~ 𝘾𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙬𝙤 𝙙𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨 – these are what the two realities of Eleanor.

~ Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, is about the “feeble connection to reality”, of Eleanor Oliphant, a woman in her early 30’s. In the first part, around 25 chapters, her humour, & straightforwardness, slowly lets you befriend her. She’s kind but without making a show of it. Just being herself, without a sense of pleasing others is what drew me towards her. And, her mother, Oh, she made me shudder.

~ The other part, Bad Days, from 26th chapter took me off-guard. “𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘦.” It made me read, a bit slowly, it made me think how longing to be loved & understood is an ache that makes people lose the love for life. In the first part only, I was wondering how could hopes of finding a “saviour” make sense but was relieved to read how acceptance for the same made way in her life. The other part, it made me acknowledge how beautiful it is to have your family, friends & people who listen to you to understand you.

~ This book feels like a metaphor – of feeling fine, of barely feeling fine, of the thin line between the two.

~ I enjoyed reading it, it made me feel sad too, but I am satisfied with how it’s written, with all the thoughts that make way in it, I think you”ll either connect or don’t. No in-betweens.

~ And, yes, this book makes you believe in the power of healing, of looking after your own wounds, & confronting the escaped misery that’s been living with you for years together. There is an unspoken relief in saying things to the people who understand you. 💜
• “If someone asks you how you are, you are meant to say FINE. You are not meant to say that you cried yourself to sleep last night because you hadn’t spoken to another person for two consecutive days FINE is what you say.”

~ Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine.