“Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine,” but Are You?

By: Jessica Wurst

Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine, but are you? If you’ve recently finished this novel then the answer to this question is absolutely not. Gail Honeyman has wronged you, me, and everyone else who picked up this novel. How dare she publish such an enticing, well written, beautiful piece without a sequel? How does she have the audacity to have only written this one novel, when I crave to read more of her writing? Despite this wrongdoing, “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” is a phenomenally written work that will leave you wanting more.

Set in the author’s hometown of Scotland, this novel tells the story of Eleanor Oliphant, a thirty-year-old woman with an old soul. She prefers not to talk to anybody, except for “mummy” and a store owner who sells her her weekly vodka. Who really needs a cellphone in 2017 anyway? Working as a finance clerk in a very mundane environment makes it easy for her to keep to herself, especially since her co-workers laugh at the scars on her face and make fun of her odd social behaviors. This may seem mean, but if I saw my coworker store her office mug in her desk drawer for sanitation purposes I’d probably be judgemental as well. However, one day at work Eleanor begins to have technical problems with her laptop and must reach out to the newly-hired IT guy. At this point, she is introduced to Raymond, a rugged, compassionate man who is the first to dare to try and understand why Eleanor is the way that she is.

Not only does this psychological fiction piece include a unique, well-executed plot, but the writing is masterful. The prose is from Eleanor’s point of view. However, she is somewhat of an odd-ball, so the reader must gauge the validity of each statement. I found myself questioning Eleanor’s credibility, not because she seems malicious, but because she is not a “normal” member of society. On the other hand, reading from her perspective made me think about my everyday experiences in a new light. For example, Eleanor got a manicure for the first time ever, and described her experience with the nail technician in detail.“She carefully patted each fingertip dry. I wondered why she hadn’t simply asked me to remove my hands, using her voice, and passed me the towel, so I could dry them using my hands, since I was enjoying, at the current point of reporting, full use of and motor function in all limbs and extremities. Perhaps this is what pampering meant, though-- literally, not having to lift a finger”, (pg. 107).

Because I semi-regularly get manicures, I don’t think twice about the process, but reading her detailed descriptions makes me rethink the normalcy of what I consider to be routine interaction. This pattern continued throughout the book through Eleanor’s physical transformation, which created a theme of questioning the definition of normality. Is anything normal? Her diverse point of view rubbed off on other characters as well, such as Raymond who is the epitome of an “average joe”. These two main characters provided new perspectives to one another. Eleanor gave Raymond a different point of view while Raymond helped Eleanor transition into a functioning member of society by introducing her to little pleasures such as lunch outings and weddings. Through their relationship, the reader can see how Eleanor finds happiness by uncovering things about herself, and her history, that she had never addressed before.

In reading this novel, Gail Honeyman will make you question society and the definition of “normal”, all while falling in love with Eleanor and Raymond. The advanced character development followed by the surprise ending makes you want to immediately search for a sequel to the story. Unfortunately, there is none, which is why I, unlike Eleanor, am not fine.