Twenty something Rachel Murray is finishing up college in Cork Ireland, working at a bookstore, trying to make ends meet due to the financial crisis in Ireland. She meets James Devlin working at the store and after a rocky start they become best friends and end up living together.
This story is written by Rachel in retrospect when she is married, pregnant and settled in London nearly a decade later. Her life is vastly different from 20 year old Rachel. As she looks back, you'll read the almost complicated story of how something so simple can spiral out of control.
This could be labeled as a coming-of-age story but it's more than that. No, Rachel and Devlin do not fall in love. They love each other and always have the others back, are protective, but zero love interest as Rachel is heterosexual and James is gay.
Major characters in this book are Rachel's English professor Fred Byrne and Byrne's wife Deenie, his editor. Another is one of my favorites, James Carey, who is from Derry and drives Rachel crazy. Every one of the relationships slowly coils and weaves into subplots where, quite deftly, it all comes together in the end.
The title - The Rachel Incident - isn't mentioned until the 98% mark on my Kindle. Usually a title is woven in earlier in a book. When I started this I thought it would be about college aged people drinking, getting high, nothing complicated but it develops quickly and I very much enjoyed it.
Some triggers (for some people) might be abortion issues and anti gay sentiment. I hope the author writes more.
Sharing with Joy's Book Blog for British Isles Friday
This does look interesting but it's always a bit odd when the title really doesn't have much to do with a book.
ReplyDeleteKatherine, the title makes sense all the way at the end. But I was wondering about that too as I read! As things progress and our main characters grow up more a side story which weaves in makes some sertous complications.
DeleteThis sounds like a book with an interesting technique for storytelling. I enjoy that!
ReplyDeleteJoy, I liked the setting and there are some interesting turns later in the book.
DeleteYeah this one was more involved than the usual 20s fare. I'm trying to remember its particulars and the Incident, which I think I do. I listened to the audio of it last Oct. I would read this author again I think. The professor was a rogue, good grief.
ReplyDeleteSusan, the professor was indeed a rogue. I absolutely loved James Devlin and felt great sympathy for him at the same time.
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