Friday, July 17, 2015

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

This book. I did not receive an early copy of this book, and was on the fence about reading it for a very long time. This book was a sleeper. Quiet for a while, and then all at once like an angry toddler waking from a nap. Loud, everywhere, and wildly selling. So, I headed to the library to check the book out. I knew it was popular, so I knew it would have a hold on it. Mind you, this was February, and not long after its release. I was #239 on the hold list. Wait a second...let that sink in. #2-3-9. yes, that is a whole THREE DIGITS. What in the world? two weeks ago, it actually became available for check out. In the entire Los Angeles County, it has taken months for me to receive a copy of this book for check out. For those of you wondering why the heck I didn't just borrow it from a friend, the answer is that it was a little of a contest to me to see when I would actually get a copy.

Now, to the nitty-gritty. After all that wait, did I actually like the book? Was the long wait worth it. The answer is a resounding YES! This was absolutely 5 stars for me. By the end, I could not wait to know what was to come of Rachel, Anna, Megan, Tom and Scott. I am not on the fence about this book, I really liked it. For those of you who hated Rachel and thought she was awful and unlikeable, you have added a feather in the cap of Ms. Hawkins writing hat. To be able to write a character that people hate is truly a gift. If you become so involved in the story that you loathe a character, then the writer has done their job really well.

I think you should read it! See for yourself. That is a challenge.

Synopsis
Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. 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.

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 offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?

Compulsively readable, The Girl on the Train is an emotionally immersive, Hitchcockian thriller and an electrifying debut.


Happy Reading!

2 comments:

  1. Weirdly, I liked Rachel. I felt bad for her. Great book though! Too crazy about the library wait.

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  2. Melissa, I liked Rachel as well! I felt terrible for her, especially at the very end. Very good book!

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