Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine

The best part of the book was Polly the plant

I really wanted to like this book. I seem to have a hard time identifying with this kind of character as well as to what the tone was. I didn't like her, she wasn't believable and I struggled to sympathize with her. She wasn't that interesting, only her alluded to past was and I felt awful as I powered through seemingly only for the salacious details, like some sort of high brow tabloid; it's not trashy it's ‘art'.
She was boring and repetitive, which I get are symptoms of how broken she's supposed to be, but that doesn't make it interesting. She's also an unreliable narrator. Eleanor is portrayed as victim rather than survivor and it makes me sad, and there are moments where her autonomy and personhood continue to be restricted. The therapist, even taking into account that it's entirely from Eleanor's perspective, is harsher than necessary; warn a person that that type of recover memory therapy hurts and don't push them to go at your pace.

Who gives someone a cat with out asking first?!

Clichés abound, the most annoying of which would be Raymond would fumble or sputter each time Eleanor brought up having an interest in someone else.

Why is she receiving therapy 20 years after the traumatic event? Yet it's assumed that she's had a social worker for all that time. ‘Assumed' because I don't know how social work functions in Scotland, because if she had a continuous case worker how come she was with the abusive guy for an extended period of time? How is it the therapist and social worker never connected?

So many things.
_________

First I read the paperback, and then about four years later I listened to the audiobook version.

Memory is a strange thing; I could have sworn that there were some differences, but the audiobook said that it was unabridged.

When I read the book it felt more sharp and extreme, but when I listened to it, it felt flattened. For example when I read the book her behavior regarding Johnnie Lomond seemed much more stalker-like and indicative of psychosis, but when I listened to it was more like “oh she's just quirky and due to her trauma she's just experiencing a teen crush but at 30”.
The giving of the cat also seem less extreme, less forceful, but I stand by feeling indignant about bringing a stray cat into someone's house. I get that giving her a cat is something to help counter possible suicide ideation, particularly since Polly the plant has died, but it still feels like an invasion especially given how fastidious Eleanor is. I also understand that the cat is a representation of Eleanor, it survived a fire, it's somewhat anti-social, it's health improves, etc.

Another aspect of the book that bothers me was the how and why Eleanor changes. In the beginning of the book she gets a bikini wax; she's changing in order to get a man which will also get her the approval of her mother. I understand that people are vain, but I was also saddened by how after Eleanor wears makeup to cover her scars she's treated better. I suppose that one could say that she might be more confident and that's why people respond better to her, but I don't think that Eleanor was bothered by her face. The clothes change too, this was an area that seemed a little more tempered by what she actually wanted, or at least she initially states some boundaries such as no heels. Eleanor changes in many ways in the book, but Raymond does not. I would have appreciated for Raymond to stop smoking, or at least to cut back. The book leaves it as an “open” ending as to whether or not they get together, but who goes to a classical music concert, one-on-one, with just a friend? So Eleanor goes through all this change both in appearance as well as starts therapy and Raymond can't even chew with his mouth closed?Also the foster parents that expected Eleanor to clean out the fireplace were idiots. I know that throughout the book that Eleanor refers to her marks as scars, but burns leave specific scars, you can tell the difference between a scar left by a burn vs one made by a cut. Listening to the book I enjoyed it more than the first time, but I also went into it knowing her background. I also appreciated the descriptions of the seasons. It's closer to a three this time, but not quite there for me. I hate how this is described as “feel good”, was her abuser jailed or did he face any real consequences? Besides Raymond, who it's hinted at is more of a romantic interest, does Eleanor make or have any friends? I am happy that Eleanor experiences radical change – I view her “ending her connection with her mother” as her breaking up with depression and choosing to be happy and live life. That is an uplifting thing, but before she is uplifted she's put through so much.