Book Review: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

So, I started a book club at work (and who am I kidding? I am so excited about it!) and we chose The Girl on the Train  as our first b...



So, I started a book club at work (and who am I kidding? I am so excited about it!) and we chose The Girl on the Train as our first book. I had heard a lot of great reviews about, and the movie is coming out this fall, so I was really excited to read the book. I was able to get through the book, which is a little over 300 pages, in two days. It was such an easy read; well-written and so intriguing. This book, like a few others I have been reading lately, is told from the viewpoints of three different women to tell one complete story.
I am always very critical of female characters (in novels, films, tv) and this was no different. Of course I took the side of the protagonist (you're not really given a choice, are you?), but I wasn't a fan of any of the women telling the story. I have a hard time forgiving characters of their flaws, especially if I feel like they got themselves into their situations. Closer to the end of the book, I was a bit more forgiving and liked one of the characters a little more. I don't feel like that disliking the characters mean you don't like the book. I think it can be a good thing, because you know them well enough to decide whether you actually do like them or not, and that was definitely the case here. You really get to know the characters (some more than others), and that's always a plus to me.
Around 100 pages in, one little detail gave me a clue to figure out the end, and because of that, I ended up rating the book only four stars on Goodreads. I really enjoy a thriller, whether its in book or movie form, but plot twists usually throw me off and spin me around and I'm going back and forth trying to figure it out the entire time and end up still being wrong. So the fact that I figured this one out was a little bit of a disappointment for me. Other than that, I loved the book and can't wait to see the film version.

Have you read The Girl on the Train? What were you thoughts and further recommendations for more books like this?









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6 comments

  1. I read it in a day because I was very anxious to find out the ending, but I figured it out too early for my liking. I am looking forward to the movie. Have you read No One Knows? You may enjoy that!

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    1. Yes! I also figured it out too soon, which was disappointing. I got through it in just two days because it definitely pulls you in and you just have to know what's going to happen next!
      I think the movie will be very good, so I'm also looking forward to it.
      And no, I haven't heard of it, but I will definitely be on the lookout for it now.

      Thanks!

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  2. I have seen so many people talking about this book. I really need to pick it up!

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    1. It's really good. I had seen a lot of good reviews, and it was definitely worth the read.

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  3. I actually had no idea about the ending until I got there, maybe because I wasn't 110% invested in the book for the first 10 or so pages. I am really excited for the movie now though

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