Eleanor & Park, by Rainbow Rowell

Read from December 6 to December 9.

Back in October I read Fangirl, by Rainbow Rowell. It was a fabulous book that I couldn't put down. I could really relate to the main character, and while it wasn't the kind of book I usually read (it's contemporary YA) it was just such a wonderful read. It left me with a bit of a book hangover afterwards of course, but sometimes the best books do.

Since I loved Fangirl so much, I wanted to read Rowell's other books. So when I saw Eleanor & Park on the shelves at the English bookstore, I jumped at the chance to get it. And I started reading it as soon as I could.

At first, it took a little bit of getting used to. Within the first couple of pages there was a surprising plethora of vulgar swear words, and on top of that I wasn't entirely sure I liked how the romance started. So I only read a little at a time, and for the most part it just sat on my night table unread. I wanted to finish it though, because I wanted to be able to say that I read it. I don't want to be the reader that doesn't finish books anymore.

So I sat down after work and started reading, determined to make at least a little headway. And then I pushed past the awkward beginning and couldn't put it down. First I was sure that I would be able to finish it on the 10th. I would read a little past the halfway point and then read the rest tomorrow after work. But I couldn't put it down, I just kept reading. I had to find out what happened to Eleanor, I had to find out how the relationship turned out.

It's heartbreaking. It's a really heartbreaking story about first love and real life and growing up. But it was the best teen romance I have read in a really long time, if ever. Because most of the time I don't like teen romance. Maybe it's because I'm cynical towards romance in general, but I really don't like it when teen romances (especially played up in YA fantasy) have the couple staying together. And feeling like they would die without the other. Because it's not realistic, and I have to have some realism in all the fantasy I read.

On top of that I really dislike insta-romance that happens a lot in YA fantasy (which is my normal genre.) Insta-romance is also very unrealistic and it always leaves me wondering why the couple are together. What makes them stay together? What do they even know about each other?

Eleanor & Park was not like this. The romance between the two grew slowly and naturally, kind of like how my first relationship had grown. It was refreshing, and because the story was told from both points of view I could see why each side liked the other and how they fell for the other. It made sense, and it was a beautiful first love.

Rainbow Rowell is very quickly becoming a favorite author because the relationships she writes about feel so real and natural, and her writing style just draws me right in.

Rating: Re-Readable

What do you think about the romances in books you've read? What are some of your pet peeves about romance?

Have you read Eleanor & Park? I would love to hear your thoughts! Tell me in the comments!

Thanks for reading!