Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine: A Novel

Eleanor Oliphant is a woman in her 30s living a completely solitary life. She has everything set in a routine for herself – from solving the crossword during lunch-time at her job as an accountant or buying specific items from the same specific store to spending every weekend evening in a vodka-induced detachment to pass the time. However, her regimented life takes a turn when she meets Raymond, the IT guy who helps fix her office computer and then herself.

It is so difficult to build a story and a character that remain in your life even after the story is over. Eleanor and her problems feel so real that you end up missing her presence after finishing the book. Gail Honeyman has done a brilliant job with her debut. In fact, is it unbelievable that this is her first book given that every character is crafted with such finesse! The story reveals itself after delicately peeling away layers of warm, funny, serious, and traumatic emotions. You will laugh out loud and involuntarily be teary-eyed throughout the journey with Eleanor. I am placing this as one of the best reads of the year!