Review Detail

When I first saw this book, I was intrigued by the cover. Then I heard that it was set in the 80's and I knew that I needed to read it. Although I wasn't born until the late 80's, a lot of the references I was still able to relate to. But Rowell didn't go overboard with the references, so this book is enjoyable for any age.
The main reason I wanted to read this, was the romance. I had heard so much about it through other bloggers but I wasn't quite sure if I wanted to read it. I'm not a huge fan of "hype." But I finally gave in and said I'll just give it a try. And it was definitely worth it. I have never read about a more real, different, believable romance. Eleanor and Park together are super cute and quirky and I loved them together. What started out as just a "nice" gesture turned into a full fledged romance that was paced exactly right. I didn't feel that it was rushed into or anything. Furthermore, neither one of them was like a huge popular kid, so their love was a little more believable to me. It was the complete opposite of what other authors normally make their characters and it was refreshing to see it.
I also love, Love, LOVED the characters. Eleanor had so much more going on than I thought, but it made her everything she was. I caught myself completely disappearing into her world plenty of times. It was just that easy to connect to with her. As for Park, he is one of the most swoon worthy boys I've read about. He was different from all the stereotypes and I LOVED that about him. I like when people break the mold and he did exactly that.
What I liked most about this story was the lesson it brought up. As a little girl, my momma told me something that stuck with me always, "Love is blind." And ever since, I've held that near and dear to me. I mean I may not agree with it, but who am I to say that as a 20 year old, your 38 year old husband is disgusting or not what God may have wanted? Anyways, the point I'm making is, I love that they are an unusual couple. I was quite happy to read something that we don't see too often. Especially with all that's going on with love inequality.
In short, this book gave me all the feels. I smiled, I laughed, I got choked up, and so many other things. Eleanor and Park is a refreshing read. If you have the chance to pick it up, don't hesitate. You won't be sorry.