What a classy and beautiful story. I wish that it was longer so we could get to know Eleanor even more! I'm eager to see what she writes next as this book was such a surprise

This definitely was an interesting read. I realized this was translated and it was a bit rough at first but I was able to get through. Would I recommend this nope I wouldn’t . I felt creeped out most of the time reading this and felt bad for both of the characters.

I enjoyed the dizzying narrative of Choosing Eleonore, but overall, was left put off by the action and events that happened- or maybe, didn't happen. Gratton gave us an unreliable narrator, which is an engaging yet unsettling feature. Immediately, we notice how strange Marianne is and her relentless desire and pursuit of Eleonore is awkward and delusional. This is one of those stories that made me cringe, but I don't think Marianne ever felt as though she was being awkward or making others uncomfortable. This novella captures the feelings of unrequited love, loneliness, and the desire for companionship spot-on.

A curious little novel about obsession and longing for friendship. I read it easily in one session and it’s nicely written. I felt sorry for the narrator, Marianne and I’m not sure Eleonore deserved her devotion but I’m sure that’s the point.

An intruiguing book that gives you clear answer to anything, I started this book, thinking I knew what I would get. I finished this book being taught better. I still do not really know what exactly I read, because this book is such a colourful chaos with twists and turns and open parts - it's downright irritating and intruiguing.
It might be the translation, it might be something else - all I can say that while I was and am gateful for having had a chance to read this book - I would have had been extremely dissappointed had I bought this. The book promises more than it gives and the characters are really... underdeveloped and downright horrible. I still don't know whether I like the main character or not - or whether or not Eleonore was real or not. There are many unanswered questions and while I normally like this in a book, for this book, it was - in my opinion - not a good approach.

I received a free copy by Netgalley for an honest review.

“Choosing Eleonore” by Andrée A. Gratton (translated by Ian Thomas Shaw) is a short piece of fiction about the ways people are overcome by infatuation, the desire to belong, and a strong sense of longing for a companion. Gratton instantly captures the human plight of unrequited love and friendship and fantasizing what life would be like with somebody who is out of reach.

Marianne is drawn to Eleonore. They’ve never met, never spoken, and never crossed paths until one day at the hospital where Marianne works. Overcome by the desire to know more about this person who has captured her attention and has taken over her mind, Marianne decides that she will do whatever it takes to become friends, to be a part of Eleonore’s life. It means calling at all hours, sitting outside her door, listening to the same music, and daydreaming about the two of them when they can’t be together.

Eleonore is everything Marianne isn’t: wild, charming, fashionable, adventurous, blunt, and promiscuous. Mostly, Eleonore doesn’t want anything to do with the woman who stalks her day and night. Until finally, a door opens and Marianne’s desire to be a part of Eleonore’s life comes true, even if it’s not everything she thought it would be.

Marianne’s character was appalling and her behavior was obsessive, extremely flawed, and annoying—perhaps even dangerous. Not to mention Eleonore is extremely unlikeable and why Marianne is so intrigued by her comes into question. Though, as the story unfolds, it becomes clear the character’s personalities are only at the surface of what is really happening in this fascinating (if not disturbing) story of what it means to fall for a stranger and to act on the impulse of wanting to create some form of connection with them.

“Choosing Eleonore” feels lengthier due to Gratton’s incredible range of emotion that occurs when someone becomes infatuated and obsessed by the idea of a person, as well as what happens when they act on those feelings. There are wonderful moments of humor that make light of the crazy situations Marianne and Elenore find themselves in, including the frustration of Marianne’s persistence of creating a friendship, sad moments of what feels like a betrayal, and the slow and unsettling decline of Marianne’s sanity.

Though this novel is strange, deceptive, and full of unlikeable characters, it does mirror that odd longing everyone has to become close with the person we admire and find infatuating. While the tale itself seems a bit eccentric, it’s definitely one of a kind and worth giving a read to see what happens when someone who is brave enough approaches a complete stranger with the intent of creating a strong bond of friendship.

Thank you to Netgalley and Guernica Editions for providing me with a free e-arc and the opportunity to write an honest review about my opinion on the story.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author, translator and Guernica Editions for providing me with the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An awfully bizarre novella about the delusional obsession that consumes people and completely blinds them to reality.

Marianne doesn’t care about the rejection and the humiliation she faces while chasing after Eleonore. Instead, Marianne puts Eleonore on a pedestal and worships her, pouring in all her love, time and energy into trying to speak to and spend time with Eleonore. Blinded by desire, she ignores Eleonore’s flaws and her appalling actions and ties herself more to their “relationship”, she doesn’t hesitate in risking her wellbeing or neglecting her responsibilities at work.

I didn't quite enjoy the experience of reading this book, since it was a little bit too sad and disturbing for my liking, but now that I’ve finished it, I feel like it has a certain place in my heart and it has definitely left an impression on me. If you enjoy eerie stories that make you feel a certain way, then I have no doubt that you’ll love this one!

