The Girl on the Train - Paula Hawkins

The Girl on the Train is one of those books, with a Gone Girl hype and everyone seems to be reading it. Number one of the UK book chart for a record breaking 20 weeks and selling over 3 million copies in the US alone. It’s the debut creation of British author Paula Hawkins, it centers around three female protagonists; Rachel an unemployed alcoholic still struggling with the breakdown of her marriage, to avoid admitting she’s lost her job Rachel continues the charade of travelling to London every day, staring longingly from the train window at the house she used to occupy and one down the road whose inhabitants she develops an obsession with. Megan is the inhabitant of the house Rachel fixates on, Megan is married but not happily, though her husband isn’t aware of that and is seeing a psychiatrist and having an affair. Anna is now married to Rachel's ex-husband, has a new-born baby and hates living in Rachel's old home. Especially as Rachel won’t leave her alone, constantly crashing in drunk and reminding Anna of the life her husband used to have. When Megan disappears Rachel is on edge, wondering if she should confess to everything she’s seen whilst spying on Megan, Anna is frightened that a woman she knew and who lived near has gone and all three men, Anna’s husband and Rachel's ex Tom, Megan’s husband Scott and psychiatrist Abdic have something to hide.

 Each chapter is from one of the women’s point of views and a very strong theme runs throughout them, Rachel is confused, hurt, angry and a mess. Anna is resentful, fed up, in denial and desperate to leave, Megan is chaotic, refusing to find any kind of stability in her life.

The book absolutely lives up the hype and whilst I wouldn’t give it quite the same 5 star rating as Gone Girl it isn’t too far behind, it’s a messy tangle of lives that leaves you turning until you reach the end, desperate to solve. Rachel is a frustrating character and sometimes the pure madness behind what could be relatively sane thinking drives you insane, Anna is contrived, having stolen Rachel's husband with no remorse she refuses to bear any responsibility for Rachel's current state and Megan is entitled and spoilt, however the flaws of each character make them incredibly fascinating.

It’s a solid four stars for me, riveting, uncomfortable, many of the same qualities that made Gone Girl so brilliant, absolutely looking forward to Paula Hawkins next offering.