Eleanor & Park, by Rainbow Rowell

(4/5 stars)

But it can't just end like that can it? Can it? There's a lot to be said about Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor & Park, as there should be. It's an extremely popular YA book. It even won in the Young Adult Fiction Category in Good Read's Best Books of 2013 awards, and I was so excited to finally read it (thanks, mom!)! But like I said, I have a lot to say about this book.

What I liked: The story is so beautiful, innocent, honest, and pure. Rowell crafted her characters with great thought and care- Park and Eleanor were just so real. The writing was spectacular. It captured what it really means to be in love for the first time, and everything that goes with it. And then there's Eleanor's story, her abusive home life and difficulty at school dealing with bullies. Rowell did a great job writing this, I'm pretty sure I was constantly brought to tears whenever Eleanor cried. Park is her escape from reality, he's her person, and I don't think he really know how much he saved her from the darkness. There was one quote that I absolutely loved. It was when Eleanor was finally working out how to explain to Park her feelings for him. She says, "I... think I live for you. I don't think I even breathe when we're not together... I'm not even mine anymore, I'm yours"(pg 111). That feeling. That feeling right there is why this book is such a winning book. Can't you just feel those words? Don't they get under your skin and float through your bloodstream?

What I didn't like: There were some parts that were slow, painfully slow, and I wanted it to pick up desperately. And I had some problems with the ending *hides behind the couch before anyone can come yell at me*. I feel like it was an open ending, which I'm not a big fan of, and I wanted to know what happened next. Like the book was already so long, why couldn't we get a concrete resolution? I craved closure, and not the closure that Rowell provided.

All that being said, it's still a beautiful book that'll make you think and reminisce and fall in love all over again. There's something to be said about a book that can capture your heart like Eleanor & Park does, and that alone is reason enough to love it.

-Annie

P.S. Don't forget that my Book Depository giveaway is still going on until next week! Make sure to enter!