Pat C.

Pat C. asked:

If I hated "Gone Girl" am I going to hate "The Girl on the Train"? Obviously not looking for someone with a crystal ball, just informed (like you've read both books and "they're not really that much alike") opinions.

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10 years ago
126 answers

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Emily May Having read both, I would say probably not. Though I agree with the person who said "it depends why you hated Gone Girl". I thought Gone Girl was too slow, especially in the first half, but I liked the grittiness. The Girl on the Train was fast-paced and creepier (in a good way, if you ask me). It took me a week to read Gone Girl and I read The Girl on the Train in a single sitting.

Similarities with Gone Girl: immoral/unconventional female narrators, psychological thriller, unreliable narrators, dark and gritty.

Differences: Faster-paced, more traditional mystery, more gripping (in my opinion), a very different kind of ending.

Alice I loathed Gone Girl and wished every one of the characters would die by the end. It was one of those books I felt kind of like showering after I finished reading it to get the yuck off me. However, I enjoyed The Girl on the Train. As someone else said, the characters (some, not all) are more sympathetic. It was fast-paced and had a decent ending.

Heidi I'd love to know why you hated Gone Girl, as I did too. Had read another Gillian Flynn, which was clever but the characters were profoundly unsympathetic. Felt the same way about Gone Girl. It doesn't matter how clever the plot is, if I don't like the characters, I won't like the book.

Amber Probably. Gone Girl is well written and more original. The Girl on the Train is poorly written, with no likeable characters and the plot centres around affairs - nothing very original.

Rachel I really liked both books but found several 'holes' in Gone Girl that made,the plot harder to believe/accept. I didn't have the same experience with Girl on the Train.

I also didn't like any of the main characters in Gone Girl but found those in 'Girl on a Train' more sympathetic.

Kate Melville Man, I can't believe so many people disliked Gone Girl! I really enjoyed that book, all of it: the dark, grittiness of it, the unlikeable characters ( I mean, the wife was a freaking narcissist sociopath, so I wouldn't really "like" her, but I sure enjoyed reading about her), the beginning, middle and end. I haven't read The Girl on the Train but I can't wait to - psychologically disturbing is my genre!

Patricia Perez I never finished Gone Girl because I hated it. I couldn't relate to any of the characters. In The Girl on the Train, there are characters that are very flawed but Hawkins did a great job in allowing me to sympathize with all of them. This is the turning point, for me. I loved The Girl on the Train.

Michelle I hated Gone Girl, but I enjoyed Girl on the Train. I hated Gone Girl in part because I figured out the ending much too quickly. Girl on the Train was more suspenseful, and even though none of the narrators may be people you like, none are as awful as Gone Girl.

Louise Annetta I did not like Gone Girl at all. Mainly because i did not like any of the characters and it seemed a bit contrived.
I enjoyed The Girl on The Train. There were interesting suspects. I kind of liked Rachel, she was anything but perfect, and i did care what happened to her. I worried about the missing woman, too. In Gone Girl I did not care if they all fell into a ravine.

Mary Leavitt I was not impressed with Gone Girl, but have really enjoyed this tale. This is a great beach read (flows well, easy to read and keeps your attention). If you like murder mysteries you will enjoy this one. All the characters are flawed but which one would commit murder?

Daphne Manners If you hated Gone Girl because the characters were unlikeable then this book will similarly disappoint.

Jeannine Yes most probably. I had better mention that I disliked both books. When there are so many worthy novels to read these 2 books are a waste of time. I was given 'The Girl on the Train' to read over the weekend. I felt as if I was reading a novel by a teenager with a limited vocabulary and not a great imagination. The characters were predictable and insipid...And it is not much of a thriller as about half way through the book it becomes obvious who the murderer is.I didn't waste my time and read the entire book as I ended up turning to the back of the book and yep I was right!

