Reviews - The Rachel Incident

9.58k reviews for:

The Rachel Incident

Caroline O'Donoghue

4.15 AVERAGE

lu_b's review against another edition

4.0

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

crsmurphy's review against another edition

3.0

emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

jenngeiger's review against another edition

4.0

emotional lighthearted sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I found this Irish novel to have such a wonderful specificity in setting/scope - it’s about Cork; it’s about being a young adult trying to start a career around the 2008 financial crisis; it’s about working in books; it’s about a young woman and her closeted gay best friend, in a small town, slowly opening up their own worlds, often through heartbreak first. a lot of these characters’ choices seem so frustrating at times, and yet O’Donoghue has made sure you really truly care about them, and even in the midst of betrayal, loss, and uncertainty, there is a surprising tenderheartedness at the core of it all.

kaleareads's review against another edition

4.0

While this book was never boring, it was a bit of a slow build for me. Chapter 22 is when I got really invested in the story. I admired the rawness of Rachel’s relationships. In Rachel’s youth, it was evident that miscommunication was a big problem, she was still grasping at adulthood and fumbling. The ending was such a perfect way to tie the story together, a proper happy ending; so different than what younger Rachel envisioned, but somehow exactly what she envisioned.

izabzh's review against another edition

1.0

DNF at almost a hundred pages.
I know it's a popular book, but I just can't relate to the characters, I don't have the patience to wait for something interesting to happen. I tried. Maybe I'll try again when I'm in a different mood... or not.

mussasusa's review against another edition

4.0

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

ashmch1's review against another edition

4.0

Full disclosure: I listened to the audiobook and I was half asleep for some of the middle of this book.

But it was exactly what I needed after reading a book that was like pulling teeth to get through. LOVED the Irish accent of the narrator. I also didn't realize that Irish people are so protective of their identity. Like, so many people claim to be Irish (me) but actual Irish people have kind of a secret code with one another, which is cool.

The ending was very satisfying.