Eleanor

Jason Gurley writes this tragic story about family relationships breaking down with an unexpected paranormal twist. Eleanor loses her twin sister in a car accident at a young age. Her parents’ marriage falls apart and her mother becomes an alcoholic. I felt that it was a “deep” examination into human nature and our emotional needs. As such, I would classify it as a quintessential novel. In a way it reminded me of blend between a Jodi Picoult and Alice Hoffman book (which in my mind is a compliment).

Gurley add a cool paranormal dimension, where Eleanor begins falling in and out of another dimension where she learns more about her family. I took this other dimension to be a weird version of purgatory, but I would be curious to know what others thought of it.  Throughout the book she’s fighting for control of when she visits the other dimension rather than being pulled through involuntarily; she even resorts to cliff jumping. And all the while she is also dealing with her family issues in real time.  I liked the paranormal aspect of the novel because it gave what would otherwise be a traditional story a modern touch.