Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
reviewed by Sofia Danielle Bejerano
Eleanor & Park is a dynamic, unique, love story, taking place in the 1980’s. Despite the initial thought of some cheesy, typical love story, that assumption would be wrong. The story covers topics that are matured, and not just some rainbows and unicorns fantasy.
Eleanor; the new girl with big red hair, oldest of five children, coming from a broken family, starts going to school with Park; half Korean, comic book enthusiast, music lover, half between the ‘cool’ kids and the ‘un-cool’ kids. After an unlikely situation on the bus, the two teens did not think much of their acquaintance.
They find themselves in a bit of a fickle. Both of the teens find that they have a magnetic pull towards each other. The obstacle is not some unrealistic dispute; no fictional happening takes place. The teens, together, face very real problems at home, and at school. At school, Eleanor struggles to get by with the constant bullying, and Park has that internal battle of what he should do to help in the situation.
At home, there is no rest for the young lovers. Richie, Eleanor’s stepfather, is an alcohol abuser. Her mother is too afraid to try to anything with him, and it is all Eleanor can do to try and not get kicked out again.
With Park, at home, he cannot seem to come to terms with his mother about him having a girlfriend, one who she does not approve of or particular like. He tries his hardest to do anything for his love for Eleanor, but things do not always go to plan, especially when he finds that Eleanor makes him feel like a mess of jumbled thoughts.
The book is a truly phenomenal read. The protagonists in the story face very real problems, and it is inspiring and a story that is an addictive book. It is beautifully written, and captures the essence of young love at its finest.
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