Banned Books: Eleanor & Park

At thirteen, I went to a friend's home for a sleepover. We were in the bathroom with the four of us, and one of my fellow guests proposed taking her curling irons and curling our hair. My friend told us we couldn't because it would raise the electricity bill. I imagine I stared at her as if she'd committed a murder. I'd never encountered problems with money in my life. We're not extravagantly rich or anything. We live in a middle-sized terraced house. But never had my parents told me not to do something like use a curling iron because it cost money. They were always able to pay their bills and even set some money aside. My mother's a bit of a cheapskate, but not because we can't afford anything else. I remember it because it was the first time I ever realized how privileged I was compared to people even in my own country.

Justification: Not granted

Anthem: There Is A Light That Never Goes Out by The Smiths

Rating: *****

Risk: XX



Review: I have never met a Rainbow Rowell novel I didn't love, and this was exactly up my alley. Boy likes girl, girl likes boy. Situations don't allow them to be together. Romance and chaos ensue. (#KatGivesGreatAdvice) From the '80s references to Park's mom's accent, I loved it. (I love reading fancy accents in my head. It makes everything more real.)

I read the last 40 pages last night and I was crying and everything was so much sadder than I expected it to be. I just wanted to hug this book and Eleanor and Park and all other cinnamon rolls with f~cked up lives. Everyone in this book deserves so much more than what they get.

In my opinion, Rainbow Rowell has two greatest strengths: characters and dialogue. The characters are so well-crafted and unique and detailed. I don't just admire them from a reader's perspective, but also from a writer's perspective. It's what I will forever strive to do when it comes to character building. Dialogue and character can't live without one another, and her dialogue doesn't only read nicely but also sounds lively and real.

PS. Special thanks to the internet for helping me comprehend comic book references. Now that I'm at it, special thanks to Perks of Being a Wallflower, too, for making me more familiar with old music.

Offensive language

There is some very graphic language in this book, from curses to simply dirty words or references. However, our two likable main characters avoid severe swear words. Eleanor HATES it when her stepfather curses. It's not about what a character actually says or the literal words. In a book, context is key, when determining the theme and meaning.

Sexually explicit

I was surprised when I looked at the back of the book and saw this line.

"Not suitable for younger readers."

So, the cover already warns that some material in the novel might not be appropriate for young readers. Parents and teens can, upon seeing this note, judge for themselves whether they find it okay to read it. This a rare luxury since most books don't do this.

If you do decide to read Eleanor & Park, but don't want to read anything explicit, I'd advise you to skip over those parts. Except that Rainbow Rowell describes more intimate scenes in the most gentle, non-physical way possible. The actual 'deeds' aren't even described. Apart from that, their intimacy is very respectful and loving. Everything is first consented to and is sincerely done out of love for one another, not just lust. This should appeal to traditional parents.