It's not very difficult to like the characters of Eleanor and Park. They're both 16, in high school and they both fell in love. Only high school can be so unforgiving coupled with a slew of family dramas, this young lovers' hearts are bound to be tested by events and time. 
 I gave this a low rating because I didn't connect well with the story. I loved Park and Eleanor but the circumstances surrounding them didn't really resonate with me. Somehow, the bleakness of Eleanor's drama overpowered the book's dry humor that it became charmless. Park is all kinds of adorable but it stopped there. I keep on waiting for something more climactic to happen but midway up to its conclusion, that major thing I was hoping for didn't make an appearance. It was just bland for me. The poignancy of the story was a reminiscent of "Looking for Alaska" by John Green. It feels like there's more to the story but for some reason, the author didn't find the need to fill that gap. 
 But obviously, I'm in the minority here since most people seemed to love it. I guess it's a matter of taste and having a proper state of mind one should employ before reading this book. 
 Rating: 2 out of 5 stars