Sad and hopeful, Eleanor & Park tells the story of star-crossed . . . okay, not so much, but it is an unlikely romance. 
 Eleanor's story is slowly developed. We get to know her a little faster than Park does. Her home life is horrible and her sense of self is battered by all the upheaval. But she's strong in a way I don't think she'd even recognize as strength. So, you take a wounded girl and pair her with a boy just trying not to make waves and see what you get. 
 The difference is clearly illustrated in how they ride the bus. Park keeps his head down to avoid attention. Eleanor keeps her head up so no one can sneak up on her. 
 Park's a good kid from a good family. He knows it, that he's lucky. He's not perfect. He's small. His dad's big. His little brother's big, but he takes after his Korean mother. He feels girlish in comparison and that colors his interactions with others. No one ever uses the word "gay" but you get the impression they're thinking it. Park even wonders a bit himself, until he meets Eleanor. 
 Awkward and touching. Nice foil to the perfectly coiffed, shiny people teen books out there.