The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Amy  
Lynnie

psychological thriller, mystery

Rachel, The Girl on the Train, takes the commuter train every day and tends to focus on one particular house she passes every day.  As the story progresses, the reader learns more about Rachel, her past, and the people she encounters on the train and in her daily routine.  Something happens and Rachel finds herself in the middle of situation in which she should not be involved.  And yet, she is undoubtedly involved.  This is Paula Hawkins' first novel.

This is one of those very rare books in which Amy and Lynnie find their opinions to be very different!  Let us know what YOU thought about it!

Amy's review

Wow—what a ride! (And not just a train ride.) This was a gripping psychological thriller. The way the story begins being told from the morning train commute and the evening return train commute is creative and effective. Then, the changing points of view and the different time periods serve to fill in very interesting holes. The reader is given a more complete picture piece by piece while, at the same time, is made to feel uncomfortable and foggy like our Rachel. This book is full of misguided, mischievous, damaged people, reminding me a bit of the creepy folks in Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl. No one is genuine or well-intentioned except for Cathy. (But her problem is that she's too generous and forgiving. She was the least believable character amid all the crazies.) The novel was crafted well. I enjoyed the way the situations became evident and the resulting mysteries and discoveries came to fruition. I could barely put it down.    

Lynnie's review

The only thing this book has in common with Gone Girl (because lots of people compare the two) is that I shouldn't have finished either of them. I have to stop reading "mysteries" because I don't find them interesting & worse, I find them predictable. I thought it was obvious who the bad guy was about 20% into the book. Although an argument can be made that EVERYONE in this book is the "bad guy" in one regard or another.

I can excuse a lot about a book if the characters are interesting & give me something or someone to cheer for, but The Girl On The Train was depressing from beginning to end and full of miserable, messed-up people that I did not enjoy reading about. I thought the portrayal of Rachel's alcoholism was probably realistic, as was her decline in general but her non-stop woe-is-me attitude made ME want to start drinking. Also, I felt that her actions, after the book's catalyst (I can't be specific without giving things away) were so over-the-top and unbelievable that I rolled my eyes routinely at her antics. 

I'm in the minority opinion on this book- most people loved it. I just don't enjoy reading about a menagerie of horrible people.