spoilers, we see Eleanor go through a lot and trying to work herself out of her rock bottom. While it was great to see therapy involved and her working through some other issues, there was a slight plot twist and some grappling with that afterward that I felt was rushed. There wasn't enough time for Eleanor to sit with this, and she almost felt ~whatever~ about it, even though it's a huge deal. I only knocked off a half-star, though, because, in general, we, the readers, were supposed to understand that Eleanor was our narrator, and this was typically how she handled things thrown at her.
Lastly—although I didn't take away stars for this—I guessed the slight plot twist, but only because I checked the trigger warnings for this novel. While that doesn't give it away, per se, it did plant the idea in my head.
Overall, though, this book was so well done, and I'll be thinking about Ms. Eleanor Oliphant for quite some time in my life.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Cursing, Self harm, Medical content, Stalking, and Gaslighting
Minor: Physical abuse and Vomit
abigailhaagen's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I felt a lot more called out by this book than I would have liked to be lol
But for real, this was such healing story. Really strong character voice, lots of wholesome moments, but also dealt with extremely heavy topics. Very good read.
But for real, this was such healing story. Really strong character voice, lots of wholesome moments, but also dealt with extremely heavy topics. Very good read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Moderate: Stalking
Minor: Animal cruelty and Cancer
taylor_bb's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I liked this so much more than I thought I would. After suffering through Lessons in Chemistry's depiction of Elizabeth Zott, the way that Honeyman wrote Eleanor's character was like a breath of fresh air. Her relationship with Raymond, as well as her coworkers, was so sweet and charming. I did get annoyed a few times, but as the book continued, I also grew to love Eleanor, which I think was on purpose. Also, the PLOT TWIST HELLO?? That came out of left field at the very last moment of the book. Overall, genuinely one of my favorite Lit Fic books I have read so far.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Child death, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Stalking
wild_rabbits's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Child death, Death, Physical abuse, Rape, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
aniasonions's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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? Yes
4.75
Trigger warning: suicidal ideation
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent
soph_mills's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Rape, Stalking, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent
efinn5's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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? Yes
4.25
This book is heartbreaking and heartwarming all at once!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
Moderate: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Vomit, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Death of parent
timmytunter's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
“Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” was a most enjoyable read. Once started, I could scarcely put it down until I reached the end. The narrative is told in a first person voice, as Honeyman inhabits the fictional Eleanor, a social misfit with a traumatic past. As our narrator, Eleanor is characterised by a number of traits which could be indicative of autism and/or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, though notably a label is never applied within the narrative. Regardless of a label (or lack thereof), I found Eleanor’s thought patterns rather relatable, albeit I remained generally cognisant of her cognitive errors and the resultant social blunders. I found Eleanor to be a captivating character: quirky and charming, brutally honest and empathetically unaware yet sharp and witty, socially stunted yet undeniably likeable.
The book deals with some potent issues: alcohol dependence, child abuse, social isolation and loneliness, suicidal ideation, and rape, to name a few. However, it is not gratuitous. Rather, it gives us a glimpse into the world of a lonely young woman who does not know how much of life she is missing out on, and slowly peels back our protagonist’s history of trauma, providing the necessary context. As a result, in Eleanor we have a well-written, complex and enchanting character, whose oddities contribute to a narrative that is poised between light and dark, funny and serious. One critique I have for the book, however, is the inconsistent portrayal of Eleanor: the Eleanor at the end of the novel appears to have lost some of her Eleanorness, that which made her unique. I’m not saying she should not heal and grow, but I do think that some of her notable characteristics would realistically remain, even with therapeutic intervention.
Here are some of my favourite quotes from the book:
“I do exist, don't I? It often feels as if I'm not here, that I'm a figment of my own imagination. There are days when I feel so lightly connected to the earth that the threads that tether me to the planet are gossamer thin, spun sugar. A strong gust of wind could dislodge me completely, and l'd lift off and blow away, like one of those seeds in a dandelion clock.”
“I feel sorry for beautiful people. Beauty, from the moment you possess it, is already slipping away, ephemeral. That must be difficult.”
“The cat squirmed in my arms and landed on the carpet with a heavy thump. She strolled over to the litter tray, squatted down and urinated loudly, maintaining extremely assertive eye contact with me throughout. After the deluge, she lazily kicked over the traces with her back legs, scattering litter all over my freshly cleaned floor.
A woman who knew her own mind and scorned the conventions of polite society. We were going to get along just fine.”
I totally resonate with Eleanor’s train of thought in the following quote, as she sat on a seat of a bus while other commuters were filtering in and looking for where to sit:
“I stared at the floor, my mind racing. Did I... did I look like the kind of person who ought to be avoided in a game of bus seat selection? I could only conclude, in the face of the evidence, that I did. But why?
I would have to reason my way to the answer. I wasn't over-weight. I didn't smell - I showered daily, and I laundered my clothes regularly. That left madness, then. Was I mad? No. No, I wasn't. I was suffering from clinical depression, but that was an illness. It wasn't madness. Did I look mad, then? Act mad? I didn't think so. But then, how would I know? Was it my scar? My eczema? My jerkin? Was it a sign of madness even to think you might be mad? I rested my elbows on my knees and placed my head in my hands. Oh God oh God oh God.”
This sort of reasoning is highly reflective of the process that my mind often goes through as I overthink social interactions.
I cannot review this novel without acknowledging and paying due credence the character of Raymond. I am undoubtedly fond of this lovely man. He is not portrayed as being perfect, but despite his flaws he is certainly respectful, kind, gentle, perceptive, patient, generous, and perhaps most significantly, present. By his empathy, he is able to intuit when to address something that Eleanor has said or done or when to leave it lie, and seems to be precisely what Eleanor needed in her life. His presence enables Eleanor to confront her past, defeat her demons, and heal. His example is one more men should follow in our world, and is a breath of fresh air in the crowded assembly of modern literature.
Throughout the novel, Honeyman, through the receptacle of Eleanor, communicates in a charmingly eccentric manner. Her use of language is captivating and beguiling.
The following quote highlights Eleanor’s delightful phrasing, and is emblematic of the way our narrator communicates the story to us throughout the novel:
“A cockerel's dawn crowing had woken me from my slumbers. This glorious morning sound was powered by an AA battery and delivered through a tinny speaker, and was brought about by my setting my alarm clock the previous evening, rather than, as is the case in our avian friends, raised levels of testosterone and sunlight.“
“Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” is a charming novel that will live long in my memory and likely stand as one of my favorite reads of the year. Honeyman masterfully blends humour and heartbreak, leaving the reader with a story that is touching, tender, thought-provoking, yet hilarious. Eleanor’s journey reminds us of the importance of human connection and serves as a poignant exploration of what it truly means to be “fine.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Death, Violence, Grief, and Death of parent