The Girl On The Train was my first introduction to thriller novels and has a special place in my heart. The book is captivating and will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole time reading it.
Paula Hawkins book Centers around the main character Rachel and how her life has spiraled out of control because of her addiction to alcohol.
She rides the train everyday and lives vicariously through the “perfect” couple she sees from the train, or so she thought… until she sees something she shouldn’t have.
Paula Hawkins draws you in with a character who you feel bad for and is really in a terrible situation. She just wants to have a regular life, like the people she sees from the train everyday.
We feel as though the main character Rachel is just going through a horrible time in her life and is using alcohol as a coping mechanism for all the pain she has suffered.
The whole book you have the feeling of who should you believe and what is the true story. This all leads to a thrilling climax that is the arch of the whole book and throws the narrative onto its head.
What I loved so much about this book is that it allows the reader to make their own assumptions without giving away key elements of the twist.
One thing I thought was super interesting was that Paula Hawkins provides you with a main character that you feel bad for but don’t necessarily like.
This creates a complicated relationship between the reader and the main character that makes you doubt her side of the story and what she actually saw. Hawkins writes with such precision and intent that you doubt Rachel’s intentions.
The ability for Hawkins to detail such intense drama, and so many secrets hidden in each and every character that you are constantly wondering what the real story is.
Overall this book is a great quick thriller read that you can’t put down. I would recommend it to anyone. The narrative keeps you in the dark until the end when all the puzzle pieces finally fit together and finish the story with a terrifying chill.
I give The GIrl On The Train an A.
