Perhaps because I entirely missed the epigraph, I mistook the tone of this book for awhile, thinking it was something along the lines of Bridget Jones or some of the other better written books in the genre that I still think of as Chick Lit. I found it engaging and funny, but I still wasn't sure why it had been recommended to our book group. However, once I realized that it had unsuspected depths, and was willing to treat openly of subjects like loneliness and shame, I was hooked. Its two main characters are each engaging in unique ways, and it highlights the importance of simple kindness in our lives in a way that makes us see this virtue with fresh eyes. Some of Eleanor's back story seemed a little obvious, but I'm not sure that the author was all that focused on some big reveal as much as just telling Eleanor's story.
