Sigh.
This. book.
It honestly makes me sigh. This is a young adult romance, but it is so much more than that. It is a story of survival, of compassion, of hope. Its a story of opening yourself up to new people. Most importantly, it is a story about learning to believe that you deserve to be loved.
Eleanor is new to "The Flats", a lower income community in 1980's Nebraska. Until recently, she'd been living with a random neighbor in her old neighborhood. She was living with this neighbor because her mother abandoned her there a year ago, choosing her new, abusive husband over her teenage daughter. Time has passed and her mom has finally come to collect her and reunite her with her younger brothers and sister. The story begins on Eleanor's first day on her new school bus.
Park has lived in "The Flats" his whole life. His dad is military, and met his mom in Korea during the war. She is tiny and bubbly and runs a hair salon out of their garage, where she gives the neighbors spiral perms and recommends bright pink lipsticks (remember....it's the 80's). Park is half Korean, and has inherited his mother's height. His younger brother, Josh, favors his father's side of the family and is already taller and better at Tae Kwon Do than his older brother. This is an area of frustration between Park and his father, and creates a slight adversarial relationship between them. Although he has known most of the kids in school his whole life, he mostly keeps to himself, turning on his walkman headphones and sitting alone on the school bus.
The school bus is almost entirely full as Eleanor steps on it for the first time. Everyone else has been around for awhile and has already claimed "their" seat. All eyes are on her as she inches her way down the aisle to the only available seat....an empty spot next to a short Asian kid. Park isn't happy to have to share, especially not with this big, red-headed, funny-dressed new girl. Insults are already being slung her way and he would rather not be in the line of fire. His parents have raised him right, though, and he offers her the spot....even if begrudgingly.
What unfolds over the course of the school year is Eleanor and Park discovering each other. It's starts with her reading his comic books over his shoulder, and when he notices this, he brings her some to read at home. They gradually start talking and he discovers she hasn't heard very much popular music, so he makes her a mix tape. Then he gives her batteries when he hears her walkman died a long time ago. This gradual, sweet process continues as two misfits find their safe place in each other. These two falling in love is one of the loveliest things I've ever read. There is a scene where they hold hands for the first time. Such simple things are so often considered mundane and are even glossed over in romantic books. This book celebrates it, and Rainbow Rowell gives me one of my favorite quotes in the book as Eleanor contemplates how much she felt holding Park's hand:
How could it be possible that there were that many nerve endings all in one place? And were they always there, or did they just flip on whenever they felt like it? Because, if they were always there, how did she manage to turn doorknobs without fainting?
The book is filled with complications, most noteworthy, Eleanor's stepfather, Richie. He is abusive in every way imaginable, and as uplifting as Eleanor's moments with Park are, her scenes with her family are that heartbreaking. From a very young age, Eleanor's parents have chosen money, freedom, partners and addictions over her, and this has informed her life. She begins to realize that Park can't possibly love her....she is unlovable. She is uncomfortable with his family, because she has no idea how to be a part of a (mostly) functional one. She doesn't trust anyone's affection for her and doubts anyone's ability to help. It's hard to read her push others away, but it is so true to her story that it added authenticity.
This book crawled up inside of me and made itself at home. While my life in no way resembles Eleanor's, I could certainly relate to the struggles of feeling unworthy and unlovely. Seeing her growth is inspirational. Park is a remarkable hero for our story. He is not hunky or swoon-worthy. He doesn't sparkle in sunlight or battle demons. He's simply good. When the chips are down, he does the hard thing, even if he bumbles it a bit as he does it. Some people have objected to this book being for younger audiences because of its language. I admit that the language is rough. Really rough at times, particularly from Eleanor's step father. Yet I feel like the lessons taught in this book outweigh the harsh words. Teenage girls reading this book will learn about being treated well and cherished. They will learn that holding hands is special enough for awhile. They will learn that being yourself is important, and someone will love you just the way you are. And if they've read a few ugly words along the way? Well....they've probably already heard them before anyway. (Just my opinion).
Please meet Eleanor and Park. You will be so glad you did. I'm going to end with another quote from Park, speaking about Eleanor. This is the stuff....
“Eleanor was right. She never looked nice. She looked like art, and art wasn't supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something.”
