The girl on the train by Paula Hawkins : Book Review


The Girl on the train by Paula Hawkins
Available here 

I found this book at my local bookshop, I'd heard of it before but couldn't remember why. I took a quick look at the blurb and it sounded like my sort of book so I gave it a go.

Synopsis from Paula Hawkins website reads:

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?

I read this book over 4 - 5 days around Christmas, it was a different style of read to what I'm used to but a comfortable read. Written in first person switching from different characters points of view, the three female characters Rachel, Anna and Megan in a diary entry sort of style. It got me after just a few pages and had me wanting to read on. 

I particularly enjoyed Rachel's point a view. An alcoholic divorcee going through a rough time who watches out the window on her train journeys. She was an interesting character who I wanted to find out more about and I liked the character progression of. 

The story rolled along well with some great twists and turns, I wasn't particularly a fan of the very end. I feel that could have been better, it does leave an opening for a follow up though. 

I'd definitely recommend it and gave it a 4 star rating on Goodreads. 

I realised after reading it that I own other books by this author, in fact she wrote one of the books I read and reviewed earlier this year. Find out more here. 


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