Rachel's Holiday
by Marian Keyes
published
January 29th 1998
by Penguin Books Ltd
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binding
Paperback, 640 pages
isbn
0140271791
(isbn13: 9780140271799)
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avg 3.77
Read in April, 2008
This book was as awesome as I expected, based on Krystal's high praise of it. Watermelon was pretty good, but this was way better. I'm not sure if it's better than Lucy Sullivan though. I haven't read the author's essays apecifically about her alcholism, but I can only assume that she drew on some of her own experience with addiction to write this. It's fascinating to experience the transformation of Rachel with Rachel. To learn things as she learns them, to see her experiences through her ...more
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As I mention in my review of another Keyes work, I read the Sullivan books out of order, and, as a result, may have developed a slightly different sense of the characters. This may have coloured my view of this book.
I had two main complaints about this novel. First, to a great extent, the theme has been beaten to death since going into rehab became chic. If Sandra Bullock has made a motion picture about something, it is not new. (Don't get me wrong, I love her, but "edgy" she is n...more
I had two main complaints about this novel. First, to a great extent, the theme has been beaten to death since going into rehab became chic. If Sandra Bullock has made a motion picture about something, it is not new. (Don't get me wrong, I love her, but "edgy" she is n...more
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Has a copy to sell/swap
While MK writes in her usual hilarious manner, this novel touched on the very serious topic of drug/alcohol addiction. It was interesting and most definitely entertaining but I felt that she pigeonholed Rachel's character to an irritating degree. The psychological analysis of Rachel's childhood was far too pat and I didn't believe that she could so readily accept her tenure as an addict. I enjoyed this book mainly for MK's typical sharp wit and rollicking anecdotes but overall I believe that thi...more
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Read in January, 2006
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Marian Keys is the novelist that I turn to for my fluff novels. Her books are fun, mindless, silly and sometimes shallow and I guiltily eat them all up!
This one was different.
It had the same qualities the other ones did, but this one, whether intentional or not, set itself apart from her other books.
It has been years since I have actually read this book but it left an impression on me. Maybe it’s because I went into it with such low expectations as far as depth or content, I can’t be...more
This one was different.
It had the same qualities the other ones did, but this one, whether intentional or not, set itself apart from her other books.
It has been years since I have actually read this book but it left an impression on me. Maybe it’s because I went into it with such low expectations as far as depth or content, I can’t be...more
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Read in July, 2008
OK, but this is probably the last Keyes I read. Her writing is amazing, but there's just something a little sprawling about her books that doesn't work for me.
Sometimes I wish I had her mind though. Like w/this line "To my horror, I tripped on a My Little Pony and went lying. But like a video fo a dynamited tower block being run in reverse, I managed to spring back up..." That just seemed like such a clever image to me.
It's about an addict and she starts off the book in seriou...more
Sometimes I wish I had her mind though. Like w/this line "To my horror, I tripped on a My Little Pony and went lying. But like a video fo a dynamited tower block being run in reverse, I managed to spring back up..." That just seemed like such a clever image to me.
It's about an addict and she starts off the book in seriou...more
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Read in March, 2008
Whatever Mairan Keyes is selling....I'm buying. Rachel's Holiday was wonderful and touching. It is a talent to take subjects that are so seriouse and bring laughter and humor to them. What a quirky, fun sense of humor Marian must have. This book delved into the world of addicts. It was honest, insightful, and very human. I felt a great attatchment to Rachel (the heroin). I would laugh with her, and then find myself crying over her heartache. I think I understood her. She had a lot of si...more
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Read in February, 2008
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Read in March, 2004
I have read all of Marian Keyes' books, and this is by far my favorite. First, I have to say that I absolutely love Keyes' writing--she is so funny and witty, I constantly find myself laughing out loud while reading her books and that never happens to me (well, I've laughed before, but the author probably didn't intend for me to.) The characters in her books are so interesting and quirky. Most of her books center around the same family of daughters and she has a book that features each daught...more
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Read in June, 2008
I don't read much chick lit, but I will definitely read more from Marian Keyes. She handles the obviously touchy subject of addiction with humor and poignancy, allowing us to see the world through an addict's eyes. It was a tad long - too many scenes that seemed to cover the same basics, but I still could not put the book down.
