Lynnie
young adult
Amy's Review
I avoided reading this novel for a long time because I knew Lynnie hadn't been overly impressed when she read it four years ago. However, Eleanor & Park had staying power and I kept seeing it referenced in a positive light and included on Best lists. So, when the audio book became available at the library, I decided to try it. I really enjoyed it! This is surprising since it turned out to simply be a teen relationship story and they usually bore me or annoy me with all the teen drama. I love the Young Adult genre but prefer stories with a lot more going on than just a teen relationship story. So, I think Rainbow Rowell deserves credit for writing characters with enough heart and complication to keep me interested. I also loved the many 1980s references since I, too, was a high schooler in the '80s. Some of the memories really brought me back.
I appreciated the humor in the novel which made me laugh out loud a couple times. This was especially appreciated in the face of Eleanor's difficult home life. And when the story started to drag a couple times, I was still pulled forward by the knowledge imparted in the first chapter that Eleanor was not going to be there in the future. I had to know what was going to happen to her. Rowell did a nice job letting the reader get to know the characters during the course of the novel. I loved learning more about them. Rowell did an excellent job of capturing those feelings of first love. It was poignant that Park suggested the reason that Romeo and Juliet is still so beloved so long after it was written is "because people want to remember what it's like to be young". That is what this novel did--made me remember my youth and early relationships.
The narrators were wonderful--Rebecca Lowman and Sunil Malhotra. Rebecca nailed Eleanor's sullen attitude without making her robotic or unfeeling (as I've heard previously in narrations of other similarly hostile teens). And Sunil's voice acting made Park's already charming personality even more adorable. I give them both A+. They added to my enjoyment of the story.
The ending…sigh. Nicely done despite the torture of it.
I appreciated the humor in the novel which made me laugh out loud a couple times. This was especially appreciated in the face of Eleanor's difficult home life. And when the story started to drag a couple times, I was still pulled forward by the knowledge imparted in the first chapter that Eleanor was not going to be there in the future. I had to know what was going to happen to her. Rowell did a nice job letting the reader get to know the characters during the course of the novel. I loved learning more about them. Rowell did an excellent job of capturing those feelings of first love. It was poignant that Park suggested the reason that Romeo and Juliet is still so beloved so long after it was written is "because people want to remember what it's like to be young". That is what this novel did--made me remember my youth and early relationships.
The narrators were wonderful--Rebecca Lowman and Sunil Malhotra. Rebecca nailed Eleanor's sullen attitude without making her robotic or unfeeling (as I've heard previously in narrations of other similarly hostile teens). And Sunil's voice acting made Park's already charming personality even more adorable. I give them both A+. They added to my enjoyment of the story.
The ending…sigh. Nicely done despite the torture of it.
Lynnie's Review
I wanted to like this book more than I did. I found the neediness of Eleanor & Park very off-putting though, & often had to remind myself that they were in high school as I thought they acted much younger than 15-16 year olds. (Usually books about high schoolers make me think they are acting older than their age- odd).
There were things I really liked about the book. Park, his family, all the '80s references that took me back to when I was listening to those bands, the comics... lots to smile about in this book. I loved the girls who befriended Eleanor- & I understood Eleanor's attitude toward life. Her life was miserable & it was difficult for her to find the positive anywhere, I get it.
Most of all though, I just thought it was predictable, & that was the worst part.
There were things I really liked about the book. Park, his family, all the '80s references that took me back to when I was listening to those bands, the comics... lots to smile about in this book. I loved the girls who befriended Eleanor- & I understood Eleanor's attitude toward life. Her life was miserable & it was difficult for her to find the positive anywhere, I get it.
Most of all though, I just thought it was predictable, & that was the worst part.
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