Review! | The Girl On The Train

Overall Rating:

★★★

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Book Details: 

Author: Paula Hawkins

First Publication: January 13th 2015 by Riverhead Books

Pages: 323 pages

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Synopsis:

The debut psychological thriller that will forever change the way you look at other people’s lives.

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? –Goodreads

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Review:

After all the hype this book got, I have to say I was really excited to read this book. However, when I started reading it last year it bore the hell out of me and I thought maybe I’d leave it for a while and then give it another try later. I have to say it wasn’t worth it.

First off, the title. How is a 30-something YEARS OLD WOMAN considered a “girl”?!  I honestly thought the book would talk about a young adult 20 years old or on the very max 25. But not a divorced alcoholic. “The Woman On The Train” would’ve been a less beguiling but much more suitable title.

No one can deny Hawkins’ beautiful style of writing. The woman can write. Honestly. And I liked the multiple points of view (Rachel-the girl on the train, Anna-Rachel’s ex-husband’s wife and Megan-the girl who goes missing). She did well with the unreliable narrator thing. And beware, guys. This book has some real dangerous plot twists. I mean it.

So why didn’t this book ring a chord with me? I think it’s the characters. Three messed up women and two abusive men. None of the characters was relatable or even likeable enough for me to root for them. Maybe Hawkins has gone too far with messing up their lives.

I would recommend this book to a mystery/thriller/crime/unreliable characters lover, but not if this kind of book isn’t your usual. In the end, you are the judge. Go on and give it a try. I know some friends who gave this book 5 stars and put it on their favourites shelf!

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Movie:

Again, I haven’t watched the movie, but I saw the trailer and some clips for the sake of the review. Watch the trailer from here. I was shocked by the cast, actually. Supposedly, Tom and Scott are both handsome and Rachel is fat-sorry, it’s what in the book- and Anna is very beautiful. That’s different in the movies. There aren’t major differences in the plot, though. I think… again, think the movie in this case might be better than the book. I personally prefer crimes and thrillers as movies.

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Have you read this book yet? Did you like it? If not, are you going to? Do tell in the comments below! And keep reading!