Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

Book Review:  Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

You’d have to live under a rock to not have heard of this debut novel by Gail Honeyman. I thought, when I started reading this book, considering what I knew about its general premise, that the title was an obvious contradiction and Eleanor Oliphant is anything but completely fine. I now think, however, that maybe Honeyman wanted to show that no one is completely fine, whatever we claim. We’re all a little crazy. We’re all a little damaged. But in the end, we might find the strength to make it through the day and feel fine — about certain aspects, at least. After all, if Eleanor can do it, so can we.

Eleanor has suffered from abuse and this has resulted in her fragile mental state. Still, she’s an independent intelligent woman who works in a full time office job she enjoys. One of the most notable consequences from Eleanor’s unstable childhood is her complete lack of social skills. Rigidity and routine help her get by. Routine is safe, and due to Eleanor’s troubled past, safe is important. But her safe scheduled life is about to change when she meets the new IT guy from her workplace, Raymond.

Suddenly Eleanor is going out to parties and pubs and clubs and concerts! She’s bought a mobile and created a twitter handle. But most importantly, she’s made friends. Not only Raymond but an older man she and Raymond help one day, Sammy, and Sammy’s various family members.

Raymond’s a great character. Instead of the classic leading man, he’s a scruffy hopeless case a lot of the time. But his beauty and charm comes from being so laid-back and friendly that he takes the time to see beyond Eleanor’s physical and emotional scars.

Eleanor’s past is revealed gradually and yes, it’s sad and horrible, but the book is not depressing. Eleanor is funny, albeit often unintentionally but, apart from the couple of isolated incidents, the supporting characters rarely laugh *at* Eleanor. Interacting with Raymond leads to Eleanor’s colleagues and acquaintances finding a way to be supportive and they, like Raymond, start to laugh *with* Eleanor too. Also, importantly, Raymond teaches Eleanor to laugh at herself.

The other thing that is magical about the book is Eleanor’s observations of everyday life. Ordinary things, places, and events which most people take for granted, from getting your haircut to catching the bus, are given a whole new breath of life with Eleanor’s witty and detailed descriptions. She takes ordinary scenarios and behaviours and turns them around so that the reader looks at them in a whole new way. With Eleanor’s help, we soon get to realise that a lot of things which are considered ‘normal’ are anything but. Making even the most basic situation fresh and amusing, these fabulous little insights also highlight many people’s prejudices and preconceived ideas about normality.

There’s several themes Honeyman explores with Eleanor’s story. How people cope with mental illness, of course, plus how people cope with loneliness and the importance of love.

Obviously I don’t just mean romantic love. Eleanor’s view of romantic love is quite askew anyway, which is highlighted in her pursuing a musician she has not even met. I’ve read quite a few books of late which carry the theme of love of friends versus family. And again, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine questions the way modern society has evolved and just who individuals perceive as family.

The love theme includes the idea you must open yourself up to love. In order to save herself from being lonely, Eleanor must put herself at risk of hurt and pain and this is why, with the truth of her past threatening to overwhelm her, Eleanor has avoided it for so long.

Self-love is also examined, especially when Eleanor’s mother plays on Eleanor’s guilt and insecurities.

There is a slight twist at the end, which had been obvious for a while, but it didn’t take away my enjoyment of the reveal. And although there is a clear resolution, I also really liked the open ended feel of the novel. It even raised my hopes that Honeyman might take Eleanor out for a spin again one day. I hope so.

A new favourite, 5 out of 5.