Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

A heartwarming read for any reading taste

Eleanor Oliphant is a delightful character that came into my life completely by chance, and I’m so glad she did. Late in the summer I was training for a very long bike tour with friends which meant I was spending hours upon hours sitting in a bike saddle each week. With one headphone in, I normally allow the time to pass by listening to podcasts until I finally decided to switch gears and put the Libby app on my phone for audiobooks. I can now very confidently suggest that if you are spending upwards of 100 miles on a bicycle each week, listening to books is a wonderful way to spend those miles.

I chose Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine purely for it’s title. Who wouldn’t. It’s a great title. And the book that followed the title was just as great if not better.

Eleanor is a trouble young woman who doesn’t yet know that she’s troubled. Resolved to live her life under very strict guidelines implemented on herself, she moves about the beginning of her story giving the impression that everything is exactly fine the way that it is. Until she meets a young man named Raymond. Raymond is a bit of a mess in Eleanor’s eyes and though she is reluctant, he ends up opening her heart and leading her down a path of self discovery and overcoming repressed trauma. Raymond helps set Eleanor free.

If you love a feel good story with memorable characters and beautiful writing, you will love this book. I especially recommend listening to the audio version while training in the endurance sport of your choice