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“Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine,” the debut novel of Gail Honeyman, follows the story of titular protagonist Eleanor, an office worker in Glasgow, Scotland, who slowly re-evaluates her lonely life after a series of chance events disrupt her regular but isolated routine.
The book has won many accolades since its release, including the 2017 Costa Debut Novel Award. It was also the first book selected for Reese’s Book Club, run by the actor’s media company Hello Sunshine that selects noteworthy books every month.
In showing Eleanor’s gradual transformation from an isolated individual to someone who is ready to accept both herself and others, Honeyman succeeds in producing a moving and relatable story on needing supportive human connections to thrive as a person. This review of “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” will go over the book’s themes and prose to explore how the story has managed to capture such a wide audience.
‘Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine’ Summary: Eleanor Oliphant Isn’t Completely Fine, Actually
The story follows Eleanor Oliphant, a finance clerk in a graphic design company. Just having turned 30, Eleanor believes that she is “fine” living life the way she does: eating the same foods for her meals, entertaining herself with only crosswords and radio, drinking herself to sleep every night, working in the same job for nine years with meager pay, and being almost completely socially isolated except for weekly phone calls with her mother.
Her routine life changes when she develops a crush on singer Johnnie Lomond at a local music venue. Deciding that Johnnie is destined to be the love of her life, she begins to make changes in her appearance in preparation for a future encounter with him, which she believes will become their fated meeting.
Meanwhile she is increasingly running into her coworker, Raymond, after the two happen to save an old man who collapsed on the road on their way home. This rescue also kickstarts a chain of events that makes Eleanor reevaluate her life and find the courage to face her traumatic past and move forward.
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Audience and Genre: 20s and 30s People Struggling With Mental Health or Loneliness
“Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” is meant to appeal to a general audience, being a self-contained story of slightly over 300 pages. The prose is easy to follow for those who have a high school reading level and above. The book would resonate with anyone who has experienced loneliness or mental health struggles in their lives, but may be especially relatable for adults in their 20s and 30s due to being close in age with Eleanor. The concept of experiencing social isolation at an early stage in one’s life and forming a parasocial relationship with a celebrity may also strike closer to home for younger readers.
Perspective: Not Entirely Reliable First-Person Narrator
“Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” is written in first-person from Eleanor’s perspective. Eleanor’s inner monologue appears straightforward at first, but readers are eventually able to figure out she is not being entirely honest with the readers and herself. There are moments where her statements and opinions contradict reality, or her external behaviors are at odds with her narrating her thoughts and feelings at a given moment.
The unreliable first-person narration is not due to intentionally trying to deceive anyone. It is shown to be a form of defense mechanism she developed over the years due to her traumatic childhood and subsequent foster care. Occasionally she vaguely recalls what actually happened in her past, especially at night. She narrates that “[on] those nights I need the vodka, or else I’d break apart too.”
(Spoilers ahead) (Content warning) After a near-attempt of trying to take her own life, Eleanor’s narration becomes increasingly honest and vulnerable as she begins seeing a therapist to finally face her childhood trauma, and develops a support system of friends and coworkers.
Three Cs: Compelling, Clear, Concise
Editorial Note: We believe these three factors are important for evaluating general writing quality across every aspect of the book. Before you get into further analysis, here’s a quick breakdown to clarify how we’re using these words:
- Compelling: Does the author consistently write in a way that would make most readers emotionally invested in the book’s content?
- Clear: Are most sentences and parts of the book easy enough to read and understand?
- Concise: Are there sections or many sentences that could be cut? Does the book have pacing problems?
Compelling: Little Clues Keep Readers Invested, Enjoyment May Vary
Eleanor’s unreliable first-person narration succeeds at keeping readers invested. Small discrepancies between her internal narration and the real-world situation keep readers second-guessing, and hints of her traumatic past are gradually revealed like breadcrumb trails over the course of the book. The slow trickle of information compels readers to continue reading to find out what is going on with Eleanor and what exactly happened to her in the past.
Although the story structure keeps readers invested in reading through the end, their enjoyment of the story may vary depending on whether or not they like Eleanor as a character. Eleanor starts off extremely socially awkward, which makes her a source of gossip among her coworkers and baffles many who interact with her. Honeyman skillfully portrays Eleanor’s social ineptitude in all its unflattering glory, to the point that the majority of negative reviews from Goodreads cite that them not liking Eleanor had hindered their enjoyment of the book.