Patricia I disliked Gone Girl because it was so twisted... Did not like the characters-- any of them. The Girl on the Train is different in that it's not so twisted, and at points you are sympathetic to most of the characters. I don't like ultra-dark and twisted stories, hence I did not like Gone Girl, but I did enjoy The Girl on the Train -- the suspense of it.

Lori I hated Gone Girl and I loved this book. :)

Donna Hahaha, I just finished "The Girl on the Train" and as I read it, I kept wondering what all the fuss is about??? As I closed the book, I thought to myself...I didn't like this just as I didn't like "Gone Girl" and the reason for me is because I didn't really like ANY of the charachters in either book so I really didn't care if they lived or died

Helen King Much preferred it to Gone Girl - which I didn't like at all. The author for Gone Girl was trying to be too clever, and tripped up with the lack plausibility, plus not one character had any redeeming qualities. The Girl on the Train is less complex and better for it, better written (in my view), and there are some sympathetic characters.

Lisa Chemberlin Hated Gone Girl. Love The Girl on the Train. So far, anyway. I can't put it down. I'm almost finished. I hope I won't hate the ending like I did with Gone Girl.

Jeremy STAY AWAY! I wouldn't say they're the exact same, but the reading experience is very similar, and the quality is similar. Girl on the Train is a little easier to read and a little more conventional, that's about it.

tana I am so glad you asked this question and am looking forward to more answers.

Bea Ishler I hated Gone girl, especially the no end ending. This book I loved. Yes there is an unreliable narrator but the ending made sense and the characters made sense and altho one could figure out who the ultimate murderer was going to be it came together in a cogent way. So much better than Gone Girl.

Sumaiya Hated, hated Gone Girl. Just finished Girl on The Train and it's so much better than Gone Girl. I loved it, actually. By the end of Gone Girl, you just give up, nothing makes sense whatsoever. It's so ridiculous that you want to laugh. But Girl on the Train is different, more believable I'd say.

Jess If you hated Gone Girl you will not like this book. The characters are depressing, the story is slow moving, and there is no roller coaster ride of emotions like "Gone Girl". I don't even like that they compare this book to that book... they aren't similar (in my opinion), and each one should stand for itself. I truly had a love/hate relationship with Gone Girl and in the end I thought it was well written and really captured my interest and made me think about things. TGotT is just sad and depressing and you keep reading it only to find out what all of the hype is about to get to the end to think... "wow... that's it?!"

Amanda Stevens I think it depends on why you hated Gone Girl. I haven't read that one, but I did read Sharp Objects and that was enough to keep me from reading Flynn again. For me, The Girl on the Train was unlikable for the same reasons--namely the characters are psychological exaggerations. I gave it a 2-star review (the same rating I gave Sharp Objects).

Ami With the caveat that I really really liked Gone Girl, I think you should give Girl on the Train a shot. While it does share some of the storytelling style of Gone Girl, it spends a lot less time in the "commentary on society" kind of stuff. It read much more like a straightforward mystery to me.

Lorraine No. I couldn't even finish Gone Girl because it seemed so obvious and frustrating to me (so, halfway through, I skipped to the end to confirm my suspicions and alleviate my annoyance). This is a much better book, though hard to get into at first because the main narrator is an out-of-control drunk (as she calls herself, and she's right). There are three alternating narrators, and the drunk proves the most sympathetic, but it's good for all that.

JaneJ I have read both, hated Gone Girl(1), Loved Girl on The Train(5)
This one you can give it a try. The writing is way matured than Gone Girl.

I agree with Emily May's Comment

Liz Absolutely not. My book club read Gone Girl and I think I was the only one who really didn't like it. Yes, it was a page turner, but the writing wasn't great, the characters had no depth. It read like a movie script, which is why the movie followed the book so well. The Girl on the Train is somewhat dark, but done very well. It's uncomfortable to read about a young alcoholic woman who is a complete mess, but the history explains how she got to this point. I liked The Girl on the Train--it was suspenseful, especially during the last half.

