Eleanor & Park
the cover of Eleanor & Park
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| Author | Rainbow Rowell |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Romance |
| Publisher | St. Martin's Press |
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Publication date
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February 2013 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback), Audiobook |
| Pages | 329 |
| ISBN | |
Eleanor & Park is the first young adult novel written by Rainbow Rowell, published in 2013. The story follows dual narratives by Eleanor and Park, two misfits living in Omaha, Nebraska from 1986 to 1987. Eleanor, a full-figured, sixteen-year-old girl with curly red hair, and Park, a half-Korean, sixteen-year-old boy, meet on a school bus on Eleanor's first day at the school and gradually connect through comic books and mix tapes of '80s music, sparking a love story.
Eleanor Douglas is beginning 10th grade. She is the oldest in a family of two girls and three boys. All the children live with their mother and stepfather, Richie, in a tiny two-bedroom house. The children share one bedroom. There is one bathroom, and Richie has removed the door and will not allow a curtain for privacy. Richie is physically and emotionally abusive to the mother and often drunk. The children live in terror of him. Eleanor does not own a toothbrush or properly fitting clothes. She patches her clothes in bright colors, wears ribbons in her hair, and creates strange clothing combinations, over which her fellow students bully her. Eleanor has just returned after sleeping on the couch of a family friend since Richie threw her out a year earlier.
Park Sheridan has lived in Omaha his whole life. While his family is not affluent, and his parents come from very different backgrounds, his home is filled with love. While his father is tall and "masculine", Park takes after his mother in appearance and is shorter than his younger brother. Park believes he is a disappointment and is unenthusiastic about taekwondo, which his father values. Park is instead interested in alternative music and comics. He feels insecure about his size and Asian heritage, despite getting along with the popular kids at school.
On Eleanor's first day at her new school, the students find her weird. They rearrange their seats on the school bus to get her yelled at by the driver. When Eleanor is about to cry, Park rudely offers her a seat. They have a few classes together, during which Park notices Eleanor is one of the smartest students in class. They begin to connect.
Eleanor is bullied at school. Girls cover her gym locker with sanitary pads, and someone writes crude remarks in her school books. At home, Richie frequently screams at Eleanor's mother while drunk. One night, Eleanor hears gunshots and calls 911, but the police believes Richie's lies over her report. Eleanor tries to conceal her living situation from Park, but gets frustrated when he takes some things for granted, like a telephone, batteries, or safety. She tries to reject Park's gifts, believing herself unworthy. The two spend more time together in secret, since Richie won't allow Eleanor to have a boyfriend, and her mother and siblings' loyalties have shifted to Richie. Park professes his love for Eleanor, making her uncomfortable. Her first meeting with his parents does not go well.
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