Clear: Mostly Easy to Read, But You Might Have to Look Up Some French Words and Scottish Mannerisms
The sentences were easy to read and follow for the most part. Some readers may occasionally need to look up certain French words Eleanor occasionally uses in her sentences to emphasize her sense of intellectual superiority over others in her internal narration. For instance, she describes her abusive mother as being “hors de combat” at the moment, which brings blank looks from her coworker, Raymond, and his mother. Eleanor then thinks to herself that she is “clearly not among Francophones.”
Honeyman’s overall writing style is clear and comprehensible with no typos or errors. Even when some of the characters’ speeches are written to imitate a Scottish accent, it is clear what they are saying.
Concise: Two Acts With the Right Amount of Pacing
The story of “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” takes place in the course of over half a year, and feels adequately paced despite the differing speed in which time passes at different parts. The book is divided into three parts, but is better understood as being split into two halves followed by a postscript:
- chapters 1 through 25 titled “Good Days”
- the second half consisting of chapters 26 through 40 titled “Bad Days”
- followed by “Better Days” which only consists of chapter 41
The first half of the book is slower-paced compared to the second half of the book. The events from “Good Days” happen from early to late summer, while “Bad Days” and “Better Days” cover events from late summer until winter. The slower pace of the first half reflects Eleanor slowly but surely accepting social and physical changes in her life as she prepares to meet the singer that she has a crush on, and the faster-paced second half of the book evokes the feeling of everything crashing down and having to rebuild from the ground up as Eleanor has a mental breakdown, goes on sick leave and gets therapy to confront her mental health issues that she had avoided all these years.
The second half does not feel overly rushed in comparison. Events established in the first half continue to affect Eleanor in the second half. When she finally reveals the full extent of her childhood trauma after vaguely hinting at them previously, there is a satisfying payoff to the overall story.
Character Development: Largely Believable, Save Some Exceptions
The character development in “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” is shown through a mix of narration and character interactions. In the beginning, Eleanor insists she doesn’t need anyone else, and is also judgmental of others, quick to jump to conclusions about people based on appearance. But as she interacts with more people in her life, she notes how “small deeds could elicit such genuine, generous responses” and acknowledges how good it feels. Her opinion of others also becomes more sympathetic to the point that she is able to tell herself that “you can’t sum someone up in a ten-second glance.”
Eleanor is also extremely socially inept at the beginning of the book, constantly being shown taking figures of speech literally, failing to understand what is actually happening in social situations, and bluntly saying what she thinks without any filter to the point it appears rude. But, as she improves herself, she starts to gain enough social awareness to respond appropriately even if she may still struggle to understand the surrounding situation.
The only criticism I have regarding Eleanor’s characterization is her level of ignorance of the modern world. Her lack of tech and pop culture knowledge is a plot device meant to highlight her abusive childhood and how much she is literally and metaphorically isolated from the world. However, her knowledge level appears inconsistent or implausible as Eleanor, even after living independently for around a decade with TV access, has still managed to evade the knowledge or existence of Michael Jackson and SpongeBob SquarePants, among other things. Additionally, while Eleanor is tech-literate as she uses the computer for work, she does not possess a smartphone or laptop and requires explanation on how they work. But, once she purchases them a few chapters into the story, is able to easily navigate the internet, social media and smartphone apps as if she had always used them.
The major supporting character, Raymond, is shown to be friendly and outgoing with everyone, and easily befriends those he meets. Although he is one of the few people who is consistently nice to Eleanor from beginning to end, he becomes more considerate toward Eleanor’s quirks as he gets to know her better. He is also shown being incredibly caring toward Eleanor, though his relationship with her remains as good friends throughout the story. However, Raymond is also shown not blindly accepting all of Eleanor’s faults, as he tactfully cuts off Eleanor’s socially awkward speech toward others if he feels like it is going too far, admonishes her behavior of speaking without any mental filters when (spoilers ahead) Eleanor impulsively asks whether Sammy’s sudden passing was due to foul play.
Other supporting characters Sammy and Bob are shown to be consistently understanding and caring toward Eleanor. The story shows progress not through changes in Sammy and Bob’s behavior, but Eleanor changing her opinions after learning more about them. When Eleanor first sees Sammy, she assumes his sudden loss of mobility is a result of him being drunk and briefly considers not helping him until Raymond suggests otherwise. However, as she visits him in the hospital and gets to meet his family multiple times, she realizes that he is a kind old man who cares about his friends and family and gains a positive impression of him, and is deeply saddened at his sudden passing.
As for Bob, Eleanor had always appreciated him hiring her as an accountant. Nonetheless, it is only when she begins to improve herself and is also promoted at work that she begins to learn more about how Bob cares for his employees and how he likes to gossip about goings-on in the company with them.
