The whole subject of addiction is presented very well without going into detail that isn’t needed.Īlthough the ending may be seen as a bit predictable, it’s because it naturally flows in that direction. When Rachel’s family, Brigit and Luke visit the Cloisters we see a very good indication of how addiction affects the other side. But it makes the story a lot more interesting, and she does learn eventually, with the help of her new friends.Ī nice thing about this story is that it doesn’t surround the love between a couple, but families, old friends, and building new friendships. There are moments where you want to shout at Rachel because she never learns from her mistakes first time round. But they do give us an insight into addiction.

The residents of Cloisters aren’t stereotypical characters. The book focuses on the reasoning behind addiction and how it can destroy relationships. Keyes makes it easy to empathise with Rachel, without feeling sorry for her. But it turns out to be less of what she wants, and more of what she needs. The only thing stopping her running back to New York is the chance to meet some celebrities and the thought of a well-deserved break. Rather than everything being spelt out by the characters, we see the past from Rachel’s point of view.When some bad poetry and a few too many pills get mistaken for a suicide attempt, she reluctantly lets her family book her into the Cloister’s.

The way Keyes switches between Rachel’s past and present really helps us to understand her story. But as we follow her story, it looks like there is a lot more to it. In the beginning Rachel just seems like someone who has got in a bit over her head. But when Brigit suddenly ‘goes weird on her,’ and it looks like Luke is turning his back too, it may be time for Rachel to go home. They party, get drunk, take drugs, and have a laugh at the expense of the ‘Real Men,’ a group of Irish lads, who include her current boyfriend Luke. Rachel has gotten caught up in the city lifestyle with her roommate Brigit, and is getting completely out of control. Rachel’s Holiday is the story of an Irish girl living in New York, written by Marian Keyes.

Rachel's Holiday by Marian Keyes