Patty Friedmann is my new favorite author! I have never read such a meticulous book about a woman who is clearly insane, but believes she is perfectly justified in her strange and delusional behavior. THis writer is the best discovery I've made in years. ( )

I had never heard of Patty Friedmann or her novel Eleanor Rushing before reading Florinda's review of the book, but she certainly piqued my interest. Florinda didn't exactly love the book, but her description of the main character as an unreliable narrator who is both frustrating and fascinating, made me curious. I said as much in my comment to her review, never expecting her to offer me her copy of the book, which I accepted (thanks, Florinda!).

Eleanor Rushing is a novel about a woman who sets her sights on a married pastor after meeting him in a council meeting. She is sure he loves her and goes to great lengths to learn about him and to draw him closer, including staging a car accident right outside his home, following him to Nashville, and insinuating herself into his life in just about any way she can think of.

Eleanor has a troubled past. Her parents died in an accident when she was ten, and she is haunted by memories of being molested as a child. Nearly thirty years old, Eleanor is wealthy and lives with her grandfather and housekeeper in New Orleans. She has never worked a day in her life.

Friedmann's novel is related in first person from Eleanor's perspective. From the first paragraph of the novel it is clear that her impressions of what is going on around her--or what has happened in the past--is not to be completely trusted. Rather, it is more in the other characters throughout the novel that the reader gets a more accurate picture of what is really going on. Eleanor is every bit the unreliable narrator. It makes the story all the more intriguing.

As I read Eleanor Rushing, I could not help but think of The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall which I read in June of last year. Like Eleanor, Eric Sanderson appears to be suffering from some sort of psychosis. The difference between the two books, however, is significant. In Hall's novel, the reader is left guessing. Is what is happening to Eric real or is it mental illness? I instantly connected with Eric; he was easy to relate to and sympathetic. He was likable.

Eleanor is not so easy to like. In fact, I cannot really say I ever grew to like her at all. I felt sorry for her, if anything. Yet even that was hard at times. She is extremely self-absorbed, not to mention does not believe she can do any wrong. It does not take long for the reader to realize Eleanor has mental health issues, that she is perhaps even delusional. Whereas I felt like I was a part of Eric's story, I felt more like an observer in Eleanor's. I looked on with horror at her gall and amazement at her tenacity. Eleanor has a distinct voice, a bit of wry humor with an underlying sadness.

Eleanor Rushing makes for a fascinating character study, perhaps more so because of my background in psychology and my never ending curiosity about what makes people tick. I read this book in two sittings because I hard a hard time pulling myself away. Patty Friedmann certainly has written an interesting novel about a character I won't soon forget. ( )

May 2008: http://www.3rsblog.com/2008/05/book-talk-eleanor-rushing.html ( )