Minor characters such as Eleanor’s coworkers are also given room to change in the course of the story. They start off openly ostracizing Eleanor but eventually warm up to her as Eleanor makes changes for herself.
Story: Engaging and Satisfying, But Ending May Be Divisive
“Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” is easy to follow from the beginning. It reaches a satisfying conclusion as the secrets behind Eleanor’s past are revealed, and she strives to improve herself with the support of her friends and community.
(Spoilers ahead) Other than the failed suicide attempt and subsequent therapy sessions to unpack Eleanor’s childhood trauma, the book is largely lighthearted. Even after heavier subjects are introduced, there are still moments of levity that prevent the book from becoming too emotionally heavy.
When Raymond finds Eleanor after her failed suicide attempt, he looks after her and brings her a helium balloon of SpongeBob SquarePants to cheer her up. Eleanor fails to recognize the character. Even after being told what it is, she muses, “A semi-human bath sponge with protruding front teeth! On sale as if it were something completely unremarkable!”
Additionally, when Eleanor starts to go to therapy and begins disclosing her childhood, she adopts an injured cat Raymond rescued from his neighborhood, and is comforted by the cat’s company. The story ends on a hopeful note that Eleanor will continue to overcome her trauma and live a happier life.
Readers may feel divided about the ending of the book, where (spoilers ahead) Eleanor has decided to cut off her abusive mother from her life, but afterward learns crucial information about her. Depending on how readers feel about the ending, the finale may appear either as an interesting spin on Eleanor’s journey toward improvement, or as a last-minute plot twist that does not add anything new or important to the story.
Prose Style: Crafty Mix of Showing and Telling to Present the Full Picture
“Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” cleverly uses both showing and telling to present what is actually happening around Eleanor as readers follow her journey. Being written in first-person narration, there is generally more description by Eleanor happening in the book, but there are just as many depictions of the people and situations she is experiencing.
The prose style is highly descriptive, which reflects Eleanor’s elaborate style of speech. The vivid descriptions give character to Eleanor’s talking style and also help provide a fuller picture of what is happening around her, as readers quickly find out that Eleanor’s narration is not always reliable.
One instance of the back-and-forth between showing and telling highlighting Eleanor’s unreliable narration happens when she meets Mrs. Gibbons, Raymond’s mother. When she gets asked about her family, she responds that her not having had siblings to grow up with was “actually one of the greatest sources of sadness in [her] life.” She expresses surprise and discomfort at her choice of words because she had never “fully formed the thought until this very moment”. However, Eleanor hides from the readers just how much the question affected her, as she then narrates how she suddenly realized that her shoes were “hideous” at the moment. Only after narrating that Raymond and Mrs. Gibbons are reacting to her in distress and alarm, is it finally revealed that Mrs. Gibbons’ question made her uncontrollably burst into tears.
Dialogue: Eleanor’s Unusual Speech Used to Emphasize Plot Points
The dialogue in “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” is used to both establish the characters and progress the story, mainly by contrasting Eleanor’s unusual speech with those of other characters. Most other characters speak in a plain, realistic manner. Eleanor speaks in a very long-winded and descriptive way. She often inserts factual information relevant to the conversation topic, which makes her sound more like a robot or an encyclopedia than a real person.
For instance, when Eleanor’s coworkers make fun of her for not caring about the office Christmas party plans, she rebukes, “I’m an atheist, and I’m not consumer oriented, so the midwinter shopping festival otherwise known as Christmas is of little interest to me.” In another instance, when expressing her disdain towards Raymond’s smoking habit, she says, “You’ll die years earlier than you would have otherwise, probably from cancer or heart disease. You won’t see the effects on your heart or your lungs for a while, but you’ll notice it in your mouth – gum disease, loss of teeth – and you’ve already got the smoker’s characteristically dull, prematurely lined skin.”
Eleanor’s unusual speech and dialogue not only showcase how socially awkward she is, but also hints at her childhood trauma. She attributes her attitude as a result of her surviving a house fire as a child, saying, “After what had happened in that burning house, given what went on there, I could see no point in being anything other than truthful with the world. I had, literally, nothing left to lose.”
It is also hinted that Eleanor’s speaking style may be partially influenced by her mother, as she also speaks in a similar manner to Eleanor. The difference, however, is that Eleanor’s mother usually talks like a refined lady, addressing Eleanor as “darling.” Simultaneously, her mask often slips to reveal she actually has a strong Scottish accent, swears often, and is very mean-spirited toward others.
