Reviews with content warning for Pregnancy - The Rachel Incident

I was pleasantly surprised by The Rachel Incident. It's another sad girl litfic/disaster girl novel with all the things you can expect from those: character-driven, slower paced, nuanced and detailed, all with characters who make questionable decisions. In the end, though, I loved these characters and I loved this story.

The Rachel Incident follows Rachel Murray in her last semester of college in 2010 and then a bit afterward, occasionally jumping to her present-day life. We see her move in with a co-worker from the bookstore she works at, James, who is a closeted gay man. They immediately hit it off, and in his plot to get Rachel to hook up with the English professor she has a crush on, he ends up hooking up with the professor instead. After Rachel graduates, she interns for the professor's wife, who works in publishing, and a myriad of chaos ensues all alongside Rachel trying to figure out life and find stable work during the 2010 economic crisis.

I really related to Rachel in a lot of ways. I felt like the general topics of finding friendship, making any kind of connection, searching for a career, and trying to find a place in the world after college were all very relatable. It made me laugh out loud at times. I loved the overall arc of the story, and the journeys these characters took from start to finish. I enjoyed the writing style and the ways in which the author caught the essence of scene-building with her words. I pictured everything vividly. I felt every emotion. And, unlike some disaster girl novels, I enjoyed watching Rachel grow into a person with merit.

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katiemack's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I was initially hesitant to request this, given the marketing blurb about Rachel developing a crush on her college professor, but I'm glad I did because this infatuation is such a small aspect of the book. This has some of the same self-destructive themes as Bridget Jones' Diary or Sally Rooney's books or other works about college students who have trouble taking care of themselves. (Curse my postpartum brain for not being able to think of them.) The result is a surprisingly funny reflection on the recession, the concept of adulthood and career goals, and what it means to be in a healthy relationship. It also feels like a slow descent into chaos that I couldn't stop reading; I spent some moments cringing, and the husband reveal made me narrow my eyes a bit. It's a fun read, though, and it'll go quickly.

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emmas_bookshelf's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

This book is primarily set in 2008-2011 Cork, Ireland. The economy is in a terrible recession and Rachel is graduating with an English degree and no job lined up. I was immediately hooked by the writing and deeply invested in Rachel’s love life and the tangled web that her and her best friend James were weaving in the lives of others. The book covers many heavy topics (homophobia, abortion) while also having an amused or amusing tone at times. I’m not totally sure to explain it but I really enjoyed reading it!

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marinabkat's review against another edition

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emotional reflective fast-paced

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

4.25

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending this ARC in exchange for an honest review of the book.

I’m deciding to give this book 4.25 stars.

My favorite sorts of books are those that capture societal dynamics and boil them down to show how they manifest into interpersonal dynamics, and this did that. Gay rights and reproductive rights in the Irish context are explored effortlessly well here.

The premise is a little predictable given the description, but the author still builds tension really well. The pacing is like a 6/10—there’s sort of a split timelines element, and the part where those are reconciled in the middle/end is by far the weakest point—the pacing is really thrown off, and a lot of character growth (which I do think is necessary and important) is crammed into a small amount of pages, so it’s tough to buy in to that arc. Still, I liked the book’s conclusion.

I see the comparisons between Sally Rooney and this book, beyond just being Irish. If you enjoyed Conversations with Friends, you will likely enjoy this a lot. If you liked The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne, this has similar themes. I’d recommend this to fans of Phoebe Bridgers and Lorde as well.

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nicolepaul_ine's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix

5.0

I couldn’t think of anything I anted differently from this book and I really enjoyed reading it so 5 stars!

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marywahlmeierbracciano's review against another edition

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challenging funny fast-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

5.0

The Rachel Incident. I rolled my eyes at the title at first, but once I’d read the climactic scene, it suddenly became a perfect fit. This is the hilarious and heartfelt story of platonic soulmates, and the writing is so fast-paced and witty that I never wanted to put it down. With undeniable humor leading the way, O’Donoghue joins the intricate character relationships of Sally Rooney with the harsh realities of late aughts/early 2010s Ireland—recession, barriers to reproductive care, homophobia. This book is so good it makes me want to squeal and do a little dance and also read everything else Caroline O’Donoghue has written.

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kimmykelly's review against another edition

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emotional funny medium-paced

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

4.5

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