Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - Gail Honeyman

I had heard a lot of mixed reviews about this novel, and was intrigued to read it as soon as I could get my hands on it to see what all the fuss was about. For the first fifty pages or so, I was a little unsure and not entirely warmed up to the quirky protagonist, but soon I was absolutely hooked. I devoured the novel in about 2 evenings and on my commute to work, and didn't even notice it was over until I reached the last page.

Eleanor Oliphant is a habitual woman who wears the same clothes daily, eats the same meal every evening and drinks two bottles of Glens vodka every weekend. She has no interest in social interaction, and cares very little about her appearance. That is, until she spots the handsome frontman of a local band, Johnnie Lomond, who in actual fact turns out to be a complete and utter arse.

Throughout the novel we are able to piece together the fractured existence of Eleanor Oliphant, who we learn was abused as a child. Since then, Eleanor has suffered with various mental health issues, attending therapy sessions to treat her clinical depression for a portion for the novel, and all stemming from an extremely toxic relationship with her mother (who we learn is locked up in an institution of some sort). The vague detail of her childhood is slowly revealed as Eleanor goes through her Good Days, her Bad Days and her Better Days, as the book's three sections are entitled. She slowly becomes more interested in fashion, hair and beauty, as she visits various salons and department stores to achieve her new look, with very funny results. 

The book is entirely hilarious, whilst at the same time completely depressing, as well as somehow uplifting. I didn't expect to feel all three emotions quite so interchangeably, yet somehow Honeyman manages to nail the balance of the novel's moods. My praise is not to say I didn't have issues with Honeyman's prose, and one issue in particular struck me more than once whilst reading. After her conversation with her mother, the narrator observes 'it was only when the air went dead that I noticed I'd been crying'. This sentence still irritates me now. HOW can air be 'dead'?! That is not a thing. This line was repeated again later in the novel, causing me equal irritation.

At times, I must say, Honeyman was pretty cliché. In many ways the novel is conventional, and some of the narration made me squirm. But I did really enjoy it - oddly, considering the content, it's such a feel-good novel! I urge anyone to read it (try to ignore the dead air comment), and I guarantee that you will come away happier, and with a heart slightly larger!