Book Review: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

“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 sixteen.”
“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, ELEANOR AND PARK 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.

A book set in 1986?  I was most definitely skeptical when I first read the synopsis, I mean how much could I relate to a book that is set in the year before I was born?  (I know this makes no sense, especially because of how much I adore historical fiction, but still, the 80s aren’t history yet, right?) But, I was extremely wrong. I positively adored Eleanor & Park.

Not only was the prose split genius-ly between two very differently voiced characters, but the sentence structure was brilliant and the vocabulary was excellent. Rowell’s book used many of my favorite things to bring the main characters together: discussion of music, books, and comics. (Although, I will say that since the story takes place in 1986, I really want to look up all of the comic stories that Rowell uses and make sure nothing happened in the comics after 1986 that is in there.  That is just the comic nerd in me. But I trust Rowell.  I guess I just need an excuse to go back to comics for a little bit! ) 

I love that Rowell’s story not only managed to provide a realistic high school love story between two somewhat misfits, but that there are some deep rooted social issues involved as well.  Rowell explores the horrible pain that comes from a broken family and an “evil” stepfather, and even the feeling of being an outcast due to being the only person of your race in an overwhelmingly bland population in a small town.  

So if you are looking for a break from the paranormal, the dystopian, and get back to a Sarah Dessen -type teen romance, then I think that Rowell’s novel is a perfect read for you.  

I wish I could say that I’d get to host Rowell in an author spotlight here on A Midsummer Night’s Read, but she is so busy promoting this amazing novel that I couldn’t book her!  

Although, I do have another copy of this 4.5 Bard book, and am giving it away to you all! Remember to enter the rafflecopter below!  Contest closes Saturday, March 2! 

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