The narrator and protagonist, Eleanor Oliphant, is a smart, solitary young woman living in Glasgow, Scotland. A file clerk at a graphic design firm, she feels unnoticed and at times derided for her quirky behavior and the scars on her face. A funny woman with a knack for crossword clues, she is also quick to judge and slow to socialize. 

Eleanor serves as an avatar for the pain of social isolation, and the story sees her grappling with the prospect of inviting new people into her life. Her early person-to-person interactions bristle as Eleanor struggles to interpret others’ words and behavior, especially those of her new friend, Raymond. Her quick and at times harsh judgments drive others away, although she does crave human contact in the form of romance, as evidenced by her infatuation with singer Johnnie Lomond. As she gets to know characters like Raymond, Sammy, and Laura, Eleanor realizes how fulfilling friends can be and pursues them with purpose. 

With her external makeover, Eleanor begins to care for herself for the first time and take pride in her appearance. Her burgeoning self-worth takes a harsh blow, however, when she attends Johnnie’s concert and realizes he is not to the man for her.