This. book.
It honestly makes me sigh. This is a young adult romance, but it is so much more than that. It is a story of survival, of compassion, of hope. Its a story of opening yourself up to new people. Most importantly, it is a story about learning to believe that you deserve to be loved.
Eleanor is new to "The Flats", a lower income community in 1980's Nebraska. Until recently, she'd been living with a random neighbor in her old neighborhood. She was living with this neighbor because her mother abandoned her there a year ago, choosing her new, abusive husband over her teenage daughter. Time has passed and her mom has finally come to collect her and reunite her with her younger brothers and sister. The story begins on Eleanor's first day on her new school bus.
Park has lived in "The Flats" his whole life. His dad is military, and met his mom in Korea during the war. She is tiny and bubbly and runs a hair salon out of their garage, where she gives the neighbors spiral perms and recommends bright pink lipsticks (remember....it's the 80's). Park is half Korean, and has inherited his mother's height. His younger brother, Josh, favors his father's side of the family and is already taller and better at Tae Kwon Do than his older brother. This is an area of frustration between Park and his father, and creates a slight adversarial relationship between them. Although he has known most of the kids in school his whole life, he mostly keeps to himself, turning on his walkman headphones and sitting alone on the school bus.
The school bus is almost entirely full as Eleanor steps on it for the first time. Everyone else has been around for awhile and has already claimed "their" seat. All eyes are on her as she inches her way down the aisle to the only available seat....an empty spot next to a short Asian kid. Park isn't happy to have to share, especially not with this big, red-headed, funny-dressed new girl. Insults are already being slung her way and he would rather not be in the line of fire. His parents have raised him right, though, and he offers her the spot....even if begrudgingly.
What unfolds over the course of the school year is Eleanor and Park discovering each other. It's starts with her reading his comic books over his shoulder, and when he notices this, he brings her some to read at home. They gradually start talking and he discovers she hasn't heard very much popular music, so he makes her a mix tape. Then he gives her batteries when he hears her walkman died a long time ago. This gradual, sweet process continues as two misfits find their safe place in each other. These two falling in love is one of the loveliest things I've ever read. There is a scene where they hold hands for the first time. Such simple things are so often considered mundane and are even glossed over in romantic books. This book celebrates it, and Rainbow Rowell gives me one of my favorite quotes in the book as Eleanor contemplates how much she felt holding Park's hand:
How could it be possible that there were that many nerve endings all in one place? And were they always there, or did they just flip on whenever they felt like it? Because, if they were always there, how did she manage to turn doorknobs without fainting?
The book is filled with complications, most noteworthy, Eleanor's stepfather, Richie. He is abusive in every way imaginable, and as uplifting as Eleanor's moments with Park are, her scenes with her family are that heartbreaking. From a very young age, Eleanor's parents have chosen money, freedom, partners and addictions over her, and this has informed her life. She begins to realize that Park can't possibly love her....she is unlovable. She is uncomfortable with his family, because she has no idea how to be a part of a (mostly) functional one. She doesn't trust anyone's affection for her and doubts anyone's ability to help. It's hard to read her push others away, but it is so true to her story that it added authenticity.
This book crawled up inside of me and made itself at home. While my life in no way resembles Eleanor's, I could certainly relate to the struggles of feeling unworthy and unlovely. Seeing her growth is inspirational. Park is a remarkable hero for our story. He is not hunky or swoon-worthy. He doesn't sparkle in sunlight or battle demons. He's simply good. When the chips are down, he does the hard thing, even if he bumbles it a bit as he does it. Some people have objected to this book being for younger audiences because of its language. I admit that the language is rough. Really rough at times, particularly from Eleanor's step father. Yet I feel like the lessons taught in this book outweigh the harsh words. Teenage girls reading this book will learn about being treated well and cherished. They will learn that holding hands is special enough for awhile. They will learn that being yourself is important, and someone will love you just the way you are. And if they've read a few ugly words along the way? Well....they've probably already heard them before anyway. (Just my opinion).
Please meet Eleanor and Park. You will be so glad you did. I'm going to end with another quote from Park, speaking about Eleanor. This is the stuff....
“Eleanor was right. She never looked nice. She looked like art, and art wasn't supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something.”
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