Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
🌼 Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman – Full Review
⭐ 4.5 out of 5 stars | Contemporary Fiction / Dark Comedy / Feel-Good
🚨 Spoiler Alert!
If you haven’t read this one yet and want to stay in the dark, stop right here — I’m spilling all the spoilers!
🤔 My Thoughts
What a refreshingly unique book! I genuinely enjoyed this one. It’s not your average feel-good novel — instead, it blends dark themes, emotional depth, and laugh-out-loud humor in a way that really works. Eleanor’s quirks kept me hooked, and while some parts broke my heart, the book ultimately left me smiling.
📝 The Plot (Spoilers ahead!)
Meet Eleanor Oliphant, a socially awkward young woman living in Glasgow. Eleanor leads a rigid, isolated life — same job, same routine, weekends spent alone with frozen pizza, vodka, and crosswords. Her co-workers find her odd. She’s fine with that. Or at least she tells herself she is.
👉 Eleanor’s childhood? Horrific. We slowly learn she survived an abusive, traumatic upbringing. Her mother was cruel and manipulative. Toward the end of the novel, we discover the gut punch: all the phone conversations Eleanor’s been having with “Mummy” throughout the story? Completely imaginary. Eleanor’s mother died years ago — she set their house on fire, killing Eleanor’s little sister and trying (but failing) to kill Eleanor too.
👉 The story really shines thanks to Raymond, a kind-hearted (if slightly messy) co-worker. Eleanor and Raymond become unlikely friends after they help an elderly man who collapses in the street. Raymond’s patience, kindness, and steady presence chip away at Eleanor’s walls.
👉 As they spend time together, Eleanor starts facing her trauma, including a suicide attempt when everything gets too heavy. What follows is a beautifully written, hopeful recovery journey. Eleanor begins therapy, reconnects with people at work, and starts building a life that’s actually worth living.
👉 And yes, romance alert: At the end, Eleanor realizes that Raymond — despite his questionable table manners and annoying habits — is exactly who she needs.
🌟 What Worked & What Didn’t
✅ Eleanor’s voice — funny, heartbreaking, and unique all at once.
✅ Blend of comedy and tragedy — handled with real skill.
✅ Character growth — Eleanor’s arc is so satisfying.
❌ Predictable ending — but honestly, I didn’t mind.
📌 Want to read it?
👉 Buy Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine on Amazon
📚 You Might Also Like:
✅ A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
✅ The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
✅ The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
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