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The Girl on the Train

Paula Hawkins

Start date: March 12, 2015

Finish date: April 30, 2015

Discussion: Group Book Discussion

Why we're reading this: Winner of the March/April Bookmarks Selection poll.
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What Members Thought

Feb 24, 2015 Sue rated it it was ok

Shelves: audiobooks

Oh, how this book disappointed me! It started off so well with compelling characters, an interesting premise, and the promise of a twisty, juicy mystery. Then, somewhere around the half-way mark, it completely devolved into a badly edited, overwritten, completely nonsensical mess, not even worthy of a LIfetime movie treatment. Next!

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May 27, 2015 Doreen rated it liked it

Shelves: calibre

Anyone looking for a light summer read for the beach or hammock might want to consider this psychological thriller. It is not great literature but provides sufficient interest to help one while away a few hours.

Rachel is a thirtysomething heavy drinker who commutes daily into the city. As she travels the train, she watches the houses in the neighbourhood where she lived with her ex-husband. She takes an especial interest in Megan and her husband Scott who seem to have the perfect relationship. O Anyone looking for a light summer read for the beach or hammock might want to consider this psychological thriller. It is not great literature but provides sufficient interest to help one while away a few hours.

Rachel is a thirtysomething heavy drinker who commutes daily into the city. As she travels the train, she watches the houses in the neighbourhood where she lived with her ex-husband. She takes an especial interest in Megan and her husband Scott who seem to have the perfect relationship. One day, however, Rachel witnesses something unusual, and then she reads that Megan has disappeared. Rachel feels she has information which could be useful to the police, but they dismiss her as an unreliable witness because of her drinking and erratic behaviour. About the night of Megan’s disappearance, Rachel had an alcoholic blackout though she knows she was in the vicinity of Megan’s home. Rachel tries to recover her memory of that night and insinuates herself into the lives of those who might have some knowledge of Megan’s fate.

The mystery is narrated from the perspective of three women: Rachel (the witness), Megan (the victim), and Anna (the wife of Rachel’s ex-husband Tom and neighbour of Megan). These points of view provide useful information and interesting backstories which aid in character development, but they also create suspense by introducing a number of possible suspects.

Obviously, all is not as it initially seems. Rachel thinks Megan and Scott are the perfect couple. But are appearances deceiving? Anna and Tom seem happily married, though Rachel’s harassing phone calls do put a strain on their relationship. But is it only Rachel that makes trouble? What emerges are characters who are flawed and have secrets.

I admired the characterization of Rachel. She is not a protagonist who is easy to like. She is weak, self-pitying, and spiteful. While under the influence of alcohol, she behaves irrationally. She lies. Despite Rachel’s many lapses however, the reader still comes to sympathize with her situation. There are times when I found myself totally frustrated with her, but I nevertheless hoped all would work out for her.

Like much escapist literature, this novel is flawed. For example, motivation for behaviour is often unrealistic, so the psychology in this psychological thriller is suspect. But like summer cinematic blockbusters, it is entertaining. It does not stand up to careful scrutiny and literary analysis but is a fast read appropriate for a vacation.

Please check out my reader's blog (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/) and follow me on Twitter (@DCYakabuski).

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Aug 18, 2015 Drg rated it really liked it

Shelves: all-time-favorites

I have to admit this is one of my favorite books I’ve read in 2015. The book is well written & had an absorbing & multi-layered plot.

The story moved quickly & didn’t let up. This is saying a lot because many novels I’ve been reading seem to drag quite a bit, or at least in parts.

The only issue I had with this novel is that it was difficult for me to identify with any of the characters. While I was still near the beginning of the book, I started to think, I don’t like any of these people. Howev ...more

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