GIRL ON THE TRAIN

BOOK REVIEW

It's been a while since I've stayed up all night just to find out what happens next in the new book I'm reading so I was surprised when I picked up Girl On The Train and I could not put it down.

This page turning novel was released on 15 January 2015 by British author Paula  Hawkins. It has held the number one spot on the New York Fiction Best Seller list of 2015 and has been on top of the UK hardback book chart for 20 consecutive weeks.

Girl On The Train has been compared to Gillian Flynns Gone Girl which was one of 2012's best thrillers. 

I picked up the book by random after looking at a top 10 list of books to read in July 2015. I had no idea what to expect, not having heard about the book before hand. 

What captured my attention at first was the writing style of the author, it was easy to read and my eyes seemed to move across the page so swiftly I had hardly realised I was on chapter 3 by the time I came up for some air.That is what I enjoyed about the book, It drew me in and didn't let go.

Girl On The Train is a domestic noir told from the view point of three different woman who are interlinked by misfortune and tragedy.

The protagonist of the story is Rachel, a divorced young woman plagued by depression and alcoholism who has lost everything she held dear in her life. Commuting into London every day she watches a couple out of the train window, creating an imaginary world where these two people live a perfect life.

The other view point we get is that of Megan, who is the woman Rachel sees from the train each day. We find out that Megan isn't as perfect as Rachel imagined her to be and is carrying around a dark past that no one knows about. 

Anna is the third view point we get. She is new wife of Rachels ex, whom he had an affair with while still married. Anna lives in the same house Rachel lived in which happens to be on the same street where Megan lives. Anna despises Rachel because of her deranged behaviour while drunk and the threats she has made on her family.

When Megan goes missing, Rachel believes she can be of assistance as she had seen Magan outside her home on the day before with another man. The police don't take Rachel seriously due to her history with alcohol and her frequent black-outs but this does not deter her. She finds her way into the investigation sometimes making things worse with her bad decisions but eventually she figures out who was behind Megans disappearance.

The book is fast paced, filled with relatable scenarios from each womans perspective. You seem to get invested in the characters especially Rachel. I felt sorry for her and with each turn of the page, I routed for her to catch some sort of break. 

Hawkins keeps the suspense up by switching to different view points - as soon as you think something's going to be revealed. I also liked how she gave just enough information at a time so I could formulate theories of what may have happened.

This book is filled with crime and suspense that will have you wanting more from each page. It is almost strange in a sense, how the story plays out but there are moments in the book where you can feel what the character is going through because at some point in your life you've felt similar emotions.

Girl On The Train is a fantastic read for anyone who is looking for something with twists and surprises at every turn. The film rights were obtained by Dreamworks and Emily Blunt was in talks to play the role of Rachel. After reading the book I am looking forward to the movie, hopefully it will be released soon enough. 

Thanks for reading,

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