REVIEW: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Powell

Title:                      Eleanor & Park
Author:                  Rainbow Rowell
Release Date:     Feb 26/2013

Publisher:           St. Martin's Press

Page Count:        320

Acquired:            Netgalley

Format:              Ebook (epub)

Read From:         Dec 30/2012 -Jan 03/2013

Goodreads:         ADD

Purchase:           Amazon/Indigo/The Book Depository

"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.

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This book consumed me. I lived in every word, and felt every feeling. I was just about to write about how this book made me remember those beginning feelings of love, when I realized that the author claims that it would..right in the description.

Rainbow Rowell, you poet you. From the very first few lines of the very first page, I knew I was done for. I was hit with an unrelenting rush of feeling, of longing-in the least corny way possible. Everything in this book felt real to me. Can I just tell you..how INCREDIBLY refreshing it was to read about a legit, REALISTIC, teen romance? No paranormal mumbo involved. Just straight, uncomplicated (okay, maybe a little complicated), good ol' 80's, hormone enraged, teenage LOVE. I wanted to HUG it. I wanted to HUG THIS BOOK.

Park: A half Asian, half white, male teen existing in a world populated by mostly whites. He stuck out like a sore thumb, which was important for the story, but he also stuck out in my mind. I long for content in books that describe the ethic and cultural background of their characters-I want to be able to envision these characters down to their every DETAIL. That was handed to me in this book, it was handed to me and I DEVOURED it. I loved that Park was Asian; I loved that we were reminded of that very fact on every few pages.

Note: Just so there isn't any confusion, I still like me my paranormal romances sprinkled here and there-I just needed a break.

Eleanor: My brain found it harder to wrap itself around her. I hated myself for it, but I kept wanting her to not look the way she did. I wanted her to be something she wasn't. And then I mentally SLAPPED myself and realized that she was exactly how I wanted her to look. She was a bigger, freckled, red-headed beauty, and I learned to love everything about her at almost exactly the same pace Park did. 

Park & Eleanor together: When what happened between them finally happened, I think time stood completely still for me. I was sitting right between them, I was. Miss Rowell completely entrapped me with her descriptions of longing, I ..couldn't..breathe. I especially loved that the storyline was broken into Park's view, and then Eleanor's. It made their interactions THAT much better.

The back stories and side stories in this book were also incredible, and SO well written. It wasn't just a love story. It wasn't. It was a story of pain, and overcoming, and acceptance, and simply getting by with what you have. It touched on so many sensitive topics, and they all worked together SO..SO well. I didn't want it to end, but I appreciate and respect where and HOW it did end. It was unsatisfying while being completely satisfying. Makes sense right? 

Read this book.