Tori I hate-read Gone Girl and have no clue why everyone thought it was the tits. I wanted to burn that book when I finished.

Girl on the Train was different. I felt more of a sympathetic connection to the characters, and the story itself held my interest. I wouldn't even say the 2 books are similar at all. Hope this helps.

Lauren I hated Gone Girl ( a lot), but really loved The Girl on the Train. So, no (but I don't want to say more, because spoilers).

Nuala Lochlainn 'The Girl on the Train' is better- despite her flaws, the reader will like Rachel the main narrator. In 'Gone Girl' to be frank I thought all the characters were horrible.

Rachel C. They're very much alike, they just have different twists. If you like reading psychological thrillers and didn't like "Gone Girl" for specific reasons, you might give this a try. If you're not a fan of the genre, I'd pass.

Other writers that come to mind as comparables: Stieg Larsson, Dennis Lehane, Patricia Highsmith.

Derya A if you hated gone girl you're going to love the girl on the train. i hated gone girl so much i didn't even bother finishing it and watched the movie instead.

Michelle I didn't care for either one. There were not any characters that I wanted to root for.

MP I too hated Gone Girl, but I liked The Girl on the Train. It's a whodunit worthy of all the accolades it has received.

Jennifer Cordwell No comparison unless you just don't like suspense. I did love Gone girl I thought well written held in suspense till the last page. This to to me was no where near it. Each to there own. Maybe try a totally different genre.

Mary Spoiler Alert Possibility

For those saying they did not like Girl on The Train because the characters were so unlikeable my response would be, "And the characters in Gone Girl weren't?" I did not care for Gone Girl but I do admit the twist was devine. Train was okay. I don't think I loved it as much as others but I do admit I wanted to know what happened so it kept me reading. I read it in one day. I kept changing my guess a million times. Yes, Rachel is a very unlikeable, weak girl that made me cringe. I kept yelling at her to get a grip when I was reading the book. However, isn't that a great character build by the author if she can make one do that? We have all done stupid things in the name of love and if Ms. Hawkins can make me that mad over a make believe person I have to add a star and pick up her next book for sure. Rachel is a horrible bad role model for woman for sure. However, with that said, even for a strong woman you never know huh?

Sidna Like you I hated "Gone Girl," but I loved "The Girl on the Train." I can see why the two books are often compared, but as far as I am concerned "The Girl on the Train" is a much better book. I didn't care for any of the characters in "Gone Girl," but I liked the main character and a few of the minor characters in "The Girl on the Train." Getting into the book was slow going, but once I got into it, I read it in one day!

Helen I disliked both Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train. They did not "thrill" me. I also did not like the characters in both. Nothing that exciting.

Michelle I've read both. I loved Gone Girl, hated Girl on The Train. I'm the opposite of you and I'm sure I am the only one on goodreads who rated Girl on The Train 1 out of 5 stars. lol.

Kristine Walker I hated Gone Girl, but thoroughly enjoyed The Girl on the Train. Rachel, the unreliable narrator in GOTT, is much more interesting and likeable than any of the characters in Gone Girl. I couldn't put it down.

Lynda Hunter I didn't like Gone Girl at all but absolutely loved "Girl on the Train", it was a great book. Like many other people, I couldn't care less about the characters in "Gone Girl" but cared utterly about the three women in "Girl on the Train". It was different and fascinating. Definitely give it a try.

Sherry I really enjoyed Gone Girl and I really REALLY loved The Girl on the Train. Despite loving them both I didn't find them to be similar at all beyond the whole "a woman goes missing". That's pretty well where the similarities end for me.

Terri I also read both books. While I enjoyed Gone Girl while reading it, the ending ruined the entire book for me! I thought it was an extremely confusing and unrealistic ending. Whereas, Girl on the Train.....I just loved it! Great characters, great plot and a realistic and satisfying ending. The twists and turns had me reading this in two days and kept me guessing till the end. I thought this novel had it all and I can't wait to see the movie!

