Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine: A Novel. And that pretty much sums it up for me.
While at a work luncheon, talk turned to recent books we’d read. I mentioned Eleanor Oliphant as a recent read and found myself in a sort of impromptu book club. It seems the algorithms are working because _everybody_ has read this book. I was in common company- most of the responses to the book were, “yeah, I liked it. It was fine.” A couple of people liked it a lot and one said it was her favorite book of 2017.
Eleanor is a sympathetic character, although I personally felt more kinship with Raymond. Eleanor’s many quirks are a trained behavior, honed over years of trying to protect herself from her own past. She has kept herself at a careful remove from any emotional entanglement, be it foster families or her co-workers. Eleanor’s meticulous routine works to prevent any relationships until a random accident on the street forces her involvement with two strangers. From that point on, her bubble is punctured and she can never quite manage to seal the breach.
I’m not quite sure what to make of the reviews that qualify Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine as incredibly funny. There are funny moments, or moments when Eleanor’s deadpan observations are unintentionally amusing. But I certainly wouldn’t call Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine funny. Eleanor’s quirks are less of a coping mechanism than a self-destructive pattern. As she has more interactions with Raymond and others, Eleanor is forced to confront her own behavior and self-imposed loneliness.
There is a lot to like about Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and a lot that feels somewhat incomplete.