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 First edition (UK) | |
| Author | Gail Honeyman |
|---|---|
| Audio read by | Cathleen McCarron |
| Publisher | HarperCollins (UK) Pamela Dorman Books (US) |
| Publication date | 2017 |
| Pages | 383 |
| ISBN | 978-0-00-817214-5 |
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine is the 2017 debut novel of Gail Honeyman, and the winner of the 2017 Costa Debut Novel Award.
The novel focuses on 29-year-old Eleanor Oliphant, a social misfit with a traumatic past who becomes enamoured of a singer, whom she believes she is destined to be with. It deals with themes of isolation and loneliness, and depicts Eleanor's transformation journey towards a fuller understanding of self and life.
Plot
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Themes and tone
The novel deals with themes of loneliness, prejudice, trauma recovery, small acts of kindness, and friendship. It is written from the viewpoint of an unreliable narrator, though not one motivated by malice or a desire to deceive – as is often the case – but rather as a reflection of the character's lack of self-awareness.
Humour is used to lighten and contrast with the darker themes. The novel has been identified as a notable example of "up lit", referring to uplifting literature which features stories of kindness, compassion, and hope. It has also been credited with raising the popularity of uplifting literature among the public, as since its publication a marked rise has been observed in the number of up lit novels making best-seller lists.
Reception
The novel has been praised by critics. Jenny Colgan, reviewing it for The Guardian, described it as "a narrative full of quiet warmth and deep and unspoken sadness" with a "wonderful, joyful" ultimate message. Allan Massie of The Scotsman noted the book's unusual emphasis on "the importance of kindness", and found it to be reminiscent of a Jane Austen novel in its depiction of the "moral education of her heroine" and "an uncommonly intelligent and sympathetic novel" Sarah Gilmartin of The Irish Times called the title character "one of the most unusual and thought-provoking heroines of recent contemporary fiction".
The novel received the 2017 Costa Debut Novel Award. In the British Book Awards for 2018, it won the "Début Book of the Year" and "Overall Winner" awards (the latter chosen by public vote), and also the "Marketing Strategy of the Year" award.
Audio version
The audio version of the book, narrated by Cathleen McCarron and published by Penguin Audio, won the 2018 US Audie Award for Fiction and AudioFile Magazine's AudioFile Earphones Award in 2017.
From Publishers Weekly:
Narrator McCarron gives an award-worthy performance: her Eleanor is by turns comical in her obliviousness to basic things and utterly heartbreaking in discussing her past. Her narration is nuanced, conveying both Eleanor's surface facade of "everything's fine" and all the subtle layers of repressed pain and trauma underneath. It's a performance that will stay in listeners' minds long after the story is over.
Film rights
In May 2017 the film rights were optioned by Reese Witherspoon's company Hello Sunshine. In December 2018 it was announced that Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer would also be involved in the production.
References
- ^ Colgan, Jenny (4 May 2017). "Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman review – 'only the lonely'". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
- ^ Armitstead, Claire (12 January 2018). "Gail Honeyman: 'I didn't want Eleanor Oliphant to be portrayed as a victim'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 14 May 2020 – via www.theguardian.com.
- ^ Gilmartin, Sarah (22 July 2017). "Eleanor Oliphant is a most unusual and thought-provoking heroine". The Irish Times. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
- Beckerman, Hannah (16 March 2018). "Gone Girl's gone, hello Eleanor Oliphant: why we're all reading 'up lit'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 14 May 2020 – via www.theguardian.com.
- Keoghan, Sarah (25 March 2019). "The Dymocks Top 101: What are we reading in 2019?". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
- Angelini, Francesca. "Books: the rise of 'up-lit'. Why Eleanor Oliphant is so right for now". ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 14 May 2020 – via www.thetimes.co.uk.
- "Books in brief: a modern classic of Mexican literature, French cliches and uplifting lit". The Irish Times. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
- Massie, Allan (6 June 2017). "Book review: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, by Gail Honeyman". The Scotsman. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
- "Helen Dunmore wins posthumous Costa poetry prize". BBC News Online. 2 January 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
- Amos, Ilona (3 January 2018). "Scots author wins prize for 'completely fantastic' first book". The Scotsman. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
- "2018 Winners". The British Book Awards. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
- "2018 Audie Awards". Audio Publishers Association. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
- "Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman Read by Cathleen McCarron | Audiobook Review". AudioFile Magazine. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- "Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine". www.publishersweekly.com. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - Fleming, Mike Jr. (11 May 2017). "Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine sets two novels for screen". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
- McNary, Dave (19 December 2018). "Film News Roundup: Reese Witherspoon to Team With MGM on 'Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine'". Variety. Retrieved 16 February 2019.