Author: Paula Hawkins
Type: Hardback
Read: 4th April - 6th April
Rating: 4/5
Published: 15th January 2015 by Transworld
A debut psychological thriller that will forever change the way you look at other people's lives.
Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.
And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?
This book had such a good PR run. Like it was everywhere. There was so much hype about it, everyone wanted to read it. Me included. I waited a few weeks or so before i decided to buy it and it's really rare i buy a book and read it with a week or two. But figured this would be a quick read. I wasn't wrong.
The Girl On The Train is described as the next Gone Girl. Whilst I've never read that book before, I cant' comment. However it's addictive. It does shout out to be read in one sitting, it's a page turner. It's classed as a thriller, I'm unsure if it really is such. It does have the whole drama and suspense in it and mystery but is it scary enough to be a thriller. Probably not.
The story is told via three different view points Rachel, who is the girl on the train. Megan and also Anna. The characters are so different, one minute they're likeable, the next you can't stand them. They're real. Rachel is just a raving alcoholic, Megan is the girl Rachel views from the train everyday. Anna is the one who got the husband. They're just three totally messed up women who through some crazy times, are brought together in a way they probably never expected. Their lives are turned upside down and they're sad, lonely, crying out for attention. They're just human.
It wasn't until the last probably 30 odd pages, I really understood what was happening, what brought everyone together. It wasn't what i was expecting either. I think that was a good thing. I like being surprised, I love not guessing halfway through a book at the ending. So well done on that.
I didn't love the book and I can't say why because I just don't know. Perhaps because of all the hype, a reader sometimes goes into a book expecting great things. I think it failed on that but I'm not sure why. There seemed something missing and I can't say what. It was good. Does the book live upto it's hype, I guess it depends on the reader. I can see this being made into a film though.
Go get it from: Amazon UK | Book Depository | Waterstones
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