I’m confused and disappointed as to why this book was so popular. Written by Rainbow Rowell, this book follows Eleanor, the odd new girl with big curly hair and clothes that don’t seem to fit her properly, as she enters into a relationship with a boy named Park, a quiet but observant boy who is trying to live up to his parent’s expectations. While both come from completely different walks of life, him from a loving family and her from a not-so-great family life, the two manage to form a friendship that will change their lives forever.
While I thought it was interesting to place this story in 1989, the story was left in a place that felt unsatisfying to me. You don’t really get a sense of what is to come for these characters by the time we get to the end of the novel and that bothers me. What’s the point in investing so much time into Eleanor’s story just to be left with questions? I assume she’s in a better place by the time the novel ends, but I think it’s unfair to make the audience guess. In a way, the audience is in the same position as Park. The fact that we both have to wonder if she’s okay or what happened after they departed is annoying. Park deserved better and so do we.
I’ll admit, I’m not the biggest fan of cliffhangers or endings that don’t have a conclusive resolution. Unless there is a sequel planned, it’s unnecessary. While I thought that it was interesting for the author to place this during 1989, I had assumed that it would be for a specific reason. What’s so significant about 1989? Was it just easier for the author to write about that time, assuming that her formative years were also in the 80s? The one unique thing that I absolutely did love was having both Eleanor and Park form a friendship that evolved into a relationship based on their similar love of music and comic books. The comic books were great and not something that is really used as a tool to bond two characters and I loved that they were both nerdy in that respect. Their conversations resembled those that I have with my friends and family, particularly when it comes to comic books and superheroes. You don’t see a lot of that in novels these days, so that was definitely appreciated.
All in all, I can’t say that I loved this book. Would I recommend it to others? Maybe, depending on what they were looking for. I still have a couple of other Rainbow Rowell books on my shelf that I’m still planning on getting to, but I’m going to be very disappointed if they turn out to be like this — no conclusive ending and unnecessary details that are thrown into the story just for the sake of it. I’d give this a C+.
Have any of you read this? Let me know what you think about it in the comments below!
The August Book of the Month will be: Again, But Better by Christine Riccio!
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***I do not own this photo.
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