This is my second time through Eleanor & Park as I went on a bit of a Rainbow Rowell bender last Christmas (Fangirl, Carry On, Eleanor & Park, and Landline). It is still a heartbreaking read, beautiful and un-put-downable. The characters are odd and quirky, yet well drawn and believable.
I am not usually a fan of romance as a genre, but this is endearing because it is far from stereotypical. I think what feels particularly true about the story is how Eleanor and Park communicate with each other. They develop a shared language based on comics and music, which allows them to get to know each other without too many awkward conversations. Eleanor is so guarded about her family life that any personal questions send her running the other way. Depending on how dedicated a fan of the book is, finding the music or comics listed can be another way for a reader to immerse themselves in the book (though one would hope, that unlike Park, most readers would, at the very least, have heard of the Beatles!).
Including this romance in our YA collection is important because it is not what young people are used to seeing or reading. The couple is bi-racial, and Eleanor has a larger body type. (That is to say, they are not Hollywood's version of beautiful.) What Rowell does particularly well here is that she doesn't have them love each other despite their flaws or imperfections, but has those imperfections become loveable as the couple falls in love. Each character remarks on their physical characteristics with very little confidence or self love; in fact, they verge on self-loathing. They are sure they are too weird, too fat, too thin, too tall, too short, too weird to be attractive and that the other will break up with them. It is heartwarming and reassuring to see Eleanor through Park's eyes and vice versa.
The book also addresses the important issue of domestic violence. Park takes drastic action to get Eleanor to safety, even though it means he will not get to see her anymore, or at least not for a long time. In a classroom setting, this book could be used to start a discussion about services available for victims of domestic violence and things they can reasonably do to help (though this likely will not include driving to another city).
Because of the popularity of the book, I wondered if a movie adaptation was being made, but apparently a development deal with DreamWorks fell through in August of this year, so there is nothing currently in the works. Rowell was involved in writing the screenplay because she says she is "protective of Eleanor and Park because they’re the easiest to hurt. . . Those two characters would be the easiest to get wrong”(Whyte, 2016, para. 7). I think I agree. A bad movie adaptation would be worse than no movie at all.
Including this romance in our YA collection is important because it is not what young people are used to seeing or reading. The couple is bi-racial, and Eleanor has a larger body type. (That is to say, they are not Hollywood's version of beautiful.) What Rowell does particularly well here is that she doesn't have them love each other despite their flaws or imperfections, but has those imperfections become loveable as the couple falls in love. Each character remarks on their physical characteristics with very little confidence or self love; in fact, they verge on self-loathing. They are sure they are too weird, too fat, too thin, too tall, too short, too weird to be attractive and that the other will break up with them. It is heartwarming and reassuring to see Eleanor through Park's eyes and vice versa.
The book also addresses the important issue of domestic violence. Park takes drastic action to get Eleanor to safety, even though it means he will not get to see her anymore, or at least not for a long time. In a classroom setting, this book could be used to start a discussion about services available for victims of domestic violence and things they can reasonably do to help (though this likely will not include driving to another city).
Because of the popularity of the book, I wondered if a movie adaptation was being made, but apparently a development deal with DreamWorks fell through in August of this year, so there is nothing currently in the works. Rowell was involved in writing the screenplay because she says she is "protective of Eleanor and Park because they’re the easiest to hurt. . . Those two characters would be the easiest to get wrong”(Whyte, 2016, para. 7). I think I agree. A bad movie adaptation would be worse than no movie at all.
Problems this book could encounter
The book includes teenage sexuality, some underage drinking, and domestic violence.
References
Whyte, M. (2016, September 12). Sorry Rainbow Rowell fans, the `Eleanor & Park' movie isn't happening. Hypable. Retrieved from http://www.hypable.com/rainbow-rowell-says-eleanor-and-park-movie-isnt-happening
Rowell, R. (2013). eleanor & park. St Martin's Griffin: New York.
The book includes teenage sexuality, some underage drinking, and domestic violence.
References
Whyte, M. (2016, September 12). Sorry Rainbow Rowell fans, the `Eleanor & Park' movie isn't happening. Hypable. Retrieved from http://www.hypable.com/rainbow-rowell-says-eleanor-and-park-movie-isnt-happening
Rowell, R. (2013). eleanor & park. St Martin's Griffin: New York.
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