Yes yes, I know. I am the last children's lit professional on the planet to have read this book. You've all read it, and you've all loved it, and I am late to the Eleanor & Park Party.
Oh my god. Think of it -- that would be the funniest party. We'd all have to wear plaid flannel and band t-shirts and stand around looking at the floor until we each stormed out of the room in tears.
It would be like the parties at my college radio station in the 80's, come to think of it! Actually we didn't even have parties at the radio station, they were all canceled on account of everyone panicked at the idea of going to a party. Which of course was expressed as scathing disdain. "Oh yes, let's have a party. That would be OH SO FUN."
That's totally why I managed to not read this book, you know. I was supposed to read it for a committee I was on and I cheated and read all the reviews instead. I was supposed to listen to it on audio for a workshop and I didn't. I heard Rainbow Rowell speak at BEA and she was SO funny and charming that I downloaded it onto my phone immediately and read it at the bar that night and then stopped reading it because I don't know a hot guy walked by or a good song came on (DOUBTFUL) or my food came or something.
Former college radio programmers (we didn't actually call ourselves DJs) are constitutionally unable to do what everyone else is doing. It is stupid and it causes us more harm than good and EVERYONE thinks we're pretentious and they're right, but there you have it. If you've read the book, you understand.
Both Eleanor and Park are going to make bitchin' college radio DJs.
Continue reading "Teen lit that talks back to the canon: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell" »