lola425 's review for:

Rachel Rachel by Margaret Laurence
4.0
Wow. What a sad book. Maybe not completely sad. I certainly felt discomfited by Rachel's inability to get out of her own way. Disheartened by how easily she talked herself into being disheartened. How every sliver of hope life presented to her or that she allowed herself to dream was squashed by her insecurity and by her mother's neurosis and self-absorption.
SpoilerYou knew from the beginning that her ersatz relationship with Nick was doomed, but yet you hoped. Part of me felt that Rachel herself was doomed, and yet I allowed myself to hope. Laurence ultimately did right by her character. Even though Rachel found the strength to take charge of her life, you did not leave the story cheering and hopeful, energized for the future. You left the story as Rachel did, unsure of what might happen, resigned to the fact that anything might, good, bad or indifferent, but that at least you were moving on. At least, no more stasis. A happy ending? Hardly, But certainly a satisfying one.