Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

 by Gail Honeyman

This is the story of a young woman who is working in an accounts office.  She has been badly burned on her face and body and seems to be autistic or at least very reclusive.  Her co-workers make fun of her ocd tendencies.  She looks forward to the weekend when she can drink herself into a stupor.  She hates Wednesday evenings because that is when her mother phones and constantly berates her.

One day the young woman sees a musician online and falls for him.  She seeks all the information she can about him and dream about them becoming a couple.  She even buys a computer so she can do more research about him and track him online.  She also goes about getting a new, modern wardrobe and hairdo to impress him and fit in with him.

 She had consulted an IT guy in the company for advice about what computer to buy.  One day she and the tech are leaving work and walking in the same direction when they see and old man fall down onto the sidewalk.  Her reaction is to leave the scene but the techy insists they call 911.  She tells him she doesn't have a cell phone so while he calls 911 she talks to the old man.  The man is taken to the hospital and Eleanor gathers up his groceries.  She eats the perishables.  The next day the IT guy convinces her to go visit the man in the hospital and she does so taking him his remaining groceries. The man's family are there and are very thankful to the young couple for saving their Dad's life.  Eventually the family invite Eleanor and the IT guy to some family events.

Eleanor finally gets a ticket to the concert of her heart throb.  She is shocked to find he is a rude jerk.  She is so upset she ends up going home and drinking so much booze she passes out.  She considers suicide.  She is lying on the floor of her apartment when the IT guys shows up to clean her up and help her.  After going to hospital she goes on sick leave and starts seeing a psychiatrist.  She does not want to talk about her mother.

Eleanor and the IT guy meet for coffee on occasion and he stays in touch with her.  Eventually we find out that Eleanor's mother is not really alive, her other died when she said fire to the family home. Eleanor's sister also died in that fire.  Eleanor escapes with burns.

In the end Eleanor is able to return to work and she is warmly welcomed by her boss and co-workers.

It was a sad book at times but in the end it appears Eleanor may start to have a more normal life.