P.S.
The translation is very good and digestible although I did find the dialogue parts to be weirdly laid out.

Was a real interesting read for me. It tells the story of obsession and desire. It’s a short novela telling the story of unrequited love and rejection. Marianne’s fascination with Eleonore was extremely one sided and an incredibly powerful journey within mariannes psyche surrounding her thoughts around Eleonore.

What an excellent short story! In the span of 65 pages, we are treated to the story of a woman—Marianne—in search of a personality. Lacking a personal identity or any friends, she latches onto Eleanore after following her home one day. It is clear from the beginning that Marianne is delusional: she is unable to tell the difference between what is real, and what is imagined. For example, she imagines an existing relationship with Eleanore even though they have never met (she tells a patient about the friendship, and that Eleanore is a great person). She is perplexed by her lack of acknowledgement about their friendship (“Hello, it’s me, do you remember me?”). Soon, she is staking out Eleanore’s apartment, bicycling there every day hoping to catch a glimpse of her through her window. Eventually, she is invited into Eleanore’s home during a party. After spending the night and cleaning the apartment, a key is left for her on the table with the note, “If you want” (of course she wants!).

What I like about this story, is that it is done through Marianne’s perspective/perception. Because of this, we only get to really know her through her very flawed lens. For example, we don’t know much about how she looks or where she lives. We know only that she is a triage nurse at a hospital where she spends most of her time sitting behind glass in what she calls The Aquarium. Here, she is safe to observe and make judgements on the people who come to--and work—there. She is unaware that The Aquarium also allows others to see her; she thinks she is invisible to others, just as she likes it. She brings this lack of self-awareness when she is finally invited into Eleanore’s world. Here, too, she judges her friends, and finds her shabby apartment not befitting a person like Eleanore. No one and no thing are good enough for her new friend, except herself.
Choosing Eleanore is a fitting title for this book: Marianne handpicks this woman on a particular day and time; she adopts a new life that centers around Eleanore; and absorbs her into her system.

I whole-heartedly recommend this book!

I would like to thank NetGalley and Guernica Editions for the opportunity to read and review this story.

When I did a story poll asking if you’ve heard of Choosing Eleonore by Andrée A. Gratton, the result was a resounding no.

I hadn’t heard of it either—the cover drew me in when I was searching for books on Net Galley that peaked my interest. The blurb—a story of tragic loneliness, it said—sold me.

But I think this may have been the shortest book I’ve ever read. Seriously, I finished in like an hour, and I’m a SLOW reader.

I was invested in the story because I just had to know what kind of shit Marianne was gonna do next, but when the book ended, I felt like I’d just been on a roller coaster ride and was still reeling, ready to go chase another high. Like that was fun, onto the next.

This book, ironically, reminded me of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine because both main characters struggle to pick up social cues, but they aren’t aware of this. Whereas Oliphant had enough meat to sink my teeth into, I wasn’t ever able to empathize with Marianne due to the brevity of Choosing Eleonore. I never even got the sense that she was tragically lonely—yes, her actions signified that she was. But her emotions were never really revealed. And her actions were so extreme that you’re left gawking instead of trying to understand her.

I liked where the story was going, I just needed more of it. I think it was a missed opportunity. But, the ending was heartwarming, if a little twisted?

A brilliant and heart-wrenching story about attraction, love, longing, loneliness and more. Beautifully written and deftly translated, this small book packs a punch in it's mere length of 80 pages.

Marrianne looks at Eleonore once and is instantly enamoured by her. And so begins the obsessing, following around and literal stalking, all in the name of friendship.

Our protagonist we soon know is delusional, she is undettered by insults and doesn't care about being unwanted. She has no understanding of consent whatsoever and thinks of herself as the only person worthy of Eleoonore's friendship. Written with all the angst & listlessness of the early 20s, this novella mixes the real with surreal and serves the reader with an unsatisfying yet fulfilling tale of deep setlled loneliness and delusion.

This is a gripping novella that tackles the heartbreaking realities of a one-sided, obsessive relationship.
Marianne, unattractive and lonely becomes enamored with the promiscuous, fashionable and stunning Eleonore, a woman she notices on a Montreal street. With that glance, the story begins as Marianne follows her home. As she prowls and stalks, the delusion builds and we can feel Marianne’s needs, desires and the very solitude that has become Marianne’s life. Every waking thought and ounce of energy that she has is poured into Eleonore.
Eleonore, Living and caring for a group of luckless friends in a run down east end apartment, is not at all the person that Marianne sees.
So often I felt for Marianne and wanted to see that glimmer of hope and recognition from Eleonore. I wanted Marianne to succeed.
Well written and translated with prose that cling to your heart, this is a stunning read and one that is highly recommended.
Thank you NetGalley and Guernica Editions for an ARC in exchange for an honest book review.

