This story follows the life of the titular Eleanor Oliphant, a socially awkward and isolated woman in her thirties living in Glasgow. Her life is strictly regimented, and her daily schedule follows a very rigid pattern. Eleanor works as a bookkeeper, lives alone in a small flat, and has minimal social interaction, speaking to almost no one except during her weekly phone calls with her mother.
Eleanor’s controlled world begins to change when she befriends Raymond Gibbons, a kind-hearted IT worker from her office. They witness a violent attack on an elderly man named Sammy. Eleanor and Raymond become closer, and they work together to help Sammy recover. Eleanor gradually opens up about her past and begins to form genuine human connections for the first time in years. Through their friendship, Eleanor starts to confront the painful memories and emotional wounds she has buried, including a traumatic childhood event. This event involved her mother’s mental illness and neglect, resulting in her sibling’s death and Eleanor being burdened with survivor’s guilt all her life.
The main concept is one of healing and redemption brought about by basic human connection. As Eleanor trusts others and acknowledges her own feelings, her former catch phrase of being “completely fine” shows up as her protective mantra, to hide her deep-rooted misery from the whole world, and more importantly, herself. A touching story about how there is always scope for change and growth even for those who have given up on themselves. A good read.