Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
Gail Honeyman
2017
Harper Collins
pp. 383
Oh my! This Book! The author chronicles the story of Eleanor, a young woman, a social misfit, a victim of past trauma that has led to present distress. Like most people who are psychologically disturbed, Eleanor partly knows that something is amiss, but also like most people, she continues to believe that talking to a therapist may not help. Being a social misfit, it takes a great deal of effort on the part of others to befriend her. Needless to say, most people will not make the effort. She finally comes across a colleague, she does not truly like but who persists and manages to make a place in her life. He convinces her to finally talk to take professional help. The horrors of her past eventually dissolve.
This is one of the most exhausting books that I have come across. I read this book when the second wave of pandemic hit Delhi. With news of death and dying all around, I needed hope. It is thus possible that I picked it up at the wrong time. But after every few pages, I wondered, if this woman would live! She finally did! A strong case for addressing mental health concerns, recognising the possibility of getting better with professional help, even though the ‘help’ may just be ‘talk’. If you read it, share the story with other readers and non readers. Everybody needs to have the hope that they or someone they truly care for can get better, live better.