Setting: Modern Day, Glasgow, Scotland
The book takes place in modern day (2017) Glasgow, Scotland. There are not many special descriptors that would indicate it is set in Glasgow, save for a few mentions of the characters discussing living there. The fact that the book is set in Scotland is more easily identifiable through mentions of UK-based brands such as Tesco, Marks & Spencer, as well as British radio soap opera “The Archers” and newspaper Daily Telegraph. Strangers and acquaintances occasionally call Eleanor “hen,” a Scottish term of endearment for a woman or girl.
As the story is mainly about Eleanor and the people around her, the setting does not play a huge role in the story beyond locations being relatively easy to go via public transportation, and various goods and services being easily accessible.
Overall, there are enough descriptions of various locations that make it believable that the characters are living in a large urban area. The entire story takes around half a year, and Eleanor often mentions the days of the week, weather and changing seasons throughout the story, letting readers know when the story is taking place and how much time had passed.
Rhetoric: Loneliness and Social Awkwardness
The Penguin Reader’s Guide to “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine,” included after the story, has an interview section with Gail Honeyman. There Honeyman mentions that the idea for the book came about partly after reading an article about a young woman who would find herself not speaking to another human being after work on Friday until returning to work on Monday, unless she “went out of her way to make arrangements in advance”.
“When loneliness is discussed, it’s often in the context of the elderly, but I began to think about how it might manifest in younger people, and whether the issues might be slightly different for them,” Honeyman said in the interview.
Honeyman added that she was also inspired to write the book while thinking about socially awkward people, wondering “whether there might be a reason for this, something that helped to explain that person’s awkwardness,” which led to her writing about “someone in whom loneliness and social awkwardness had become entwined and self-perpetuating”.
The rhetoric of loneliness and social awkwardness is something that happens to people across different cultures and demographics, resulting in a book that provides a wide demographic appeal.
Cultural and Political Significance: Loneliness in the Modern Age
The book’s theme of loneliness is likely to resonate more than ever today, especially among younger people, as they are more isolated compared to their elders due to the decline of community-oriented gatherings as well as the decline of third spaces. The recent collective memory of lockdowns and social distancing during the pandemic has also affected people’s abilities to socialize, especially among the young.
Eleanor’s crush on singer Johnnie Lomond based on his stage appearance and social media posts is also relevant in today’s social media landscape, where people increasingly form parasocial relationships with celebrities or internet personalities. These parasocial relationships can develop into an unhealthy obsession detached from reality, like how Eleanor convinced herself that Johnnie was her destined lover and is only shaken from her delusion by seeing him act crassly at a live performance.
Critiquing the Critics: Largely Agree with Positive Reviews
Reviews of “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” are overwhelmingly positive from both critics and consumers (such as Amazon and Goodreads) alike. Many of the reviews appreciate the book’s overall message of human connection and kindness, and praise the character depiction and development.
Although a minority opinion, several consumer reviews said they did not enjoy the book specifically because they struggled to like or relate to Eleanor. However, many of the reviews acknowledge this opinion as a difference in personal preference.
I am inclined to agree with the positive reviews of the book. The characters are distinct in their voice and behavior, and character developments are gradual and believable. The emphasis on human connection also provides a heartwarming ending to Eleanor’s story arc after all the struggles in her life.
An interesting point of note is that many critics describe Eleanor’s speech and behavior, which clearly portrays her social ineptitude and having no filters before she speaks, as some variant of “hilarious” or “funny.” While there is a sort of humor in viewing everyday human behaviors through Eleanor’s unconventional perspective, the fact that many see her thoughts and actions, which originate from childhood trauma and lack of healthy relationships, as “funny,” came across to me as unintentionally insensitive towards socially awkward people as well as the effects of trauma on a person. I doubt the comments were meant to be purposely malicious or ignorant, but those who have had similar phases of social ineptitude like Eleanor may question the assessment that the book is “funny”.
Book Aesthetic: Simple But Effective Summation of Plot
The book cover of ‘Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine’ shows an illustration of a woman with long brown hair wearing an orange long-sleeve collared shirt and a long brown skirt crossing her arms. The perspective is so that the viewers see the woman starting from the neck down and ending at knee-length. The sky-blue background creates a visual contrast that draws the viewer to the woman.
The title of the book is splashed on the middle of the cover in white text, and a smaller text “a novel” is written on the top, all in lowercase, in black and slightly slanted, as if to imitate the look of someone having casually written the text by hand. The top left of the cover has the ‘Reese’s Book Club’ logo, with an endorsement by Reese Witherspoon just above the book title.
