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BOOK REVIEW: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Another year, another bestseller. A book that will keep on turning the pages by itself. It’s The Girl on the Train, one of the most successful books of the year, fastest selling adult novel in the history, another psychological thriller, comparable to Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl as the plot is full of lies and unreliable narration.

The girl on the train is Rachel, a lonely, alcoholic divorcée who rides the train to and from London each day, hoping to keep her long-suffering roommate from discovering that she’s been fired from her job. The train, cruelly, passes each day by the house where she once lived with her adored ex-husband. Rachel directs her focus a few houses down, where another young couple lives, envying their seemingly blissful partnership. One day, she is shaken by what she sees at the couple’s house and soon after, the wife disappears. Rachel, convinced the event she witnessed is relevant to the case, is quickly drawn into the mystery, but her debilitating alcoholism and the blackouts caused by her binges make her an unreliable witness, untrusted by the authorities and even by herself.

The narration is as unreliable as Rachel, the characters are portrayed like normal human beings, like you and me. The thrilling part is there from the starting of the novel in bits, but the major thrills starts when Rachel’s drinking problem becomes a nuisance for her and people in her life. The plot exploits the psychological suspense and is well-defined as mystery. The pace of the novel is fast and you will be turning pages in no time. I managed to read the book in six hours. The book is full of liars and their lies, and I cannot reveal anymore in the review, since there won’t be much suspense left for you to explore.

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Paula Geister says: October 13, 2015 at 12:21 AM Thanks for including this one on your blog. I've been wanting to read this and just might go get it when I finish the novel I'm on right now. Great review and thanks for no "spoilers."
leeduigon says: October 13, 2015 at 4:22 AM Sounds similar to Agatha Christie's "What Mrs. McGillicuddy Saw"--which was, apparently, a murder taking place in a compartment in a train passing in the opposite direction to Mrs. McGillicuddy's train. And yet no murder has been reported...
Carole Besharah says: October 13, 2015 at 7:14 AM Thanks for reminding me why I need to read this book!
Nihaad says: October 13, 2015 at 11:50 AM I feel like I am the only person that hasn't read this book yet :/ Nihaad - the little blog of STUFF
cherrybookish says: October 13, 2015 at 5:06 PM I quite liked it,as an avid thriller reader wasn't much suprised but a very good read
Nikki Collamat says: October 14, 2015 at 3:44 PM I've only recently watched 'Gone Girl' and I was really impressed. I never even knew it had a book and now this! OMG, can't wait to read this!
Beat About The Book says: October 15, 2015 at 8:38 PM Sounds very interesting and definitely Agatha Christie ish. Thanks for sharing the review. Will pick it up.
argumentativewatermelon says: October 22, 2015 at 4:19 AM This sounds exciting. I was meaning to pick up this book after reading "before I go to sleep" but heard very mixed reviews about it. Will definitely pick it up now. This would be my cozy winter thriller. :)

Thanks for including this one on your blog. I've been wanting to read this and just might go get it when I finish the novel I'm on right now. Great review and thanks for no "spoilers."

Aman(@amanhimself) says: October 13, 2015 at 12:59 AM You're most welcome and I hope you get that thrill which I did on reading it!

You're most welcome and I hope you get that thrill which I did on reading it!

Sounds similar to Agatha Christie's "What Mrs. McGillicuddy Saw"--which was, apparently, a murder taking place in a compartment in a train passing in the opposite direction to Mrs. McGillicuddy's train. And yet no murder has been reported...

Isha Aggarwal says: October 24, 2015 at 4:13 PM Christie's 4:50 from Paddington is a classic. Absolute marvel; however, The Girl on the Train does not even come close to it.
Aman(@amanhimself) says: October 13, 2015 at 12:11 PM Wow. It sounds really tempting. I think I should read Agatha Christie's books. I am always avoiding them yet I hear a lot about them.

Christie's 4:50 from Paddington is a classic. Absolute marvel; however, The Girl on the Train does not even come close to it.

Aman(@amanhimself) says: October 24, 2015 at 5:03 PM I haven't read much of Agatha Christie and will look forward to the title you mentioned.

I haven't read much of Agatha Christie and will look forward to the title you mentioned.

