Reviews tagging 'Infidelity'

The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue

81 reviews

bethantg's review

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Infidelity, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Abortion, Cancer, and Sexual content

Minor: Homophobia and Infertility

murderousscottishgremlin's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity and Miscarriage

Moderate: Abortion

Minor: Homophobia

lexim's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Pregnancy, Abortion, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Toxic relationship

Minor: Infidelity, Death of parent, Body shaming, and Homophobia

brynpemery's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful fast-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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Alcohol

sharu901's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Moderate: Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy

Minor: Homophobia

motherjuggler's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Alcohol, Infidelity, and Abortion

Moderate: Drug use and Infertility

charlottefaye's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity and Miscarriage

Moderate: Abortion

Minor: Infertility

sophiemiles's review

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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Infidelity and Miscarriage

Minor: Abortion

kirstenw13's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abortion, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Homophobia, and Sexual content

Minor: Cursing, Terminal illness, Blood, Alcohol, Homophobia, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Medical content, Drug use, Vomit, and Infertility

jourdanicus's review against another edition

reflective medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

Wow.

I don't remember where I heard this book recommended but I know I kept pushing back my library hold for it, and I'm glad I finally listened to it. So good!

I love a story told from the first person perspective of a woman main character, so that immediately put this book up my alley. Topics of abortion, feminism, friendship, complicated love are all catnip to me too.

The primary plot twist was so perfectly timed. I was so invested in the outcomes for the characters the entire time.

Just a perfect book for me personally, and my first 5⭐ read of 2024.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity

Moderate: Abortion, Alcohol, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Sexual content

Minor: Cancer, Death of parent, Misogyny, Child abuse, and Eating disorder