This book is probably the cutest story I’ve ever read. It’s so simple and so straightforward, yet manages to capture the adorable giddy moments of a blossoming relationship.
“Eleanor & Park,” as the name suggests, tells the story of two characters, Eleanor and Park, from the fateful moment they happen to sit next to each other on the bus to the moment their relationship is finally rekindled via a mysterious postcard. We’ll get to that part later. This book alternates between the two characters’ voices, jumping from awkward bus interactions to tense family dynamics to everything in between. It perfectly captures the experience of young love, drawing readers back into a world where life was defined by shy smiles and stolen moments.
As an avid reader, I’ve found more and more that I’m drawn to books that tell little yet universally relatable stories, and this book does exactly that. Remember when you were super conscious of what you had for lunch because you had class with your crush right after? Remember when you got super embarrassed during gym class because you couldn’t dribble the ball properly and you knew the person you liked was watching? Remember when you repeatedly emphasized to your mom that “he’s just a friend” while blushing profusely and wishing deep down you could declare the exact opposite? These types of moments are what Rowell does an amazing job of capturing, and you as the reader are inexplicably drawn into Eleanor and Park’s narratives as they navigate the awkwardness, the giddiness and the joys of their relationship.
Of course, their relationship, like any other, has its ups and downs. Complicated parental dynamics, younger siblings who can’t keep their lips zipped and the usual mess of gossiping high schoolers are all interwoven into the story. But then again, whose high school relationship didn’t have to deal with stuff like that?
For me, the cherry on top was the ending of the story. After the two are forced to separate for a while due to family issues, Park finally receives a message from Eleanor: “Eleanor hadn’t written him a letter, it was a postcard. Just three words long.”
I turned the page.
“I would like to thank…”
What? No, there’s no way this is how the book ends. What.
But when you read the author’s explanation for why she did this, it only makes you appreciate her more. Her reasoning was that these aren’t just characters she created for the book. They are their own living story. This is simply the moment where we part ways, allowing Eleanor and Park to reclaim their story as their own and embark on the next chapter of their lives.
As the author of a romance novel, to guarantee a happy ever after would be disingenuous, because, as with all relationships, we never know what might happen tomorrow. Instead, Rowell leaves us with a simple message of hope: three words, and a fluttering heart.
