New York : St. Martin's Griffin, 2013.
328 p. ; 22 cm.
Eleanor is an outsider (who thinks she's fat) in a family with a volatile, creepy step-Dad, and Park is a quiet Korean-American who is neither popular nor unpopular. These two "somewhat-misfits" find each other on the first day of 11th grade on the bus - and after a slow start, fall in love.
Rowell has managed to create a really engaging and interesting love story - built on strong characters, dialog and conflict. The story manages to be both mature, but incredibly sweet and almost naive. I think the thing I loved best about this book is that instead of building on the myths of romantic love with all its surface appeal, she manages to convey how two young people can develop a real appreciation for each other's uniqueness, intelligence, and sweetness (while also falling for each other physically).
I especially appreciated Rowell's ability to convey some of the misgivings that a love partner can have (what will others think of me dating this outsider, this strange-dressing kid, this unpopular person?).
There is also a nice play-off in this book between the loving home of Park (who has a manly but kind Dad and an appearance-concerned, but sweet mom who is Korean) and Eleanor who lives in a poor family with several young kids, a kind but wimpy mother who ultimately sides with Eleanor's dangerous, alcoholic stepfather.
How Eleanor and Park fall in love and how they will handle the impossibilities of Eleanor's situation drive the story forward and provide an interesting and poignant end to the novel.
Rowell's book was a Printz honor book this year, and I can see why!
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