Isha Aggarwal says: October 24, 2015 at 5:10 PM I think if you want to read her best work, you should read The Murder of Roger Ackroyd although Then There Were None was selected as her best work. But Christie is timeless, read any of Poirot or Marple

I think if you want to read her best work, you should read The Murder of Roger Ackroyd although Then There Were None was selected as her best work. But Christie is timeless, read any of Poirot or Marple

Aman(@amanhimself) says: October 25, 2015 at 1:23 PM I have read Poirot and did not find him as amusing. I have read And then there were none and I think it is one of the good ones.

I have read Poirot and did not find him as amusing. I have read And then there were none and I think it is one of the good ones.

Wow. It sounds really tempting. I think I should read Agatha Christie's books. I am always avoiding them yet I hear a lot about them.

Isha Aggarwal says: October 24, 2015 at 4:15 PM Christie is called as a queen of crime for a reason. Once you will read her books, you will realize what are you missing till now
leeduigon says: October 13, 2015 at 7:45 PM I'd be very interested to hear why you've avoided them. With as many novels as Agatha Christie published in her lifetime, some are bound to be better than others. But when she's on target, she is really, really on. No one was better at creating characters and bringing them to live. If I might make a recommendation, which others have followed and pronounced themselves very pleased, start with these two books--"A Caribbean Mystery" and "Nemesis," a pair of loosely related novels featuring Miss Marple. If these don't hook you on Christie, nothing will. P.S.--If you've only got time for one, try "Ten Little Indians."

Christie is called as a queen of crime for a reason. Once you will read her books, you will realize what are you missing till now

I'd be very interested to hear why you've avoided them.

With as many novels as Agatha Christie published in her lifetime, some are bound to be better than others. But when she's on target, she is really, really on.

No one was better at creating characters and bringing them to live.

If I might make a recommendation, which others have followed and pronounced themselves very pleased, start with these two books--"A Caribbean Mystery" and "Nemesis," a pair of loosely related novels featuring Miss Marple.

If these don't hook you on Christie, nothing will.

P.S.--If you've only got time for one, try "Ten Little Indians."

Aman(@amanhimself) says: October 13, 2015 at 9:00 PM Hi Lee. Well it maybe when I was in my juvenile years when I first came across her books. At that time they did not hook up with me well. In college I tried Hercules Poirot and "And There Were None/ Ten Little Indians" and yes latter one was really interesting. A Five Starrer for me! After that I haven't read much of her books but I will look forward to the books you recommended. Thanks!

Hi Lee. Well it maybe when I was in my juvenile years when I first came across her books. At that time they did not hook up with me well. In college I tried Hercules Poirot and "And There Were None/ Ten Little Indians" and yes latter one was really interesting. A Five Starrer for me! After that I haven't read much of her books but I will look forward to the books you recommended. Thanks!

Thanks for reminding me why I need to read this book!

Aman(@amanhimself) says: October 13, 2015 at 12:10 PM You're welcome :)

You're welcome :)

I feel like I am the only person that hasn't read this book yet :/

Nihaad - the little blog of STUFF

Aman(@amanhimself) says: October 13, 2015 at 12:09 PM It's okay. I also felt that before reading it. There is a time when we choose a book to read and when we do that's the right time.

It's okay. I also felt that before reading it. There is a time when we choose a book to read and when we do that's the right time.

Nihaad says: October 13, 2015 at 12:10 PM I guess that is true :) There is probably a reason I haven't read it yet! Nihaad - the little blog of STUFF

I guess that is true :) There is probably a reason I haven't read it yet!

Nihaad - the little blog of STUFF

I quite liked it,as an avid thriller reader wasn't much suprised but a very good read

Aman(@amanhimself) says: October 13, 2015 at 8:57 PM Yeah!

Yeah!

I've only recently watched 'Gone Girl' and I was really impressed. I never even knew it had a book and now this! OMG, can't wait to read this!

Aman(@amanhimself) says: October 14, 2015 at 11:14 PM It's a good one with almost same quality of thrill as Gone Girl.

It's a good one with almost same quality of thrill as Gone Girl.

Sounds very interesting and definitely Agatha Christie ish. Thanks for sharing the review. Will pick it up.

Aman(@amanhimself) says: October 15, 2015 at 11:37 PM You're welcome.

You're welcome.

This sounds exciting. I was meaning to pick up this book after reading "before I go to sleep" but heard very mixed reviews about it. Will definitely pick it up now. This would be my cozy winter thriller. :)

Aman(@amanhimself) says: October 22, 2015 at 10:28 AM I hope you enjoy your time with it.

I hope you enjoy your time with it.

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