Title: The Girl on the Train
Author: Paula Hawkins
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Genre: Mystery, Fiction, Suspense, Adult
Pages: 316
Publisher: Doubleday Canada
Year Published: 2015
First Line: "She's buried beneath a silver birch tree, down towards the old train tracks, her grave marked with a cairn.
"There she sits. The girl on the train. What she sees gazing out the window will change everything.
Everyday 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 looks forward to it. 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 her discovery 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?"
My Rating: 3.5/5
I think that books need to stop saying that there is a thrill that you'll never suspect because I'm overly suspicious soooo.... I thought that this book was chilling and creepy. Needless to say a perfect fall read, that being said I'm not sure I loved it. I enjoyed myself while reading it but I also found the way it was written to be a little bit confusing for me as I couldn't read it all in one sitting. I also found that the characters were extremely frustrating. I didn't care for any of them and while all together they made for an interesting story, I wouldn't want to hear anything else about them... really ever.
I also found that this story was frustrating for those who don't care for self-pity. That being said, if you're newer to thrillers or mysteries with an edge this will be right up your ally. Remembering that this is a adult book I would suggest this for an older crowd.
All in all, I enjoyed the suspense and the build up but wasn't impressed with the ending to the novel. Tell me what you're thoughts are down below if you've read it, if not tell me what books you plan to read for fall.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
So I picked up this read thinking it would be a perfect fall read as it was said to be chilling and suspenseful. I found that both of these things are true, but I also saw too much about this book before I started reading it as it's being released as a movie soon. So many trailers. I also found that everyone saying their is a giant twist, didn't really help me in the long run. As I've mentioned previously I'm an over thinker and super suspicious. Therefore, I suspected Tom, but then thought that I must be the crazy one only to come back to him time and time again as a possible suspect ( I also watch some crime tv, don't judge a girl). Overall I enjoyed my time reading this book but it didn't blow me out of the water.
Characters:
Rachel: There has never been a character that was so drowned in her own pity than Rachel. She couldn't have a child, so she took up drinking, she then got left behind from her husband with a blonde young woman. Ok so that's sad, don't get me wrong and at first I felt sad for her. But then when she was on and off the bottle more times than I could count, I just started to feel annoyed. I'm grateful that she was stubborn in finding out about Megan but overall she's just a sad character to read from.
Anne: I don't care for her either. To think that her husband who cheated with his first wife with her wouldn't cheat again, well that's just stupid. I don't want to say that people don't change but... I wonder. I also found that her fear of Rachel was a little strange. For her child's sake of course but other than that I guess I just don't understand. That being said, I want to know what she whispered to Tom in the last few pages.
Megan: I'm not going to say she got what she had coming, but I will say that she lead a strange life. To have kept such dark secrets to herself for so long... that's scary and I wonder what else she might have opened up about given the chance.
Scott: I thought for a moment that he had killed her, but he just didn't seem like that type of man. To go through her things was obsessive but to kill her, that's a whole different ball game. I do wonder what he'll do now though.
Kamal: Was their affair real? I'm not sure I understand what happened overall here.
Tom: What a sack of garbage!! I mean really to lie about everything with everyone around you that's gotta do some messed up things to a person. Not that I doubted it based on what he did to Megan. Also shifting the blame. No one made you bludgeon someone to death you oaf.
Moments to Remember:
Final Line: "And I have to get up early tomorrow morning, to catch the train."
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
