I loved this little story. Eleanor & Park is quick read that tells the story of two high schoolers living in Omaha, Nebraska, who slowly fall in love. I finished the book right after Christmas, and still think about it. Set in the 80s, what I liked so much about the story was that it felt very real. The awkwardness of meeting someone new, and gradually learning more about them while discovering that you might have met someone who will become special in your life, was wonderful to read and explore between this unlikely pair. The two characters live very different lives with Eleanor in a troubled, and maybe even unsafe, home, and Park in a comfortable, happy home with everything he could need or want. Both characters feel unsure about themselves and their bodies, with Eleanor and her big, bright red hair and Park with his Asian ancestry. They meet on the school bus, and after weeks of pretending to ignore each other, they find a shared interest which leads to a relationship where they find the bravery they both need to be themselves. They aren’t the typical leads of a story, but they seem like actual teens you would find in most schools.
Eleanor & Park doesn’t necessarily have a happy ending, but it is filled with hope and you will wish you could spend more time with these perfectly imperfect characters.
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