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A Libra's Libros

Stories are teachers that entertain and inspire. We are storytellers all of us.

Eleanor & Park

Eleanor & Park - Rainbow Rowell

THESE are characters to root for. The kids from high school whose story is rarely told with such grace and stunning depth.

Just how invested am I in the characters Eleanor and Park in Eleanor & Park? It's been a few days and a couple books since I finished Rainbow Rowell's story about two high school misfits who fall in love (no spoiler there, see title), and I still can't help but smile at the thought of Park's first seriously contented grin on the bus – a major change from his usual stony glares and general everyone-is-annoying-imma-pretend-they-don't-exist mentality. And I just wanna give Eleanor, who is the reason for that grin, a giant hug! She too gets her moments of rest from her stress-filled teenage angst (and unsettling home environment) thanks to Park's humble and wordless yet incredibly meaningful gestures.

 

This story isn't just about romance or the hellishness of high school, but the resilience of young people amidst feelings of powerlessness and alienation. With amusing, brilliant insight into the inner workings of the teenage mind, Eleanor & Park is a truly touching underdog coming-of-age story if I've ever seen one.

Drawing by slureads