Loved this short and powerful story. I am partial to novellas to begin with, and this one embodied everything I enjoy about the genre: you get to know enough about the characters to form a strong attachment to them, but you don't run the risk of creating a long, drawn-out narrative with those filler scenes. I enjoyed the fact that there's a twist to this tale of obsession: at first, I was concerned for Eleonore's safety, but I began to be more concerned for Marianne at the end. I don't want to give too much away but suffice it to say, I recommend this to anyone who wants a gorgeous, gripping, quick read.

This book is strangely unsettling. The main character’s obsession is, at the same time, creepy yet somewhat relatable. The agony of unrequited love is an universal experience, but this book takes it too far, and we find ourselves looking at obsession and illusion. It was a short read but an interesting one. The translation was very good.

Can A Schizophrenic Be Her Own Best Friend?

Interesting quote from the medical books -- "What is pathology in mental health? ......Psychological pathology is the study of the causes, components, course, and consequences of psychological disorders. These are characterized by abnormality and dysfunction." Welcome to "Choosing Eleonore".

I enjoyed this book a great deal, but I think it would be wrong, or at least misdirected, to consider it a study or character piece about friendship, or even obsessive friendship. Jay Gatsby mooning over Daisy Buchanan might be a sophisticated, realistic approach to doomed, obsessive desire. "Chasing Eleonore" is not grounded in anything approaching reality, or even the fictional version of reality. This is a moody, technically accomplished, puckishly postmodern deconstruction of feminine friendship and obsession, as seen through a clinical, abnormal-psych lens.

Does Eleonore even exist? Maybe, maybe not. Are we just inside the head of someone strapped to a gurney somewhere. Quite possibly. Did Marianne so thoroughly love Eleonore that she became Eleonore, assuming there ever was an Eleonore? I don't know, but the beauty and appeal of this book is that, at bottom, I don't care. This is one of those playful, sneaky "journey not the destination" sorts of books that fools around and plays with the reader. It invites the reader to read as deeply as he or she cares to, and there are rewards at every level.

So, read it as a fictional romp through the DSM, (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), or a wry take on modern manners, or a withering critique of the challenges posed by female friendships, or simply a sad tale of loneliness taken to destructive extremes. However you approach it this is an assured work that is ultimately grounded on a cool, but authentic tenderness, and a crisp command of brisk but telling narrative. An enjoyable, unique, one-off find.

(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

Every expectation I had going into Choosing Eleonor was completely off-base. I expected this to be much less dark and that the 'friendship' between Marianne and Eleonore would have more of a basis in reality. But, I was pleased to be proven wrong. From the beginning, Marianne's warped reality pulled me in. Her loneliness is felt in every creepy-kindness she extends to a stranger she imprinted on.

I'm already planning a re-read to catch all the details I missed; this novella really is rich with going into Marianne's psyche. Yet, I never lost touch with the truth of the world around Marianne. Her point-of-view could only change her interpretation, but Eleonor's distance and the other characters' reactions to Marianne were kept honest. This created an interesting dichotomy over the course of the novella that made the story even more unsettling.

While I won't spoil anything, I found the ending fitting even though it left me with a hollow feeling in my chest. It was an inevitable conclusion that was more pathetic for Marianne than tragic and was the best ending for Eleonor herself.

4.5 "quirky, contemporary, terribly funny and immensely sad" stars !!

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and translator, and Guernica Editions for an e-copy. I am providing my honest review. The book was originally published in French in 2015 and the English translation will be released in April 2021.

I devoured this little novella in two bites. Initially I was uncertain how I felt. A little dizzy, a bit incredulous, a tad judgemental. This topic hits close to home to many of our younger selves. The late teens and twenties where crushes develop, interior romances spring and heartbreak lingers. For most of us it stops here. We are the fortunate ones. For a small sprinking, however, infatuations develop into obsessive monsters that lose control and wreak havoc on the self and sometimes on the desired person. At times, a lifetime of misery ensues for both the subject and the unattainable object.

Marianne is smitten with Eleonore from the first glance. Eleonore is beauty personified, charming and fashionable and clever. We will forget that Eleonore is troubled, coarse, promiscuous. Marianne is homely, irritable and terribly lonely. Marianne unashamedly pursues Eleonore, stalks her and eventually is thrown the smallest of crumbs. Eleonore has become the repository of her every need and desire.

This little novella draws you in with ridiculous and hilarious antics, keeps you there with a slow psychological disintegration and from the initial bouts of laughter you are left very sad for those that you could not have and those who you would not have and perhaps relieved that you did not end up like either Marianne or Eleonore.

Bravo to this little treatise of female obsession !

PS ....an amazing book cover as well as a wonderful translation job.