Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman Published by HarperCollins Publishers on April 27, 2026
Genres: Fiction / Friendship, Fiction / Places / Europe, Fiction / Romance / Contemporary, Fiction / Women
Pages: 386
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"Meet Eleanor Oliphant: she struggles with appropriate social skills and tends to say exactly what she's thinking. That, combined with her unusual appearance (scarred cheek, tendency to wear the same clothes year in, year out), means that Eleanor has become a creature of habit (to say the least) and a bit of a loner. Nothing is missing in her carefully timetabled life of avoiding social interactions, where weekends are punctuated by frozen pizza, vodka, and phone chats with Mummy. But everything changes when Eleanor meets Raymond, the bumbling and deeply unhygienic IT guy from her office. When she and Raymond together save Sammy, an elderly gentleman who has fallen on the sidewalk, the three become the kind of friends who rescue each other from the lives of isolation they have each been living. And it is Raymond's big heart that will ultimately help Eleanor find the way to repair her own profoundly damaged one"--
Truth bomb: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Irritating. I did not bond with Eleanor. I re-listened to the first couple of chapters, thinking maybe I just needed a fresh start. Two hours in (three with the re-listen), I was ready to DNF with 9 hours to go. I didn’t bond, didn’t understand her motivation, and found myself lost in the overprecise pompousness of her thoughts and not grasping her history (which came in spurts) or who she was. Is this trauma response, mental illness, or something on the spectrum? Is she an alcoholic, delusional stalker, or just someone who is just trying to figure out her place in the world without actually realizing that she needs a place in the world? Over the next couple of hours, I made it to 25% and realize that I just don’t like Eleanor. Not apathy but actual dislike. Looking at reviews, I have to believe that maybe something is wrong with me. And why the gravy am I getting a bikini wax play by play in chapter 3!?!
I continued on, however, rewarding myself with tasks for listening to yet another chapter as opposed to the normal of rewarding myself with chapters after doing adulty things. Chapter 26: I briefly felt something for her resembling empathy. Briefly. By chapter 29, that was fading. The last few chapters, though, redeemed Eleanor for me, somewhat. Not enough for me to like her. Not enough for me to fully understand her. But it finally brought all the angst I had toward her to understanding-ish. I wish I had found Eleanor more likable early on, as maybe I would have cared more about her overall at the end. There’s a lot to unpack with her, from arrogance to immaturity. They exist side by side, both explaining her and contributing to her irritating nature.
While my time with this book still astounds me. While the ending left me with more questions than I had throughout the story, I understand so much more about Eleanor. Part of me wonders how it became the hit sensation it was, as I was ready to give up at chapter three. I was ready to give up so many times, but I refuse to not finish a book. And I’m super glad I did force myself through, as it does redeem itself. Did more people experience this phenomenon, or is it a me issue? The only real thing I can say is that if you, like me, get sucked into the high ratings of this book, the gushing reviews, it is a good book that really does handle a lot of difficult topics. And while I still don’t like Eleanor, I did come out the end understanding her. Though that chapter 3 play-by-play is one of a few things I could have done without. Approach with an open mind and a lot of caution. Take your time with it, and that’s all I got.
About Gail Honeyman
Born and raised in Stirling, Scotland, Gail’s love for reading began early, with countless trips to the local library. She pursued French language and literature at Glasgow University and even started a postgraduate course in French poetry at the University of Oxford. However, realizing that academia wasn’t her true calling, Gail embarked on various “backroom jobs,” including roles as a civil servant and university administrator.
Gail’s passion for storytelling led her to enroll in a Faber Academy writing course while working at Glasgow University. There, she penned the first three chapters of what would become Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. Motivated by a competition for unpublished fiction by female writers, she submitted her work, and the rest is history.
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine is a touching story that delves into themes of loneliness and personal growth. Gail has shared that while Eleanor isn’t based on her life, the emotions of loneliness are universally relatable.
Currently, Gail is working on an exciting new novel set in a different period and location, promising to deliver another captivating read.
Don’t miss out on experiencing Gail Honeyman’s extraordinary storytelling.
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