Although the cover may seem conventional and generic at first glance, it is an effective representation of the book’s central plot and what readers can expect from the story. The woman’s plain clothing that covers most of her body reflects both Eleanor’s work-appropriate but frumpy appearance, as well as her initial monotonous lifestyle. The woman’s crossed arms indicate that she is mentally and emotionally closed off from the outside world, suggesting that things are not “fine” as she continuously asserts in the beginning of the book. The imitation handwriting also suggests the book’s lightheartedness despite Eleanor’s mental struggles.
The choice not to show the woman’s face on the cover plays several roles. It allows readers to imagine Eleanor’s face with creative liberty. It also hides the fact that Eleanor has a scar on one side of her face, a fact that is revealed within the first few chapters of the book. The scar is one of the first signs that indicate that there is more going on with Eleanor than readers initially figured.
‘Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine’: Book vs. Movie
A film adaptation of “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” had been announced in 2022 by MGM and Hello Sunshine, the organizer of Reese’s Book Club and media company of Reese Witherspoon. Harry Bradbeer was announced as the film’s director, Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter as producers, and Georgia Pritchett as the screenwriter.
Reviewer’s Personal Opinion: Relatable Book for Awkward Loners
I personally enjoyed “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.” It was quite refreshing to see a female character who is socially awkward to such a painful degree, as such extreme portrayals of social ineptitude are more commonly portrayed by male characters in fiction. As someone who was also socially awkward and struggled to make friends growing up, the way Eleanor struggles with certain social interaction styles while deeming them unnecessary was deeply relatable. Her moments of social faux pas made me cringe out of sympathy, as they reminded me of similar social blunders in my teen and young adult years. Her attempts to be less socially awkward in the later parts of the book — such as using air quotes and other hand gestures to mimic other people, or responding politely when she feels that others are expecting her to say something in a given situation — are also familiar for those who had to trial and error their way more than others into appearing “normal.”
The fact that Eleanor — while considering herself above social conventions — deep down sought to connect with others, was also relatable. When recounting her teenage years, Eleanor narrates how she is very used to “standing alone, staring into the middle distance” in social situations, and that there seemed to be, “no Eleanor-shaped social hole for me to slot into” is an all too familiar sentiment for the socially awkward.
(Spoilers ahead) I also appreciated that Eleanor and Raymond’s relationship did not develop into romance at the end of the book. The book could have fallen into the all-too-common storytelling trap where a lonely protagonist’s problems are solved by a romantic relationship, but the book does not forget that what Eleanor actually needs in her life is healthy relationships and a supportive community to heal her childhood trauma. The book keeps things ambiguous so that it is equally possible that Raymond is interested in Eleanor romantically, but it is clear through Raymond’s words and actions that he likes and appreciates Eleanor for who she is, even in spite of her shortcomings.
(Spoilers ahead) I am still conflicted about the final twist that happens at the end of the book. On one hand, the twist does come as a genuine surprise that makes you re-evaluate everything that happened in the story thus far, but on the other hand, I cannot help but think it is a last-minute shock factor that does not add anything significant to Eleanor’s journey to heal herself. My opinion on the ending constantly fluctuates between these conflicting thoughts, and I can see this being a source of debate for others as well.
Conclusion: Heartwarming Book about Healing Past Relationships with Better Ones
“Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” mostly lives up to its critical acclaim. The story is clear and easy to follow, and Honeyman skillfully brings Eleanor’s unique personality to life with her writing. Eleanor’s experiences with loneliness are also written in a way that is very relatable for those who have similar experiences.
The book’s slow-paced but lighthearted tone mirrors Eleanor’s slow and steady change in accepting others in her life and improving herself, and most of the supporting characters are warm-hearted and enjoyable to read about. Most readers will be invested to read until the end and would wish to see her heal from her trauma.
I deducted half a star for Eleanor’s inconsistent characterization of her pop culture and technology knowledge, as well as the debatable nature of the final reveal of the story adding anything to the overall plot.
‘Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine’ FAQs
Who wrote “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine”?
Gail Honeyman wrote “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.”
What is the theme of “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine”?
The themes of “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” include childhood trauma, mental health, loneliness and human connection.
When was “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” published?
On May 9, 2017, Pamela Dorman Books and HarperCollins published “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” in the U.S. Viking Penguin (Viking Press at the time) published the novel in Canada. HarperCollins UK published the book in England.
Buying and Rental Options
E-Commerce Text and Audio Purchases
E-Commerce Audio Only
Physical Location Purchase and Rental Options
“Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” is available at most Barnes and Noble and most independent bookstores.
Digital Rental Options
- Libby, the library reading app
- Your local library might have a rental app
