I invite you all to remember the things you did with your first love- not huge, sprawling romantic gestures, but the everyday struggles you survived because of that person by your side. Rainbow Rowell depicts these experiences in her novel Eleanor and Park; the result is a poignant, heartfelt look at young love.
Eleanor is a new student at Park’s school, whom she meets on the morning bus. Though their first meeting is hostile, they bond by reading comics carried by Park in his backpack, and listening to music that crackles from Eleanor’s Walkman. From strangers to friends, and then finally to lovers, the novel charts the ups and downs of Eleanor and Park’s relationship, and the role their home lives play in the development of it.
Rowell’s style feels genuine to teenage emotions; at times she writes lyrically and poetically, while at others her style turns sharp and angry. The dialogue between characters feels completely organic to their relationships, and the reader can always sense the flaring emotions of the characters due to Rowell’s writing.
Eleanor and Park has a universal appeal that makes it a modern classic. Perhaps a quote from the book can provide the best description: “…art wasn’t supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something.”