Reviews with content warning for Homophobia - The Rachel Incident

Reviews tagging 'Homophobia'

The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue

54 reviews

bethantg's review against another edition

medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

Definitely has friendship and relationships at its heart, with some interesting discussions about the grey areas of these relationships. My favourite aspect of this was the focus on how different people express their care for one another in unconventional ways, or how their struggle to show it at all. But for a character-focused book, the protagonist is massively lacking. She is only really defined by her actions, which she’s often unhappy with, but offers no introspection into these actions other than “I did a bad thing and I feel bad about it.” She also does nothing to rectify these mistakes or grow from them — if they’re resolved, it’s a matter of chance or another character’s decision.

(Carey for the former and Deenie for the latter.)

Her older self is not a character at all, more of a vessel that the story happens to.
Despite this gripe, this is well-written and an interesting coming-of-age story that just unfortunately didn’t really resonate with me on many points.

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murderousscottishgremlin's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This book feels like the literary child of Taylor Jenkins Reid and Sally Rooney. I like O’Donoghue’s writing style.

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lexim's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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sharu901's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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barbarella85's review against another edition

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funny inspiring reflective

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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kirstenw13's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

So good, so sweet. There were twists, there were turns. There were besties and their woes. A great book about friendship, what love can mean, the publishing industry and abortion access in Ireland in the early 2010s.

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kirstym25's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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kjm19's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted reflective relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is a compelling book. Contemporary Irish literature seems to be unstoppable in my view!

The characters are interesting, quirky, and flawed. The way Caroline describes them is evocative and playful. She brings a level of nostalgia to their world - even though I cannot relate - it feels like I was there. The relationships are deep and convincing, every twist and turn in their lives is surprising yet believable at the same time. The flow of the narrative entwining the past with the present isn’t distracting, you are just totally immersed with her wordplay and descriptions.

The plot is all things political and societal, yet the same time totally personal. The effortless weaving of the wider context of their world with their personal lives paints such a vivid and convincing depiction of their young lives and the good and bad decisions that they make in their specific circumstances. The ending is also satisfying. Everything works!

It is clever and enchanting. I look forward to reading more of her work.

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alliemikes's review against another edition

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funny hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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keirahelena_'s review against another edition

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funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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