The Girl On The Train - Paula Hawkins
Synopsis
Rachel, a recently divorced alcoholic, takes the same train into London every day. Even when she gets fired, she keeps her daily commute so her landlord/roommate won't know. Every day, she passes the same set of houses--one of them her ex's and his new wife. There is another house that sticks out, just down the street. A young couple lives there, and every day as she passes them, Rachel feels like she comes to know them. She makes up names for them, creates backstories, etc. But then one day she sees something that isn't right. Her observation gets her caught up in a dangerous police investigation and tangled up in the intimate details of other people's lives.
Review
This was a HUGE best-selling thriller earlier this year, and one of the most reviewed books on Amazon. I read it in about a day.
This book was mainly told from the viewpoint of three complex women: Rachel, Anna, and Megan.
Rachel is the main protagonist, a sad character with low self-confidence. She hasn't gotten over her divorce from her ex-husband, Tom, and she feels it's her fault for not being able to have children. She's driven to alcohol to smother the pain, which only lands her in more trouble. Her drunken blackouts make her an unreliable narrator. As the book progresses, we see her become stronger, just enough to help her face her demons.
Anna is Tom's new wife. She's just recently had a baby and she hates Rachel, who she feels comes around to harass her. As the events of the book unfold around her, Anna fights to keep her happy little family together and to protect them from every threat.
Megan is the girl that Rachel sees out the window of the train every day. The story really picks up when she disappears. We read about her backstory and her anxiety that drives her to do crazy things. Her secrets are slowly revealed as the plot moves forward.
What keeps this book moving is the fast-paced writing. The action starts on page one and it doesn't slow down. It weaves together flashbacks and backstories for the characters so that we come to have a better and clearer picture of what is actually happening and why. The writing delves into human psychology in a gripping and heartbreaking way, showing the pain caused by small things and how broken people can become. It also shows how manipulative and terrifying someone can be.
One downside to this book was that I felt it was predictable. I guessed the ending long before we got there, and to me makes the book not as fun.
Another downside is the feel of the book. If you're looking for a clever mystery with a rosy, happy ending where all the pieces fall into place, this isn't the book for you. While nowhere near the disturbing insanity of Gone Girl, it has a similar feel. It keeps the tension high and leaves you with an uneasy feeling. It's personal preference, but I didn't really like it.
But other than that, it's a good, dark thriller that explores human psychology in a chilling way.
Rating
I give this book 3.5 stars
Details
Genre: Thriller, Fiction.
Sex: Characters have sex. It isn't graphically described, but it discusses mature things.
Violence: People fight, there is domestic abuse, and characters are killed. There isn't a lot of violence, but what does happen is graphic.
Language: Lots of swear words.
Synopsis
Rachel, a recently divorced alcoholic, takes the same train into London every day. Even when she gets fired, she keeps her daily commute so her landlord/roommate won't know. Every day, she passes the same set of houses--one of them her ex's and his new wife. There is another house that sticks out, just down the street. A young couple lives there, and every day as she passes them, Rachel feels like she comes to know them. She makes up names for them, creates backstories, etc. But then one day she sees something that isn't right. Her observation gets her caught up in a dangerous police investigation and tangled up in the intimate details of other people's lives.
Review
This was a HUGE best-selling thriller earlier this year, and one of the most reviewed books on Amazon. I read it in about a day.
This book was mainly told from the viewpoint of three complex women: Rachel, Anna, and Megan.
Rachel is the main protagonist, a sad character with low self-confidence. She hasn't gotten over her divorce from her ex-husband, Tom, and she feels it's her fault for not being able to have children. She's driven to alcohol to smother the pain, which only lands her in more trouble. Her drunken blackouts make her an unreliable narrator. As the book progresses, we see her become stronger, just enough to help her face her demons.
Anna is Tom's new wife. She's just recently had a baby and she hates Rachel, who she feels comes around to harass her. As the events of the book unfold around her, Anna fights to keep her happy little family together and to protect them from every threat.
Megan is the girl that Rachel sees out the window of the train every day. The story really picks up when she disappears. We read about her backstory and her anxiety that drives her to do crazy things. Her secrets are slowly revealed as the plot moves forward.
What keeps this book moving is the fast-paced writing. The action starts on page one and it doesn't slow down. It weaves together flashbacks and backstories for the characters so that we come to have a better and clearer picture of what is actually happening and why. The writing delves into human psychology in a gripping and heartbreaking way, showing the pain caused by small things and how broken people can become. It also shows how manipulative and terrifying someone can be.
One downside to this book was that I felt it was predictable. I guessed the ending long before we got there, and to me makes the book not as fun.
Another downside is the feel of the book. If you're looking for a clever mystery with a rosy, happy ending where all the pieces fall into place, this isn't the book for you. While nowhere near the disturbing insanity of Gone Girl, it has a similar feel. It keeps the tension high and leaves you with an uneasy feeling. It's personal preference, but I didn't really like it.
But other than that, it's a good, dark thriller that explores human psychology in a chilling way.
Rating
I give this book 3.5 stars
Details
Genre: Thriller, Fiction.
Sex: Characters have sex. It isn't graphically described, but it discusses mature things.
Violence: People fight, there is domestic abuse, and characters are killed. There isn't a lot of violence, but what does happen is graphic.
Language: Lots of swear words.
Comments
Post a Comment