Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell Review

"Set over the course of one school year in 1986, ELEANOR AND PARK is the story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love – and just how hard it pulled you under."

Very cute. Very adorable. Eleanor and Park is a story of a love that's not meant to be. I guess that's why the author put in little sections of Romeo and Juliet. (I don't why but I keep on thinking that those sections of Romeo and Juliet are inside jokes for the author. Something about my strange feelings, I guess). 

(Should I put Eleanor & Park or Eleanor and Park? Ugh, I'm weird). 

Eleanor & Park is told from two characters, Park and Eleanor. Park is a rich Asian boy who grew up in a good family. Eleanor is a poor girl who grew up in the worse family ever. They are both two lost teenagers trying to find their place in the world. Let's brief these kids.

Park is rich and Asian. In the 80s, I'm not sure if they discriminated against Asian, but it doesn't seem like they did in this book. Well, at least for most of the book. Park's classmates talked about his true nationality in the beginning or about two pages. Anyway, Park is really sweet and cute. He's not all manly and stuff. No, he's mushy and soft in the core. BTW, he wears eyeliner. Don't go Asian Johnny Depp is gay on me, alright? 

Eleanor is the weak link. The weakest one of the two, although Park also has some weaknesses. (They both have strengths, of course). Like many girls, she easily vulnerable to other people's ranting and evilness and insults. She has a quite low self-esteem, believing herself to be fat and very ugly. I don't know or care about what she thinks of herself, but I do know that she's too negative. Me? I make the best of it. After all, you only have one life. Best not to spend it while whining over what could had been your appearance. 

A story about young love (aww...how adorable is that?), Eleanor & Park is one of those books where you quit early so you won't see the bad. There's a calm before the storm, in this book. A very dangerous storm. A storm involving drugs, lunatics, and more lunatics. 

The best moment: When Park's mom develops a bond with Eleanor. It's rare when you see such good relationships with mom and girlfriend. Typically, they go antsy as if there's a fire in their throats. 

My advice: Don't finish this book. It gets really sad (but interesting) towards the end. On second thought, finish it if you like tragic stories.

Rating: Four out of Five