Okay, so I just finished Eleanor Oliphant and WOW. This book hit me right in the feels. At first I was like 'who is this weirdo?' but by the end I wanted to hug her through the pages.
The way Eleanor describes her loneliness absolutely wrecked me: 'I feel so lightly connected to the earth that the threads that tether me are gossamer thin.' Like damn Gail Honeyman, why you gotta call me out like that?
Her accidental humor had me cackling though. When she told the waxing lady 'Holly would, and so would Eleanor' - DEAD. The audiobook narrator's deadpan delivery was *chef's kiss* perfect for these moments.
That moment when Raymond's friendship finally breaks through Eleanor's walls? TEARS. Actual tears. The way she describes it as 'the gentle heat of something opening' - I'm not crying, you're crying!
Pro tip: Don't read this when you're already feeling fragile. There are some heavy childhood trauma bits that sneak up on you. But watching Eleanor slowly heal? Worth every painful moment.
4.5/5 stars because sometimes the quirkiness felt a tiny bit overdone, but honestly? I'd follow Eleanor anywhere now. Already planning my reread!