Medh Enough already with the comparisons with "Gone Girl" :)

Kristin No. I hated Gone Girl too. The characters were so unlikable and the ending so unsatisfying in my opinion. I found this book to be completely opposite. Yes, they are both mystery/thrillers, but otherwise they are not similar stories.

Hollie Konold Depends. What did you dislike about "Gone Girl"? If it was the set-up of the book itself (i.e. alternating timelines and narrators) you won't enjoy this book. It actually has three narrators. If you disliked "Gone Girl" because of the grittiness, stark realism, and unreliable narrators, those are three more reasons you would dislike "The Girl on the Train". I personally loved this book. I was on the edge of my seat every chapter, which was not the case for me with "Gone Girl". If I had a longer attention span, maybe I would have liked "Gone Girl" more, haha

Kelly Frederick No, not at all....I barely made it through Gone Girl in the beginning. It was good but too much work for me! LOL Although there are some similarities, I really liked this one much more and did not struggle one bit!

Tracey Fawcett I hated Gone Girl too. I couldn't root for any of the characters, and didn't really care what happened to them (one of the very few books that was actually better as a film). But ... I *loved* Girl on the Train. Here is a flawed character, but you want to understand why, and help her through what's going on. No comparison with the two books as far as I'm concerned.

Reader017 I hated Gone Girl but really enjoyed The Girl on the Train. I couldn't put it down, finishing in one day.
There was not one character in Gone Girl that I liked. I truly cared about Rachael.

Marilyn Loved Girl on the Train. I personally thought Gone Girl was too unbelievable and had me rolling my eyes. I was smitten with Girl on the Train, - but that's just me.

Audrey Ruth Adding to the pool: No. The only reason one might pit these two books against each other is their shared genre and look at the lives of tumultuous couples, which I guess is enough. But beyond those superficial similarities, they're much different books. The writing style is totally different. I didn't hate any of the characters in Girl on the Train like I did in Gone Girl. The pacing in Train is better. And it's not tryingly pretentious at all! As someone who disliked Gone Girl and thoroughly enjoyed the proper story that was Girl on the Train, I'd recommend it. It's an enjoyable read that takes you on a better adventure and doesn't make you feel icky for identifying with any of the characters.

Kate Funny, as soon I got in to it I kept comparing it to Gone Girl which I agree I did not enjoy. This is creepy more like I am a Peeping Tom into her life, her thoughts , her pissed pants, her seedy life. Oops it made me realize that is what a book is supposed to do give us a peek into the way others lead their lives. Only half through.....liking if I can say that..rather more intrigued by this.

Ilana Eisenhart I didn't like Gone Girl, but I liked The Girl on the Train. I was hesitant also because I had heard it was similar to Gone Girl, but the only similarities are they are both mysteries with a missing woman. I disliked Gone Girl because I thought the author didn't deliver with a good ending. It didn't draw me in right away and then when it finally did the author dropped the ball with a horrible ending. The Girl on The Train was slow for the first 30 pages but then picked up. It is an easy read and does draw you in. Paula Hawkins delivers a satisfying ending that doesn't disappoint.

Carolien I loved Gone Girl so am very suprised a lot of people hate it.
But while I started out with high hopes in 'The Girl', I felt rather 'cheated' towards the end.
The author succeeds in creating a superb atmosphere in the beginning, and therefore I am even more let down by the ridiculous ending.
Don't want to spoil anything, so can't go into depth why I disliked it, but those who read it will get it I hope.
No, in the end, disappointed with this book.
Of course, expectations were high because of the hype created.

Pam I couldn't put Gone Girl down and felt the same way about The Girl on the Train. It would help to know why you didn't like Gone Girl, e.g., disliked characters, the ending? I found the story fascinating, not so much with The Girl on the Train, but I HAD to know who done it!