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Read in August, 2008
recommended to Julie by:
No onerecommends it for: Everyone, Chick-Lit Fans, You reading this right now
The book had a slow start; it starts of with a lot of flashbacks to her life before the treatment centre. But what I loved most was the journey the reader goes through with Rachel as we watch her experience in rehab. As with the other Keyes books I've read, there's her witty humour that makes you laugh out loud. Also, with the main character; Rachel, I found my self really caring about the character, to the point I was almost screaming at her because she wouldn't admit she had a problem, to almo...more
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I am loving this book. I'm halfway through after a day, and am finding it hard to put it down so I have something to read for tonight. The first book I read of Keyes was Lucy Sullivan is getting married, and though a lot of people didn't like the book, I absolutely adored it, then I read Watermelon, and was just let down hard. I didn't get the characters really, it just seemed to be a lot of back and forth what should I do....I ramble on about these things, because Rachels Holiday is another ...more
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We read this book for book club and I was a little apprehensive. I had read that it may be a bit depressing if you've never dealt with anyone that had a substance abuse problem...but, I was wrong.
I fell in love with Rachel and found myself totally rooting for her. I found it very enlightening, since I had never dealt with anyone that was in denial of going through an addiction.
I loved Marian Keye's writing and would probably read another book by her.
I fell in love with Rachel and found myself totally rooting for her. I found it very enlightening, since I had never dealt with anyone that was in denial of going through an addiction.
I loved Marian Keye's writing and would probably read another book by her.
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Although there was language and a couple of explicit pages, it was a very interesting description of an addicted person's journey thru rehab. The author did not make the overall feeling of the book depressing, instead it was enlightening.
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Read in September, 2008
This book was good, but nothing spectacular. It took me awhile to finish it, but I'm not sure if that was because I wasn't that into it, or that reading it coincided with my move. It's a chick lit book with addiction and recovery at its central theme, but of course a love story is pretty strong throughout. I wish the author had gotten more in depth with the addiction issues, it was all pretty shallow and superficial. Like she was just starting to scratch the surface and then the book was over. I...more
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Although packaged as a holiday read/ chick lit this was a surprisingly good book. The characterisation of an adddict certainly added to my knowledge of behaviour, I read it twice, I am not sure it really survived the second read but the background holds it together, wasn't over fond of the ending but it is a holiday read
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Read in January, 2005
I'd like to give this 3 1/2 stars but no half stars on GR so I'll round up to give Rachel 4, he he.
I don't read much chick lit (although I love love love the Bridget Jones books) but it seems Marian Keyes is top shelf in the genre. This was a really funny book (it made me laugh out loud at least once, which is not something that I do with very many books)with a nice big heart and some meaningful things to say.
The addiction rehab process was presented in a seemingly realistic way (or probabl...more
I don't read much chick lit (although I love love love the Bridget Jones books) but it seems Marian Keyes is top shelf in the genre. This was a really funny book (it made me laugh out loud at least once, which is not something that I do with very many books)with a nice big heart and some meaningful things to say.
The addiction rehab process was presented in a seemingly realistic way (or probabl...more
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I read my first Marian Keyes when one of her books was sent to me by the book club and I was too lazy to go to the shop and swap it. So, I read it, and was pleasantly surprised.
She writes heroines that aren't exactly of the most loveable variety. In the case of this book, Rachel is a drug addict who is in denial about her addiction for the greater part of the story. She gets sent to rehab, where she feels superior to everyone and everything. Being chicklit, the story obviously has a happy, sap...more
She writes heroines that aren't exactly of the most loveable variety. In the case of this book, Rachel is a drug addict who is in denial about her addiction for the greater part of the story. She gets sent to rehab, where she feels superior to everyone and everything. Being chicklit, the story obviously has a happy, sap...more
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Read in January, 2006
This one was a little less fun than her others - a bit introspective.
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Read in January, 2003
This is the first marian keyes novel I ever read. And after I read it I was hooked. I have since read all her books because I love her writing style so much. In this story Rachel ods on pills and ends up in rehab. The characters in this story are fun and keep you laughing. Plus lots of romatic interests for Rachel to choose from. I also love the dynamic between her and her younger sister Helen. And the Dad cracks me up too!
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