Reviews with content warning for Suicide attempt - Rachel's Holiday

This book is based on Rachel Walsh. She has a pair of size 8 feet and likes to do drugs socially whilst she was in New York. After an “accidental” overdose according to Rachel – her family gets her back home to Ireland and gets her into an expensive rehab centre called Cloisters. Rachel only agrees to this incarceration because she heard that the rehab is wall-to wall jacuzzies, gyms and celebrity going cold turkey and it’s about time she had a holiday. But what Rachel doesn’t count on are the toe-curling embarrassments heaped on her by her family and group therapy. So how she must endure this rehab programme whilst wanting sex, drugs and the busy social life of New York. This book is an adult fiction.

This book was tough. Please make sure you check the trigger warnings before reading this book. The storyline can be so impactful. It sort of shows what happens when you think your actions aren’t hurting anyone and you are just having fun and being social and then reading the impact of her actions from her ex-boyfriend and roommate and family. This book shows the real struggle of being an addict and seeing it from Rachel’s point of view from her judging the addicts to realising she is one was heart breaking. What I liked about this book is as you read more and more you see the twists and how Rachel managed to find herself down this dark past and how she managed to recover. I wouldn’t say there was any weaknesses, I just prefer longer chapters compared to the short chapters as there were in this book.

After reading his book, I saw that Marian Keyes has written more books regarding the Walsh family and I am intrigued to read more about them that I might have to read the other books.

Content Warnings

katewhite77's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful 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

5.0

Just how I remember it.
This was a seminal book for people of my generation. i have read it twice and heard it once. Along with Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh this saw us from teenaghood into our 20s. Confronts darker sides of life head on bed does so hilariously, which in my opinion is the best way to educate.

Would like to take Mammy Walsh home with me, just saying!

Content Warnings

rachel047's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

ciaramreads's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

dorsetreader's review

Go to review page

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

witchintherain's review

Go to review page

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

I wasn't expecting to love this book so much, it really brought me out of my reading slump! It's the kind of book that makes you both laugh out loud and cry and Marian Keyes personable and witty writing makes this a surprisingly fun read. Even with all of the potential triggers in the book, it was in a way light-hearted due to her comedic writing and the ironic denial with the first-person narrative in regards to Rachel's problem with addiction. It was unrealistic at times and could be quite repetitive, it's also very obvious that some of the jokes are pretty outdated. But overall it's a surprisingly endearing and enjoyable book, I'll likely be getting the sequel in February :)

Content Warnings

buecher_und_huehner's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

Content Warnings

opinionsofawolf's review

Go to review page

emotional medium-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

3.0

fatphobia (repeated and never acknowledged as wrong), drug use, suicide attempt, descriptions of domestic violence, homophobia (Rachel's mother states she'd rather Rachel be a drug addict than a lesbian)

Note this book is about drug addiction, not alcohol addiction as some reviews indicate.

Content Warnings

More...