Review: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN

Standalone

Paula Hawkins

BLURB

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?

★★★

4.5 Stars

Another fast-paced psychological thriller that kept me glued to its pages!

If you’re a fan of Gillian Flynn’s twisted, artful, and suspenseful storytelling, I’d recommend checking out The Girl on the Train.

Have you ever gazed through the window on a train and wondered what the people living in those houses you pass are doing with their lives? Perhaps you’ve conjured up your own theories, mentally orchestrating their daily occurrences all while longing to obtain the security you’ve imagined they possess?

Rachel’s life has become entirely engulfed by these sorts of daydreams, zeroing in on one couple in particular — a couple she spots daily out on their terrace during her train ride into work. Rachel sees them as beautiful and happy; peaceful and together. All that she is not.

As Rachel’s once happy life devolves into a nightmare of alcoholism and loneliness, she finds solace in these quiet minutes on the train. But when her path crosses with the “perfect” people of her daydreams, Rachel gets a chilling dose of reality…

All is not always as it seems, and everyone is harboring a secret.

While this book offers a mysterious, edgy chain of events sure to keep you guessing, you’re not likely to build a bond with its characters. Each of them are flawed and contribute to a largely heavyhearted plot. But it doesn’t seem we’re meant to fall in love with this cast, and I don’t believe this will hinder your connection to the story.

This author’s writing is polished, her ideas are well-constructed, and she displays powerful themes that do not need the aid of repetition to be recognized or appreciated. The story is told in first person, and alternates between the candid and often morbid perspectives of three women whose lives eventually interlink.

I had a hard time putting this book down. A must-read for all you psychological thriller lovers!

One for sorrow, two for joy, three for a girl, four for a boy, five for silver, six for gold, seven for a secret never to be told.
I’ve got a few of those…

Image and video hosting by TinyPic Book Stats: 
▪  Genre/Category: Mystery/Psychological Thriller
▪  Characters: Deeply flawed and deranged.
▪  Plot: Suspenseful, edgy, and quick-paced.
▪ Writing: Engaging and polished.
▪ POV: 1st Person: Alternates between 3 perspectives
▪  Cliffhanger: None/Standalone

Read & reviewed on Goodreads on March 25, 2015
Author: Kristin (KC)

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