Gail Honeyman
Eleanor, a thirty year old finance clerk in Glasgow, finds herself socially misfit. "It seemed , no Eleanor shaped social hole for her to slot into." She holds onto life with a routine of lunch time 'Daily Telegraph' crossword, evening tv and books and vodka boosted weekends She struggles to solve the puzzle of herself.
Eleanor carries some grandiose ideas instilled in her by her mummy. Such ideas which are expressed in the form of her formal interactions even during casual settings add to her social awkwardness. But her witty social observations make the book a stimulating read.
Socially isolated, unable to shuffle away the engulfing lonliness and enui, she tries to flush out her traumatic past with vodka. But, the "thoughts of past would not be drowned- like ugly, bloated corpses, they continued to float to the surface, in all their pale, gas-filled ugliness." She believes ' The things she's seen cannot be unseen. The things she's done cannot be undone." And her ghosts remind her, " Listen, past isn't over. The past is a living thing".
It feels good to see Eleanor negotiate her 'bad days' of clinical depression and slowly moves to better days of self realisation. I read the book through many personal difficulties and obstacles yet found it thoroughly engaging, melting away many worries. 'Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine' , the debut novel by Scottish writer Gail Honeyman is an excellent and exciting read.
Preetha Raj
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