Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Release Date: February 26th, 2013
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Genre: Young Adult
Pages: 320 Pages
Series: Stand Alone
Format: Hardcover
Source: From publisher
Reason: For review
Find the Author: Website
Buy the Book: Amazon CA | Amazon

Bono met his wife in high school, Park says.
So did Jerry Lee Lewis, Eleanor answers.
I’m not kidding, he says.
You should be, she says, we’re 16.
What about Romeo and Juliet? Shallow, confused, then dead.I love you, Park says.
Wherefore art thou, Eleanor answers.
I’m not kidding, he says.
You should be.
Set over the course of one school year in 1986, this is the story of two star-crossed misfits—smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love—and just how hard it pulled you under.

“You can be Han Solo," he said, kissing her throat. "And I'll be Boba Fett. I'll cross the sky for you.” --Park 

I have to say, it was John Green's blurb that really made me want to read this novel--“Eleanor & Park reminded me not just what it’s like to be young and in love with a girl, but also what it’s like to be young and in love with a book.”—John Green

Once I started this novel, I began to understand what he meant. Yes, the characters were fantastic. Yes, the 80's references were just right. I started to fall deep into the story unfolding. However, once I got about half way through, my interest started to fizzle a lot. Eleanor seemed  to have way too much Teen angst for my taste, and it felt like the story was flat lining. There were little hits of a dramatic storyline, but as soon as anything was just about to get interesting, it would end. Just like that. Usually by this point, my interest would give out completely and I would just stop reading.

Something kept telling me to hang in there.

I am so glad I did! I think the lack of a super climatic storyline was fogging my view of this book. We are so used to 90210 and Degrassi High's(Canadian reference) dramatic story lines, that are so unrealistic that we forget that that's exactly what it is; Not real. Eleanor and Park is real. How the story unfolds in very real. By the end, my heart was breaking for Eleanor and I was reaching for the tissues. I also loved that fact that the characters were real. When I read about these brooding high school boys, and Gucci wearing high school girls I can't help but think "Where were these kids when I went to high school?" They didn't exist! Although these two characters were very average, that's what made them so attractive by the end. Eleanor kept describing Park's honey skin and jet black hair; Park talking about Eleanor's fire red hair and freckle covered face. That is true beauty. We started to love these characters for their personalities before their looks were even taken into account.

I loved that the author chose to deliver this story with the Duel perspective. It really added to the simple, straight to the point writing style.

Aside from the cute and adorable love story, there are some heavier issues at hand, and the way they slowly unfold will break your heart.

I hate that I ever had doubts about this novel. Any negative thoughts were instantly washed away! Eleanor and Park was beautiful tale about 2 kids falling in love.

 Sum it up with a Song

(Keeping in theme with the 80's)