The cry for a book recommendation frequently punctuates my Facebook news feed.
There’s often someone looking for their next read, and I think over the last year, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman has been mentioned on the majority of these novel-seeking threads. There’s always someone pinging it into the fray, with high praise. It’s a staple for secular book groups, and one of those debut novels that rocketed up the bestsellers list seemingly through the power of word of mouth.
Eleanor Oliphant is the protagonist, and it’s through the eyes of this anti-heroine that the narrative unfolds. Within a few paragraphs, the novel’s title is contradicted, and we quickly become aware that Eleanor Oliphant is not ‘completely fine’. Her loneliness pervades the book from its opening pages. She lives an isolated existence with scarce social interaction outside of the banalities of work. As she completes her weekly routines, the outside world assumes that she is ‘fine’ and she’s able to mask the scarred and broken reality of her life, framed by meals for one and vodka.
Navigating a cruel world
Honeyman allows us to be privy to Eleanor’s every thought, feeling and interaction, and within a few pages we see that her mask is precariously balanced. Eleanor is careering towards self-destruction – with the help of her horrific past – and we long for someone to see her, to know her and to rescue her. Her unerring honesty makes us laugh, but also makes her vulnerable, and we can almost predict, and feel, the hurt she suffers as she attempts to navigate a cruel world.
Amidst all of this, real and honest friendship gradually emerges with the unlikely person of her slightly shambolic, but kind work colleague Raymond. As he persistently seeks to see beyond the mask, Eleanor is gradually seen, known and loved. While it does evolve into a romance, it’s the healthy, authentic, unconditional friendship that is refreshing.
The problem we all have
In our world of edited Instagrammed realities, masking our own fractured lives seems easy and we are fearful of being found out. We bolster our ‘I’m fine’ responses with posts and pictures that help to present a projected reality. Expectations are to be ‘fine’, and any deviation is to make oneself vulnerable and to be unsure of the reception. While we might not be as extreme in our loneliness as Eleanor, or as close to self-destruction, I wonder if something in her condition rings true. Eleanor, and her loneliness, is a manifestation of our broken world. Her ruptured reality is a more visible version of the problem we all have. It’s the sin-shattered world of Genesis 3, and the exiled, isolated people who long to be known, loved and rescued as they blunder from one thing to the next throughout the narrative of the Bible.
We’re all tempted to impress with our ‘fine’ lives, but maybe we breathe a sigh of relief as we read Eleanor Oliphant’s story and love her rare and disarming honesty. Maybe there’s room to be broken as we read of someone else living out that reality. Maybe, as we are confronted with such a world, we are able to admit our need for help. Our need to be known, loved and rescued.
Salvation through a relationship
The hope offered in this novel is to be known and to be loved, and even rescued, as Raymond prevents Eleanor’s self-destructive disaster. Honeyman holds out salvation through healthy, loving relationships and, to a degree, she is right. But the difference for the Christian is where they look for that relationship. While my fellow unbelieving readers are looking sideways first, hoping to find a partner to fulfil those expectations, I’m trying to look up. I know that it’s Jesus alone who really knows me and even then really loves, and ultimately rescues me for eternal relationship with Him.
‘…but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Romans 5:8)
As a saved sinner, I am free to drop the mask and be who I am in Christ. A broken, messed-up sinner who is known and loved despite the mess I am, and the mess I create. I’m as tempted as any of my friends to present an edited, less messy reality, but I have no need to hide.
