Published: 18/05/2017
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Winner of the 2017 Costa Book Awards First Novel Award
When people ask me what I do – taxi drivers, dental hygienists – I tell them I work in an office. In almost nine years, no one’s ever asked what kind of office, or what sort of job I do there. I can’t decide whether that’s because I fit perfectly with their idea of what an office worker looks like, or whether people hear the phrase work in an office and automatically fill in the blanks themselves – lady doing photocopying, man tapping at keyboard.
Eleanor Oliphant has learned how to survive - but not how to live
She leads a simple life. She wears the same clothes to work every day, eats the same meal deal for lunch every day and buys the same two bottles of vodka to drink every weekend. Eleanor Oliphant is happy. Nothing is missing from her carefully timetabled life. Except, sometimes, everything.
One simple act of kindness is about to shatter the walls Eleanor has built around herself. Now she must learn how to navigate the world that everyone else seems to take for granted - whilst searching for the courage to face the dark corners she's avoided all her life.
Change can be good. Change can be bad. But surely any change is better than... fine?
Widely tipped as the fiction debut of 2017, this is a contented but broken life, played in full.
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN: 9780008172114
Number of pages: 400
Weight: 610 g
Dimensions: 227 x 159 x 36 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
‘A truly original literary creation: funny, touching and unpredictable. Her journey out of the shadows is expertly woven and absolutely gripping’ Jojo Moyes ‘Unforgettable, brilliant, funny and life-affirming’ Wendy Holden, DAILY MAIL ‘Original [and] unexpectedly funny’ SUNDAY TIMES ‘An outstanding debut about loneliness and the power of a little kindness’ MAIL ON SUNDAY ‘Heartbreaking and heartwarming’ STYLIST ‘Brave, smart and funny… the most refreshing and heartwarming debut I’ve read in some time’ YORKSHIRE POST ‘A narrative full of quiet warmth and deep and unspoken sadness… Wonderful and joyful’ Jenny Colgan, GUARDIAN ‘Moving, funny and devastating’ THE HERALD ‘Heartwrenching and wonderful’ Nina Stibbe ‘Deft, compassionate and moving’ Paula McLain ‘I adored it. Skilled, perceptive, Eleanor's world will feel familiar to you from the very first page. An outstanding debut!’ Joanna Cannon ‘A truly original voice and so good on loneliness: I sobbed and sobbed’ Cathy Rentzenbrink ‘Hugely original, a funny and sad tale of a survivor who tackles the challenges of emotional reconnection with grave courage. Unmissable.’ SUNDAY EXPRESS ‘Quirky, witty and absorbing’ HEAT ‘Warm and funny, moving and deeply original, Eleanor Oliphant is completely marvellous’ Gavin Extence ‘A beautiful and delicate balance between funny and heartbreaking… restores your faith in humanity’ RED ‘You’ll laugh and cry reading this fine debut’ PRIMA ‘Impeccable’ Dawn O’Porter ‘So powerful – I completely loved Eleanor Oliphant’ Fiona Barton ‘Heartbreaking’ Bryony Gordon ‘Delightful, dark and moving’ Sarah Pinborough ‘Warm, quirky and fun, with a real poignancy underneath’ Julie Cohen ‘A stunning debut! I laughed, wept and reflected’ Lucy Clarke ‘As perceptive and wise as it is funny and endearing… Warm, funny and thought-provoking’ OBSERVER ‘An absolute joy, laugh-out-loud funny but deeply moving’ DAILY EXPRESS ‘Satisfyingly quirky’ NEW YORK TIMES
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“Funny, Quirky, thought-provoking”
What a fantastic debut by Gail Honeyman.
I thought this book was stunning, you are completely drawn into the life of Eleanor straight away. This book takes you on such a rollercoaster ride one minute it made me laugh...
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“A little more than completely fine”
It’s impossible not to love Eleanor. She’s smart and hilarious without even trying. She’s had a tough time, but she’s motivated to make changes in her life, and while she’s focused on winning the affections of one... More
“Dark, strange, unique.”
This is a real strange and refreshing read from the debut author. The characters are well written and developed. From someone who used to work in the same industry as Eleanor Oliphant and lived alone, there is a lot... More
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