Reviews - The Rachel Incident

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9.61k reviews for:

The Rachel Incident

Caroline O'Donoghue

4.15 AVERAGE

nehavaddepalli's review against another edition

4.0

emotional reflective 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: No

bethdell's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

reibee's review against another edition

5.0

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Oh wow, where to begin. This is a messy, raw, and poignant book. I understand that literary fiction isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I really enjoy it. Not a ton of plot, but when you're reading it, it doesn't feel boring or "plotless". Every character is fully fleshed out. Even the morally questionable ones don’t feel like villains; they’re simply navigating difficult times in their lives and turning to desperate measures.

Yes, the book is messy, and yes the characters make horrible decisions, but that's what makes this book so real and so raw. What's a coming-of-age story without terrible choices? Something special about the Rachel Incident is that the coming-of-age arc is usually reserved for lost twenty-somethings, but it applies to the adults in the story as well.

Every relationship has depth and meaning, and they begin to intertwine in the best and worst ways possible. The ending was beautiful. There’s closure, but it isn’t tied up in a neat bow—because real life is never wrapped up in glittery bows.

quailtea's review against another edition

3.5

medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

highly recommend the audiobook version! the accents really made it. another audiobook deviation from my usual reading fare- very contemporary, middle class, coming of age, a female main character in moments of very common struggles, some unique predicaments, and some singular moments of triumph. overall a satisfying read, with surprising moments and rich character development, even if some of the narration sounded uncomfortably like the inside of my own head.