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Summary: Rachel's a Winner!!
Review: Marian Keyes, I believe is the best writer in her genre today. I have read other British/Irish Chick-Lit books as it were by authors such as Jane Green, Anna Maxted and Lisa Jewell, but Marian Keyes is by far the best!! I love her fast paced writing style and her turn of phrase. Many times while reading this book, I found myself laughing out loud. The way Ms. Keyes uses dialogue and descriptions of people and events throughout her storytelling is truly masterful. Her characters always sparkle and there is a real authenticity to them. One can tell just by reading a couple of chapters tht the author really cares about them.Rachel Walsh is a 27-year old woman who hits rock bottom and is forced to face her addictions, her issues with denial, and her life that has come apart at the seams. She must leave New York and travel back to her native Ireland (against her will, I might add because of course she thinks there is nothing wrong with her) to enter a treatment center. Right from the start, the reader is drawn into Rachel's world and we follow her roller-coaster ride of a journey through addiction, denial, loss, acceptance, and redemption. I think the idea that just because this book is written about drug addiction and treatment, that it can't or shouldn't be funny is wrong This book is so good because it is funny and because it is real and because the reader learns to care for an inassuming heroine. I am a huge fan and will keep reading as long as she writes. So, keep 'em coming Marian!!
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Summary: Rachel's Holiday
Review: Fantastic, characters were beautifully written and Marian's insight into the world of addiction was funny yet insightful as only Marian could do, i didn't want it to end
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Summary: hijacked
Review: I do feel hijacked by the blurbs and my own expectations after reading 'Watermelon' and 'Angels.' This isn't a humorous novel so much as an addict tract, full of specious psychologizing and spurious AA conventional wisdom. Invited to a party, I wound up at a sermon. The material escaped from MK's control at some point, and she went along for the ride. (And yet you read it in a quick four sittings, didn't you, John?)
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Summary: How It All Started ... Amazing
Review: I firmly believe that Marian Keyes is one of the most talented, creative, and hilarious authors today. I love her work. She is one of my absolute favorite authors and I tend to read ANYTHING she writes. "Rachel's Holiday" is Ms. Keyes' first book and I read it in a day and a half. It's a wonderful tale of addiction and redemption. Rachel's decent into alcoholism is tragic and disturbing - but also very real and honest. I truly respect Ms. Keyes and her talent. This book reflects the difficulties she had in her own life and I give her full credit for tackling this demon in her work. Truly well done and very enjoyable. A triumph and a great read! Discover Marian Keyes --- you'll be glad you did.
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Summary: Another Good Read from Marian Keyes
Review: Marian Keyes was born in Dublin, France and lived in London for several years. Once Keyes received her degree in law and had studied accounting, she began her career in short stories. Since then she has produced three other novel besides Rachel's Wedding- Watermelon, Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married, and The Last Chance Saloon. All of Keyes' works have become best sellers around the world. The common style carried throughout Keyes' work is defiantly humor, which in the end presents some comical flaw, issue, or message about society. Rachel's Wedding is the second novel that I have read of Keyes', and I find it just as, if not more, enjoyable then the other. Her light and enjoyable approach often makes for a very enjoyable read, and this was no exception in Rachel's Wedding. Keyes' humor, which could be taken as satiric, presents dark subjects, like drug abuse and eating disorders, in a decent, light approach. Rachel Walsh, the protagonist of the novel, suffers from both drug abuse and an eating disorder. Rachel describes herself as unsexy, large, broke, and just often misunderstood. She also repeatedly denies her drug problem, but is forced to face it when her farther, along with roommate, Brigit, and boyfriend, Luke, send her to a rehabilitation center in Ireland. Much to her dismay, Rachel finds the rehabilitation center quit authentic. She can't grasp the idea of working or helping others. While there, Rachel cannot wait for the opportunity to socialize with actors and famous people, but instead finds herself with middle- aged men, suffering from similar problems as she does. Keyes' realistic approach brings the reader both humor and amiable characters, allowing them to connect with characters and instances. I really enjoyed reading this book. As always, Keyes' made it fun and fast!
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Summary: Humorous Light Read; Dark, Serious Subject
Review: "Rachel's Holiday" is similar in my opinion to "Hunger Point". Both books use a humorous approach to very dark subject matters; drug abuse and eating disorders. While enjoyed both books, I couldn't help but feel disturbed by the subject matter and the way the author told the story. I understand the author's approach and I laughed myself to tears a few times, but I did not get a feel good feeling from reading this book. It left me feeling oddly disturbed and I really can't put my finger on exactly why. Or perhaps I'm just in "denial" of thoroughly enjoying this book.
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Summary: Good Light Romance, great character development
Review: Keyes proves herself a mistress of the understated romance - this is a great book, and a great fun read at the same time. I found it hard to put down simply because it was so much fun. There are two parallel stories - we start with Rachels' Accidental overdose in New York. Her panicked parents whip her back to Ireland to put her into the Cloisters which Ireland's answer to the Betty Ford Clinic. Rachel decides she'll go for the holiday (and to meet famous people, and have sea weed wraps) - after all - how can she be a drug addict - she isn't thin enough! The parallel story which is told in conjunction with her time in the Cloisters - is one which started 6 months earlier in New York when she met Luke. This is the lovely story of the development of their romance. The wonderful thing about this story is that it deepens as the novel goes on and more is revealed about what is real and what is imaginery both for Rachel and her fellow inmates at the Cloisters. Keyes has a very light and humourous hand, but she can also write the rest when it is necessary and she handles this story with incredible dexterity. I have great affection for her as a writer, and the characters she writes of. I am thrilled to find, to, that she has written at least one other book about the characters in Rachel's family - I'll be looking out to read that one next.
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Summary: A Great Book with Well Developed Characters.
Review: Rachel's Holiday is a light, heart felt book. It has more substance and better researched than many of the British chick books out there. The book is slow to start, but when you get to the end you find out that reading it was well worth your time. The characters are well developed and so so the story. This book will make you laugh and it will also make you cry (for joy). A great quick read and highly entertaining! Now I want to read the other Marian Keyes novels.
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Summary: Great book - another don't miss title by Marian Keyes!
Review: What a wonderful book! I had been wanting to read this book for some time, since it had been recommended by so many people in one of my book groups. I read "Watermelon" by Keyes 3 years ago, and found it a little too light for my taste, but was simply blown away by this book. I could easily see it being made into a movie. If you want the story to be a total surprise, and would rather not hear anything about it ahead of time, then stop reading right here, or just skip the next paragraph - I don't want to ruin the plot for anyone. The book relays the experiences of Rachel, the younger sister of Claire's that was barely mentioned in "Watermelon". I found the book to be stunningly insightful, not just about addiction, but rather so many basic topics surrounding self-esteem. I really feel that this book has a little something for everyone - that might just be my awed opinion, but if you didn't care so much for Watermelon, don't let it discourage you from reading this book. I was thinking that everything I had heard about "Rachel's Holiday" must be hype, and that I would be disappointed, but I definitely was not. I was actually very impressed with the author's research into this subject matter, and the great readability of the book. Don't miss this one!
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Summary: Rachel's holiday
Review: I thought it was great, I had finished watermelon and i loved how we were with the same family. Marian Keyes always keeps you from putting it down. I thought Rachel was weird and crazy at times but it kept me reading! I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good and crazy love story!
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