*reads first page* She better not die. Do NOT tell me this girl dies after all these pages I'm about to read ! (view spoiler)[She doesn't die. (hide spoiler)] 
 Begins in 1986 with the very first time that Park ever met Eleanor on the school bus. They're both misfits in their own kind of way just trying to make it through high school. It's a coming of age story and a story of falling in love for the very first time. Parks parents were so great and understanding of everything. I'm really glad that the showed the two completely different lives of parenting styles and how it changes your view of life. Way too many coming of age stories leave out the parents when they're such an integral part of growing up. 
 Honestly though I read this book because of all the raving reviews for it. I'm not a huge contemporary book fan personally though. Contemporary novels have a lot of focus on the theme of growing up and confronting personal/social problems. Many of them are "coming of age" stories or stories about falling in love. They're just not my thing. 
 The story line as a whole was GREAT. Just not for me. I just kept thinking, "Please get over. Please get to the end soon." 
 (view spoiler)[ 
 Richie Eleanors step-father is a piece of shit. Her poor mother lives in fear pretty much on daily basis of standing up for herself and her own children from this abusive man. Eleanor lives in an abusive both mentally and physical household where her step-father is in control of everything. When Parks dad allows him to leave just to get her away from her step-father *right in the feels*. You knew from the beginning that the step-father was going to have a bigger story line in the end. (hide spoiler)]