Eleanor & Park

Park sees the new girl at the front of the bus and fills the empty seat next to him with his books. She eventually ends up sitting next to him anyway, after the vicious pack at the back of the bus targets her for their pointed remarks. As the days go by, he notices her reading the comics on his lap—they tentatively ease into conversation which, in time, leads to discovering feelings for each other. Eleanor‘s home life is wretched. She shares a room with her four siblings and the bathroom is in the kitchen with no wall or door. Richie, her mother’s abusive, alcoholic husband, had kicked Eleanor out of the house the previous year. She has been allowed to return to the family but has to stay under the radar.This is a sweet, touching story of first love. Told from both perspectives, the story’s emphasis rests with Eleanor—how she keeps within herself at home but allows Park in as she learns to trust him. Being with Park is Eleanor’s only sanctuary yet he is more lyrical when describing their relationship. When he holds her hand, he says it is “like holding a butterfly. Or a heartbeat. Like something complete, and completely alive.” When Richie’s twisted malevolence toward Eleanor reaches a boiling point, Eleanor knows she has to leave. Can Park let her go? The bittersweet ending hints at hope for two characters who readers will have come to care about. This is a stunning debut from a promising new author.—Deborah Wenk.5Q 4P S