Reviews - The Rachel Incident

9.62k reviews for:

The Rachel Incident

Caroline O'Donoghue

4.15 AVERAGE

idealelyse's review against another edition

3.75

emotional funny lighthearted 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: Complicated

libbyajt's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous fast-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

conjessted's review against another edition

4.75

funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

mackenzie_iles's review

5.0

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense 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

esinger's review against another edition

4.5

emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

hannahkh's review against another edition

4.0

The Rachel incident follows the perspective of Rachel, a college student in Ireland who works at a bookstore. When James, a gay man around her age, starts working there, their friendship affects the course of her life.

The characters in this story felt very real and relatable. Everybody has both their merits and their flaws. For better or worse, you can understand why, at their ages, they made the decisions they did.

While the story did have a plot arc, I found myself wanting just a bit more from it. What that would have been, I can’t tell you. It just felt like something small was missing. I didn’t feel a rush to finish this book, but it was still an overall solid read. I think a lot of readers, particularly women, would relate to and enjoy this book.

Content Warnings

porgie07's review against another edition

3.5

funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

An alright book. Didn’t blow me away but didn’t dislike any of it. Good enough read, just not a work of art in the writing style in comparison to other reads.

Flawed work in progress characters.

It felt like all the other characters had a lot more interesting things going on despite the story following Rachel. She’s still a great character but it felt missing something. I do know that’s slightly the point the writers going for, Rachel moulding herself for those around her. A nice ending but still just never felt like Rachel was a developed character. Even James, had a lot more going on but still didn’t feel as developed. We know alittle about what each character wants (to be writer, to write a tv show, a baby, for everything to stay as it but keep porking James), but it just never feels convincing enough other than to slightly advance the story. I feel we could have known their wants, their desires, their feelings etc all so much deeper.

A big part of the middle felt abit boring/ going through the motions. But the ending gave some movement in the story.

The book manages to encapsulate Ireland, 2009-2013’s & young adult living/working all very. I fear that this may be a lot more autobiographical of the author which is where the weakness are, assuming we know it as well as she who lived it. I thinking writing from experience & what you know is usually the key to tapping into writing gold. This unfortunately didn’t do it for me as much as other fiction books.