The Girl on the Train
My Rating: Awesome!
Published by: Riverhead Books on January 13th 2015
Genres: Adult, Cliffhanger Free, Contemporary, Thillers & Suspense
ISBN: 1594633665
ASIN: B00L9B7IKE
Pages: 336
The debut psychological thriller that will forever change the way you look at other people's lives.
EVERY DAY THE SAME
Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning and night. 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.UNTIL TODAY
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 goes to the police. But is she really as unreliable as they say? Soon she is deeply entangled not only in the investigation but in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?
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What an awesome debut from Ms. Hawkins! I’ll admit, I’d never heard of The Girl on the Train until I saw the previews for the film. And since I’m a big fan of the lead actress who’ll play the main protagonist, Rachel Watson, in the movie (Emily Blunt), I immediately put the book on hold at my local library… along with every other resident of Winston-Salem, I think. But the weeks-long wait to get a copy was well worth it!
Rachel Watson is an odd protagonist. The reader almost pities her. Her husband cheated on her, divorced her for his mistress, and they have a baby about two-seconds later—something Rachel can’t do. Meanwhile, Rachel is devastated, is a barely functioning alcoholic who commutes each day to her job in London from the flat she shares with a friend—who is barely more than an acquaintance—from her college days. And she’s all but stalking her ex-husband and his new family. It’s all pretty sad, really.
As she commutes to and from work, she images the lives of a couple who live down the street from the home she used to share with her ex-husband Tom… who now—as cruel as it is—shares with his mistress/wife. A woman who the reader will be hard pressed to like. I wanted to throttle her through most of the book (and the ex, as well). In the beginning of the book, as Rachel plays out the life of this couple in her head, it’s hard at times to distinguish if she actually knows them, or if it’s all make-believe.
Rachel is a deeply flawed character. She’s obsessive, depressed and drowning in self-loathing. I alternated between wanting to hit her upside the head with my book and hug her until she felt better. She’s an awesome character with so much depth. Hawkins did a wonderful job layering every area of Rachel. Even if you don’t like her… her character is wonderfully written.
I’ll admit, I had the mystery figured out before the big reveal, but that did nothing to damper my enjoyment of the story. Hawkins nuanced every word and action from page one until the last, and I was riveted.
I especially liked how the author told the story from both Rachel and Megan Hipwell’s POV. Rachel’s POV began in the present and moved forward. Megan’s began in the past. Eventually, they met and the pieces of the puzzle collided.
Bottom line: It’s been a long time since I’ve read a good adult thriller. I enjoyed The Girl on the Train. It’s a different kind of thriller and the author’s writing style is different and took some time for me to adjust to, but I was drawn into the story easily. I needed to know what happened to Megan. And I wanted to see Rachel pull herself out of the deep, deep rut she was in. I highly recommend the book. I’m not sure how the movie can hold up to the book (do they ever?), but if done right, it could be awesome.
About Paula Hawkins
Paula Hawkins worked as a journalist for fifteen years before turning her hand to fiction.
Born and brought up in Zimbabwe, Paula moved to London in 1989 and has lived there ever since. The Girl on the Train is her first thriller.
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