Daniel Sevitt I hated Gone Girl and disliked this immensely.

In many ways this was more predictable with the identity of the killer jumping out at me less than half way through where with Gone Girl no one could have predicted that both the narrators were sociopaths.

Leanne I didn't like "Gone Girl" and was tempted to give up on it. At least "The Girl on the Train" kept my attention throughout. It reminded me of a soap opera that I know I should stop watching, but I couldn't stop until I got to the end. It was an easy read and passed the time.

Bo0k Junkie I read both and I did not like gone girl the writing style is way different in Girl On The Train its not one of those books that starts right away to pull you in & then drag & peak this one keeps you wondering and is a page turner as to Gone girl it got predictable to me I wanted to know the ending but wasn't impressed felt let down (my personal opinion)

Jessica Well, I loved "Gone Girl", and so far "The Girl on the Train" is putting me to sleep about halfway through. So maybe you'll love it?

Michelene Esposito I liked Gone Girl but this is a different book in the end. More satisfying ending. And it was a quick read. I loved it. Enjoy!

Donna Boring, shallow, mundane... That about sums it up. I hated Gone Girl too. Why all the rage? I just don't get it.

James Emery I felt both relied very heavily on literary technique (the unreliable narrator) to make the story. That being said, if you didn't like Gone Girl just due to that or the characters being tragically flawed, then this may not be for you.

I did enjoy the reading of The Girl on the Train more, the back and forth POVs kept the reading fresh, more so than Gone Girl. The plots of both are at antithesis for me. Gone Girl was almost too unbelievable with an ending that seemed out of character and The Girl on the Train was more predictable and if boiled down to a plot summary, cliché.

Linda Train was well written, but predictable. I knew who the killer was the moment he/she was introduced. I kept reading, thinking "no way this could be so obvious." Wrong! Not a bad book, but no where near up to all the hype.

Rebecca Yes...I believe it's just that simple. You won't enjoy it,

N I preferred Girl on the Train. It held my interest more - well the second half at least, I found them both slow to start with. Then, I am impatient.

If you didn't like the whole genre/feel of Gone Girl then you might like this as it is somewhat similar in nature and writing style.

Belle Ami Yes! I hated "Gone Girl" and my review explains why. But mostly I disliked the characters and I didn't care what happened to them.

Varun Horril Not a fan of Gone Girl, but definitely loved The Girl On The Train.

Sarah Dido u r right they are not the same at all, gone girl is better way better

April I hated Girl and I liked The Girl on the Train. I felt that the main character was a lot more likable than the one in Gone Girl and the ending wasn't a sham either. There were a few details in the end that weren't brought up throughout the book, so I sort of thought they were forced in there, but otherwise, I liked the little twist at the end and the fact that the main character was a drunk, so you couldn't really know if she was reliable or not.

Arria

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Amy If you disliked Gone Girl because of the unsympathetic nature of the characters (or if you simply loathed all the characters) then you may find that you dislike The Girl On The Train. However, if you disliked Gone Girl due to it's pace, improbability etc then I think you will enjoy The Girl on the Train. It is very fast paced, keeps you guessing and well written.

Toni I think this is a better book. I really disliked Gone Girl and liked this one as much as I felt kind of yucky being immersed in unreliable characters in this one too. But I agree with those who say this had more tradtional mystery about it and a satisfying ending.

John If anyone hated Gone Girl, they probably are not going to like The Girl on the Train. Of course it depends somewhat on why they didn't like Gone Girl. If it was the narrative style, they should pass. The characters, I don't know. Hard to say. I liked both.

Melissa I read both and liked both... They're not the same book... by a long shot. I think it depends on why you hated gone girl. If you hate characters with a whacked out moral compass, put this on your do not read list because they're all over the place.

Martin Poetz I listened to both audiobooks. I didn't like Gone Girl but I absolutely loved The Girl on the Train!

Sam H I say no! Resoundlingly! I HATED Gone Girl so much and yet could not put this book down. Read it all one snowy day in New England! The people were so hateful in Gone Girl. This one is great, I thought. Three first person voices - very clever.

Julie Gone girl was not believable. Girl on the Train is. Read it; you'll like it.

Joan Depompei Not sure why you hated Gone Girl. The Girl on the Train is similar but completely different ending. It is a psychological thriller so if you don't like those type of books you probably won't like this one either.

Jeanette I'm fodder for this question, as I particularly disdained Gone Girl and read Girl on the Train within a day- could NOT put it down. The hook up or worse aspects re relationships were similar but that's, IMHO, about it. Girl on the Train had different "eyes" of observation, different depth to emotional and traditional ideas of family and trust, and the people were, for me, quite real. As I have known them. In Gone Girl, not at all. Girl on the Train is pure Hitchcock movie fare. If the master were here with us, he could do it justice. Visuals of the train views compelled with the tech/phone aspects of surprised information! Like De Niro in Taxi Driver or Leigh in Gone with the Wind- the actors and actresses could form a career with these roles. Gone Girl just seemed slutty in comparison, not in the same thread just the same genre. GOTT is far more like Rear Window (James Stuart) crossed with Gaslight (Ingrid Bergman) territory.

Leigh-Anne Lees For me, there were enough other thought-provoking themes to explore in this book (psychopathy, mental illness, alcoholism, domestic abuse) that made it interesting even beyond your run-of-the-mill suspense. So maybe same genre, but this felt more likeable.

Courtney Whisenant I didn't hate Gone Girl but it was definitely my least favorite of Gillian Flynn's novels. I really liked The Girl on the Train and loved that it was set in the UK. Although I can see why it has been compared to Gone Girl, I wouldn't let that deter you from giving it a try.

Tanya Cunningham I read and enjoyed both. I agree with other reviewers that "The Girl on the Train" was faster paced and I think both books featured deeply flawed characters with unexpected flaws. I think "The Girl on the Train" presented a more believable scenario and a more believable ending. Also, while "The Girl on the Train" has some dark and gritty moments, they were less explicit and struck me as more story-driven.

GABC I wasn't 'thrilled " with Gone Girl but can't wait to get The Girl on the Train, although it was said to be another Gone Girl. That said, i'm still happy that I read it.

Jimmy The female lead in Gone Girl is a terrible, unlikeable person, even before she does what she does. If you can stand that...then perhaps the rest will work. Also, I felt the writing was too polished, with little heart.
The female lead in the girl on the train is an alcoholic mess. I have a very distinct dislike of alcoholics. So, no, I didn't care for the book.

Josephine Briggs Mayby, mayby not, I read both and didn't like either one.

Jennifer Dear Pat C.
I hated Gone Girl with a passion. I will say that The Girl On The Train is not much better, but not as bad as Gone Girl. If I had received an adequate warning, I would have avoided both of them. Moving on, what do you like to read?

Kermy Gone Girl: bad beginning, good end. Train: Good beginning, bad end. You will probably dislike it.

Diana I detested both books. The characters were too loathsome. I felt manipulated.

Debendra Deka i had opportunity to read 'Girl on the Train' following high recommendation by one of my friend. What I found the writing of Hawkins was wonderful, gripping but somehow story telling could not appeal me. I could no way relate myself to the character depicted there.

TiffanyWalsh I have just watche the movie with same name of book in here http://gomovies.mn/watch/mx5R02GR-the..., did you watch it.

Adeline I think that they have very different writing styles-gone girl reveals things slowly and the plot become more and more interesting, where as the girl on the train has one big reveal at the end.

ava

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Paula I'm going to say the main difference is how you felt about the main characters. There are similarities between the books in their thriller-ness, but that's where it ends. Without spoiling it; If you did NOT like the cold emotionless/Hannibal Lechter at the heart of Girl Gone, you might find something you DO like in this book, becasue the characters are not at all similar.

Manupii I love, absolutely love Gone Girl, but I hated The Girl on the Train (in fact, I couldn't even finish it). The writing was poor, the story bored me to death and it was so repetitive that it seems to have entered in a loop, and the tone was so depressing. However, like I said, I love Gone Girl.

Joanie Not sure why you would even have that concern as they are vastly different books. Having read both (and really not caring for Gone Girl....although I've liked Gillian Flynn's other books very much), I would greatly recommend The Girl on the Train over Gone Girl.

Mari Suggs No way! I wasn't a fan of Gone Girl. I thought it was way too long, it was like it was two books in one. The Girl on the Train was fantastic! The pace was perfect. Not to mention the tone of the book keeps the intrigue going. I highly recommend The Girl on the Train. I haven't seen the movie yet, though I've heard is great. If I were you, I would definitely read the book first and then watch the movie if that's something you wish to do.

Gemma Girl on the Train is SOOOOOOOOOO much better!

Becky I hated Gone Girl and I hated The Girl on the Train, too. Please save your time and mental state by skipping this one.

M

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Dwayne not really, I am only about half way through The Girl on the Train and am enjoying it, about half way through Gone Girl, I stopped reading it, I hated it

Muna Abdullah They are completely different to me, i feel like Gone girl is OMG mentally i was not okay after i read it you know. The girl on the train was not that harsh it was a story, summer read I think short novel which I like in both. the Ending was good I was satisfied, my favorite Character was "Magen" no spoilers here not to worry ..

Regan No. I hated Gone Girl but I found The Girl on the Train a decent (good not great) read.

Linda Gratsounas Gone Girl hates women, The Girl on the Train hates men... discuss

Anne Bernard If you hated Gone Girl, then you will likely loathe Girl On The Train. Don't waste your time.

Melissa I have read both. I didn't love "Gone Girl," but I didn't hate it either. However, I hated "The Girl on the Train." I felt it was not well written and none of the characters were even remotely likable.

Ellen Loved gone girl - hated this one. So my bet is you'll be fine

MollyRN I'd say yes. I hated Gone Girl as well. The ending - I wanted to throw it across the room. I wondered the same thing. I plunged in to TGOTT and while it felt similar I had hopes it would improve. I made it to page 100 and just tossed it. I simply could not care about any of the characters. I would never recommend this book. That being said, different strokes for different folks....you never know.

Roisin McGrath Well my mum thought Gone Girl was a bit stupid but she loved Girl on the Train! Hope that helps! I don't know because I haven't read Gone Girl yet!

Bridgette BiPoLuh I didn't like Gone Girl it was sooo drawn out and bored me. The Girl on the Train really picked up about 30% in and didn't stop until the end.

Sallie Peerman You'll hate it. If it was anything like when I read gone girl.. ( which was boring as well) this is worse,, How the hell it can get in the best sellers is beyond me..perhaps I'm missing something but is the same old same old....don't waste your money

Easter i totally loved this book. The hype of it is well deserved. All the haters talking smack just didn't get it or they are not into this kind of thrillers. The twist was perfect. And the ending impeccable. I recommend it a hundred percent. I finished it in five days!! Gone girl was unbearable for me.

cathy I noticed the similarity between Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train, too. I also hated Gone Girl; however, I moderately enjoyed The Girl on the Train. I suppose the biggest difference between the two books was that, for me, Gone Girl felt extremely contrived in an almost mechanistic way. Maybe this is a personal pet peeve, but I find that sort of plot manipulation highly annoying. I felt that Flynn was trying too hard - at the expense of my quality reading experience. The Girl on the Train was a bit more authentic.

Nancy Chappell I have to say that I struggled with both books and only started them because they had a lot of hype. I gave up on Gone Girl and now am slogging through Girl on the Train. It seems I really do need to Like Somebody in a book that I am going to devote some hours/days to. Definitely no one to like in Girl on the Train, but I am a little curious how it ends and want to finish so I can move on to the next (hopefully better) book. I guess Psychological Thriller is just not my genre tho I Loved the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo books and keep hoping that level of intensity will come again for me. There was someone to cheer for and that seems to make all the difference for me.

Me Here I liked both but girl on the train is better, characters are more real, it's darker, and the textures are richer. I DIDN'T WANT to like Girl on the train, but I was out of stuff to listen to so that left this, and it was great. There is a pretty large flaw that comes out near the end, so I only gave this 4 stars. I am not sure if many people caught it. I won't give it up here, but will mark the spoiler when I get around to reviewing.

Susan Kerr To me they are similar. But Gone Girl had more psychological depth. In The Girl on the Train I found narrating females had virtually identical voices and psyches. Both books have universally dark, nasty unreliable characters, both have good twists.

Meredith Apple I liked Gone Girl. The female lead was strong, albeit crazy, but had a vision that focused around her own personal gain. Girl on the Train was ignorant and misogynistic, the female leads only identity was centred around men. She had no drive or distinguishing characteristic other than her obsession with her ex husband. Didn't like it at all.

Victoria Lank To me, the main difference between Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train was that in The Girl on the Train, some of the characters are more sympathetic (as others have stated).

Although I hated Anna in Train, I sympathized with Rachel and somewhat with Megan. In Gone Girl, I found both main characters despicable.

Also, I found Train less vulgar (or graphic?) than Gone Girl. I don't know if anyone else knows what I mean, but that's just my opinion.

Yolanda Rodriguez I liked everything about GONE GIRL except the girl! Great writing. Well drawn characters. And the fact that I didn't like the girl was part of the great telling of the story.
GIRL ON THE TRAIN I felt the girl was sad and lonely and damaged and again the writing was fast paced and nuanced.

Marta the Booktrovert Totally. If you hated "Gone Girl" you will hate this book as well. When I read "Gone Girl" I knew what was going on from the beginning so the ending was not such a big surprise for me. "The Girl on the train" the plot just do not make any sense and there is no deep development on the characters. So I can suggest... dont waste your time.

yi li having read both, I would have to say that this book is far from "Gone Girl", both in the plot it presents and the narration it entails, i don't quite understand all the hype about this book,maybe it's just because it is used to compare with "Gone Girl"?

Jane Beskow Hated Gone Girl! Thought I was the only one on the planet. I didn't like the characters and did not care what happened to them, though I did finish the book. I am listening to The Girl on the Train and am having a similar feeling. Not sure I want to spend my time with such characters!

Bethany Wilk It's such a fast read, you could find out yourself without wasting much time. Personally, I didn't love either of them...I feel like the unreliable narrator is so overdone lately. Between both of them, I thought "Girl on the Train" was more fun to read, though.

spilled ink. Gone girl was very slow I really hated that book. But The Girl on the Train was quite interesting and always put you on the edge of your seat. It is fast past and it so more intriguing. I hate Gone Girl due to its slowness, but I have to say Gone Girl also has some great parts. But to answer your question The Girl on the Train is so much better and creepier.

Leonie I didn't read Gone Girl, but I hated the movie. It did nothing or me at all. I have the book The Girl on the Train, and have heard much better reports about it......so I'm looking forward to reading it.

Sandra The Girl on the Train is very fast paced and can be real quickly. You just need to make sure you note the name of each chapter as you start to read it, so that you don't get confused on who is speaking during that particular chapter, as it involves several women.

Astrida I did not like "Gone Girl" and even thought of this book while reading "The Girl on the Train" because, to me, it seemed so similar. My dislike is not the story or the writing. It's the immoral unlikeable characters. I have to like a character enough to root for them at least a little! Rachel lies to everyone-mother, friend, employer, police officers. It was endless.

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The Girl on the Train

by Paula Hawkins (Goodreads Author)

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