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Aug 15, 2018SuzeParker rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
Most of Eleanor & Park works well, especially the depiction of first love in which a young person feels both validated and unsure ("He's so amazing! How can he possibly love me like I love him?"); the almost physical ache when you're separated from the object of your passion; Eleanor's self-protective demeanor and gravitation toward Park and his family in response to her own home situation. Some of the dialogue, however, would have been unlikely to have come from teenagers' mouths. It was hard to suspend belief in those moments, and that detracted from the story a bit. The references to 1980s pop culture were fun, although it's humorous when authors unknowingly get it wrong. Be assured that no one, ever, said "I know, right?" in 1986. The upshot: The book is sweet. I loved that Eleanor took a powerful step in response to her horrible domestic situation. And Eleanor and Park just might be the rare teenage couple that has a long-term future.