A mystery or thriller

A mystery or thriller

Title: The Girl on the Train
Author: Paula Hawkins
Publication date: 2015

It’s easy to understand why The Girl on the Train is being compared to Gone Girl. Both revolve around a storyline that is not quite clear even to those who are telling it. Both are fast-paced and hard to put down. And while I hated nearly every character in Gone Girl, I have less animosity for those in The Girl on the Train.

The story begins with Rachel who commutes via train into London each day to work at a public relations firm. From her seat on the train, