Sentence Sneak Peek - Eleanor & Park

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

The first sentence from each chapter of Eleanor & Park, it's a mini summary of what you can expect to read.

* Spoilers are highlighted like so :)
* Book read via NetGalley

“He’d stopped trying to bring her back.”

“XTC was no good for drowning out the morons at the back of the bus.”

“Eleanor considered her options:

1. She could walk home from school.”

“She didn’t talk to him on the ride home.”

“She got home that afternoon before all the little kids, which was good because she wasn’t ready to see them again.”

“Mr. Stessman was making them all memorize a poem, whatever poem they wanted.”

“Watch it, Raghead.”

“I’m going to ask Kim out,” Cal said.”

“She was reading his comics.”

“He was going to tell her that she did a good job on her poem.”

“The next morning, when Eleanor got on the bus, there was a stack of comics on her seat.”

“Why are you so quiet?”

“When Park got on the bus, he’d set the comics and Smiths tape on the seat next to him, so they’d just be waiting for her.”

“She remembered her books today, and she was wearing fresh clothes.”

“I know she doesn’t think I’m going to jump over that thing,” DeNice said.”

“Her mother stood in the bedroom the next morning while Eleanor got ready.”

“Saturdays were the worst.”

“Mondays were the best.”

“Her mom wasn’t going to let her babysit.”

“When she woke up that morning, she felt like it was her birthday—like she used to feel on her birthday, back when there was a shot in hell of ice cream.”

“The next day was a blur.”

“Would he look different?”

“When Eleanor got to their seat the next morning, Park didn’t stand up to let her in.”

“His eye went from purple to blue to green to yellow.”

“It was a terrible thing to admit.”

“Eleanor seemed off that morning.”

“Did she miss him?”

“Eleanor felt better the next morning.”

“He called his mom during lunch to tell her that Eleanor was coming over.”

“When she saw Park standing at the bus stop on Monday morning, she started giggling.”

“Hey, Cal said, taking a bite out of his Rib-a-Que sandwich.”

“There was just one more day of school left before Christmas vacation.”

“The box of pineapple arrived on Christmas Eve.”

“Eleanor slept until noon on Christmas Day.”

“Park’s mom didn’t seem surprised to see Eleanor the next day.”

“Park’s mom asked him to set the table.”

“Park told Eleanor not to come over after school.”

“Park was right.”

“Wednesday nights were the worst.”

“Thursday night after dinner, Park’s grandma came over to have her hair set, and his mom disappeared into the garage.”

“Park wanted Eleanor to start checking her books now, especially after gym class.”

“Park went to bed early.”

“His family was going to the boat show the next day, then out to lunch, and maybe to the mall. . . .”

“Park’s parents almost never fought, and when they did, it was always about him or Josh.”

“Wednesday night wasn’t the worst.”

“I don’t feel like cooking dinner,” his mom said.”

“Richie’s truck was in the driveway, but the whole house was dark, thank God.”

“Eleanor considered her options.”

“do i make you wet?”

“How he looks at me.”

“Eleanor pushed her curls out of her face one by one, like she was gath-ering her wits by hand.”

“Park said he’d come back after his dad got home and his parents were both asleep.”

“Okay?”

“Eleanor got out of the truck, and Park wandered into the cornfield to pee.”

“He was more nervous about his driving once they got into the city.”

“He didn’t ride the bus anymore.”

“Letters, postcards, packages that rattled like loaded cassette tapes.”

“He’d stopped trying to bring her back.

“Eleanor didn’t go to prom with him.”