Thursday, March 5, 2015

The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins

The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins
Published January 2015 by Penguin Publishing Group
Source: purchased this one for my Nook

Publisher's Summary:
Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. 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.

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 offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?

My Thoughts:
"She's buried beneath a silver birch tree, down towards the old train tracks, her grave marked with a cairn. Not more than a little pile of stones, really. I didn't want to draw attention to her resting place, but I couldn't leave her without remembrance. She'll sleep peacefully there, no on dot disturb her, no sounds but birdsong and the rumble of passing trains."
So begins The Girl On The Train which many are calling The Girl On The Train this year's Gone Girl. Both Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl) and Hawkins set their readers on a journey of suspense, with unreliable narrators and more than one surprise. But while Flynn landed a couple of big power punches, Hawkins has crafted a much more evenly paced read. Which is not to say that there are no surprises here; there is no end to the surprises in this book.

So often thrillers' focus is entirely on the action and the mystery forsaking character development. Narrated alternatively by Rachel, Megan (known to Rachel as Jess), and Anna (Rachel's ex-husband's new wife), The Girl On The Train gives readers complex characters who may, or may not, be telling the truth. Who may or may not even know the truth.

The Girl On The Train kept me guessing from the beginning right up to the end with tension that never let up. Hawkins' debut is definitely impressive!



9 comments:

  1. Looking forward to reading this. I hope the library hold comes in soon!

    ReplyDelete
  2. GREAT review. THANKS.

    I still haven't read this book. I also haven't read Gone Girl. :) I need to get busy.

    ENJOY your day.

    Elizabeth

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm so excited to get to this one. It sounds like such an intriguing twisty turny read. Great review!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I had fun reading this one. Lots of guessing and some twists without jerking the reader around too much.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have yet to write my review on this one but I listened to it on audio and it was fantastic. I was glued to it from beginning to end. I'd love to find more stories like this one that get the reader so involved in what is and isn't going on.

    ReplyDelete
  6. You're selling me on this one! Great review!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'd like to be able to get to this book, once the million holds on the book at my library finally end.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am eager to give this one a try. I have read mixed reviews of it, but even the negative reviews have only made me more curious. I have the audio version and plan to listen to it.

    ReplyDelete
  9. It seems like I change my mind about whether to read this book with every review I read. Now, I want to definitely read it--I'm thinking maybe listening to it would be a good route. I like the whole ambiguity thing :)

    ReplyDelete