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This by far is one of my favorite books. I was not able to put it down. I offer this book to many of my friends to read and I have gotten all good reviews back on it. It is a book I can read over and over. The way Rainbow Rowell writes makes the book so much better to read. If you haven't read this book, please go buy it.

SPOILERS!!
This has got to be one of my favorite books. Being both a book and music junkie, I especially loved the part where it shows Eleanor and Park both listening to "How Soon is Now?". They both heard the lyrics differently and I feel that it really represented who they were as a person. Where Park heard "I am the son and the heir", Eleanor heard "I am the sun and the air". One has a family and will grow with the family name while the other feels disconnected from family but is bright and is sort of floating away from everything. At least that's how I percieved it as.

From the very first time I had picked up the book, something just didn't feel right. The book was so promising for me, I had been waiting for months to buy the book and read it and when I read it, it was just... dissapointing. I know that most of you love the book but I just couldn't get anywhere with the two main characters. Their love didn't feel natural, it felt a little bit forced, and maybe like Park was starting to develop feelings for Eleanor because of compunction. However, I was still trying to talk myself into liking this book, without any success whatsoever. And the ending did not help at all. There are books in which cliff-hangers are exciting, they move your imagination and you get a clear vision on the characters future even without a sequel to the book. This was NOT the case with Eleanor & Park. I felt like it needed clarifing, you have no idea about what's coming next and I think it was missing at least an Epilogue. The negative things just added up and I ended the book with a sour taste in my mouth and the feeling of wasting my time while reading it.

As a high school librarian, I read an enormous number of YA novels each school year. Eleanor & Park was definitely my favorite of 2013, and I've recommended it to many, many students since. I loved the characters themselves and how they slowly, shyly connected over a shared love of comics. I loved that they were an unexpected pair, but not in the typical "tough boy and smart girl" or "jock/cheerleader and science nerd" scenario of lots of teen fiction. I especially loved the 1980s setting. I didn't mind the ambiguous ending--I liked that it was realistic and not a neatly wrapped-up romance. I really enjoyed Rowell's Fangirl as well, but Eleanor & Park was really special.

I really want to read the book ?

I loved this book so much and really loved Eleanor until the end. The ending KILLED me probably one of the saddest ways I've felt after completing a book, and I'm still so very lost. I feel it did depict a really real thing occurring though with the treatment from the stepfather. Besides that since I finished eons ago I can't wait to go on another journey reading Rainbow's writing with Fangirl.

This sounds a little too young adult for me maybe, but from your posts and other feedback I've gotten, it sounds awesome. I plan on being a high school English teacher anyway, and I like to read what my future students would like too. I'll have to check it out!

I did enjoy this book and I thought the story was really sweet, but the casual racism in the book bothered me. (Park is a Korean LAST name! Jeez.) Eleanor's weird fetishization of Park was pretty gross and really unnecessary.

Although the ending is surprising in the least, I really loved how the characters were unconventional and well developed. To me, the characters are one the most important parts of a novel and here they shine really well. Rainbow Rowell seems like she remember how it is to be a teenager for sure and she writes about it with clarity and accuracy. I think I'll read Fangirl but I don't think it'll be as good as her other novels.

I can't wait to read it, loved her other books!

In my opinion, the ending was really suited to the book. You can't really expect an Happily Ever After ending for a book dealing with such heavy themes. Besides, Rowell has also hinted about a possible sequel. So stay tuned

I recently listened to this book on audio. The narrators were great, which made me love the book even more. I am not sure how I would have taken it if I had not listened to it. I thought it was a pretty good book. I am usually not a fan of contemporary books but I thought this one was good.

One of the best books I've ever read

Rainbow Rowell created two perfectly imperfect characters and when they feel in love, I fell in love with them. It wouldn't have been realistic for the ending to have been neat and tidy and that would have spoiled the whole book.

Every time I think of this book I just picture Eleanor and Park in their 50's now, with a house of teenagers discussing 401k's and family vacations....it makes me happy. Eleanor & Park are one of my OTP's for life!