Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell is a wonderful book. The book starts with the two main characters meeting on the school bus. Both of them live in the same neighborhood and don’t even know it at this point. This unlikely pair does end up sitting next to each other on the bus, which slowly blossoms into a friendship and then a relationship. Eleanor is considered to be a “big” girl by her description and a red head. Eleanor’s home life is poor and not the best of situations in the parental sense. Park is a Goth dressing, punk rock loving, comic book reading, Tae kwon do practicing Asian kid who has his own issues at home, but nothing compared to Eleanor’s. Eleanor is closed off to most people and seems odd or even weird to most people. This is a magnet for bullying at school and on the bus. Park is odd in his own right¬¬, however he has been in the neighborhood longer and has a couple of popular friends made in middle school that take the focus off of him. ¬¬¬ Park is a sort of life line to Eleanor in the sense that he introduces her to things she has no access to such as, comic books and new music. These new additions to her life distract her from the realities of home. Park really notices her in English class. She is smart and not afraid to speak her mind. Park and Eleanor’s relationship blossoms over time. This story is a sweet love story of two unlikely high school students. Both are dealing with the issues of peer pressure as well as struggles at home. They are opposites in many ways and yet very similar once they get to know each other closely. The story is adorable and sad at the same time. Eleanor continues to have struggles at school as well as at home. Park tries to be a buffer to Eleanor’s home life by bringing her into his. Things get complicated. Eleanor isn’t supposed to have a boyfriend and Park’s Mom isn’t sure about their relationship. This story is a combination of adorable and sad. Depending on the reader, one either loves the story or hates it. I would definitely recommend this book, particularly to people who enjoy a good love story. I was skeptical at first, but after listening to the praised reviews in class I decided to give the book a try. I was not disappointed. I went out and bought my own copy when I returned Carlin’s copy. I did not want to let the story go so soon. I am looking forward to recommending Eleanor and Park to my students and can’t wait to read Fangirl. Thank you 580 for the introduction.
Park is a sort of life line to Eleanor in the sense that he introduces her to things she has no access to such as, comic books and new music. These new additions to her life distract her from the realities of home. Park really notices her in English class. She is smart and not afraid to speak her mind. Park and Eleanor’s relationship blossoms over time. This story is a sweet love story of two unlikely high school students. Both are dealing with the issues of peer pressure as well as struggles at home. They are opposites in many ways and yet very similar once they get to know each other closely. The story is adorable and sad at the same time. Eleanor continues to have struggles at school as well as at home. Park tries to be a buffer to Eleanor’s home life by bringing her into his. Things get complicated. Eleanor isn’t supposed to have a boyfriend and Park’s Mom isn’t sure about their relationship. This story is a combination of adorable and sad. Depending on the reader, one either loves the story or hates it.
I would definitely recommend this book, particularly to people who enjoy a good love story. I was skeptical at first, but after listening to the praised reviews in class I decided to give the book a try. I was not disappointed. I went out and bought my own copy when I returned Carlin’s copy. I did not want to let the story go so soon. I am looking forward to recommending Eleanor and Park to my students and can’t wait to read Fangirl. Thank you 580 for the introduction.