Rainbow Rowell impressed me with Fangirl, and I think had I read this first, it would have received a 5 star rating from me. However, I had some issues with it.

I couldn't relate as well to Eleanor or Park the way I could with Cath. I was absolutely called names in high school, but no where near the bullying levels that Eleanor endured in this novel. So, while I sympathized with her, there was a disconnect.

If I had read this novel first, I don't think I would have minded this type of lack of connection to bother me, but because I enjoyed Fangirl so much, I put Eleanor & Park on a pedestal prior to reading it. Not right to do, but I did it.

I absolutely loved how this story was written, where the reader got to see both Eleanor and Park's views. It was nice to read it that way, and I think that it added a level to this story.

On the whole though, Eleanor & Park was a YA novel that I had read before. Maybe the characters were different, but the issues of bullying and an abusive home was one that I have read recently.

Still, Rainbow Rowell kept me interested until the end, and that's why this book got a 4. I enjoyed it, and I'd recommend it to any of my friends who'd want a book to read quickly and with characters that were interesting and developed.