The Girl on the Train

 

By Paula Hawkins

Review

This is the first book by Paula Hawkins that I've read and whilst I liked it, I struggled to connect with any of the characters. I thought the pacing was fairly sluggish and the constant references to alcohol and drunkenness became, if I'm totally honest, tedious. 

The story started off well and showed promise but then descended into 'The Rachel Sh*t Show' (pardon my French!). It was sad to see the person she had become. The main focus was her alcoholism rather than the mystery of what she'd seen from the train window. Instead of adding depth to her character, it became distracting and annoying. What could have been an excellent book was only an average read for me.

★★★☆☆

• Print Length: 432 pages
• Publisher: Black Swan
• Publication Year: 2015
• Author: Paula Hawkins
• Genre: Psychological Thriller

Synopsis

Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She's even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. 'Jess and Jason', she calls them. Their life - as she sees it - is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy.

And then she sees something shocking. It's only a minute until the train moves on, but it's enough.

Now everything's changed. Now Rachel has a chance to become a part of the lives she's only watched from afar.

Now they'll see; she's much more than just the girl on the train. . .