Only the Lonely

Now, I know that I should be focussed and just read books that I already have, but sometimes Twitter gets so over-excited about something that I have to find out more.  A great example of this is 'Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine', Gail Honeyman's debut novel.  Twitter, you were right!

'Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine'
by Gail Honeyman
(HarperCollins Publishers. 2017)

Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine.  Since university, she's lived in the same flat, worked in the same job and kept the same regular routine, encompassing the crossword every lunchtime and the vodka each weekend.  As far as she sees it, Eleanor has everything she could practically need and there is no point in acquiring more than that.  The workings of her clockwork existence are interrupted however when Eleanor and a colleague, Raymond, help a pensioner who has collapsed in the street.  The rhythm of her life has changed, but can she change it back again?  And does she really want to?

I really wasn't sure about this book when I started reading it.  We've all gone through periods of loneliness - as awkward teenagers, after disappointing relationships or when starting out in a new city or town - so it felt awkward and almost intrusive to be sticking my nose into Eleanor's space.  As the story progressed and I got to know more about how trapped she actually was, however, I felt I couldn't leave her to her own, unwittingly self-destructive devices.  I'm so glad I stuck with 'Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine'.

I think this a brilliant piece of work and I still can't quite believe that it's Gail Honeyman's first novel.  I really can't wait to see what she does next.  'Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine' is a story of the corners we can think ourselves into, and how even little things can make all the difference.  It's heartbreaking, compassionate, touching and hopeful.  I can't recommend it enough.  Go read it.  Go read it now!

Now, what next...

Talking in the Library

Earlier this week, I finished 'The Library of Unrequited Love' by Sophie Divry, translated from the original French by Sian Reynolds. It's a short book and, with a bit of effort, I managed to read it in 24 hours. Seemed the least I could do bearing in mind it wasn't on my original list... Ahem.

'The Library of Unrequited Love' is one side of a conversation.  One morning, a provincial librarian

'The Library of Unrequited Love'
By Sophie Divry
(MacLehose Press, 2014)

comes into work to find a reader sleeping among her basement shelves. At first surprised, then defensive, then loquacious, she begins to share her opinions on everything from the Dewey Decimal System to customer service, literary snobbery to her admiration for a regular visitor. Intelligent yet confused, passionate but trapped, she finally has a captive audience for her thoughts and observations.

I liked this book because it was unusual. It is, as it's cover says, a diversion, a little novelty that gets you thinking about the nature of narrative and story structure. The first person monologue made getting sucked into the librarian's story very easy. By the end, I didn't want to leave her as she felt like a real person in need of friendship and support. Soppy but true.

Throughout I found myself imagining the whole novella as a play and I really think it would work very well on stage.  Hopefully someone somewhere has plans for a production.

Overall, this book would be of interest to writers because of the narrative style used and librarians.  After all, how could anyone working in such a strongly stereotyped profession not be interested in this latest portrayal?  I think this would also be a good choice for a book group as, even though it's a short work, it leaves much to discuss about how easy it is to loose sight of the people we see everyday, isolation and the purpose of public libraries.

Now, back to Dr. Crystal!