Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Eleanor Oliphant is a middle-aged woman. She goes to work, where she's dedicated and hard-working, but not exactly friendly. She eats her lunch at her desk, continues to work after, and then goes home. She lives alone. This is her routine. Eleanor seems like an everywoman, but she's also different. Although anti-social and seemingly unkind, the events in the story bring to light her hidden sorrows and insecurities- while also highlighting her kind, curious, and understanding personality.

Nothing is missing in her carefully timetabled life of avoiding unnecessary human contact, where weekends are punctuated by frozen pizza, vodka, and phone chats with Mummy.

But everything changes when Eleanor meets Raymond, the bumbling and deeply unhygienic IT guy from her office. When she and Raymond together save Sammy, an elderly gentleman who has fallen, the three rescue one another from the lives of isolation that they had been living. Ultimately, it is Raymond’s big heart that will help Eleanor find the way to repair her own profoundly damaged one. If she does, she'll learn that she, too, is capable of finding friendship—and even love—after all.

The book is written in the first-person perspective, which works perfectly with the plot. It allows us to dive into the mind of the protagonist, and learn more about her, along with her. Her commentary and observations on mundane things are witty and entertaining.

Eleanor's relationships with the people around her make use realise that she is desperate for healthy relationships. Her journey in improving her communication skills and confidence eventually allow her to develop these relationships.

The most interesting part of the story is the character "Mummy", who is Eleanor's mother. They speak on the phone every week, and revelations are made about this relationship as the story progresses, helping the reader better understand the protagonist.

Personally, the book felt slow in the beginning. But I'm glad I read through it. The pace of the story improves as the story progresses, and one can't help but fall in love with the characters and root for them. So if you're reading this book, stick with it. The story is heartwarming and charming, and worth it.

This book is for you if: you're a fan of contemporary fiction (with a subtle mystery element), you want characters you can root for, and you enjoy books that are smart, but also hopeful at the same time.

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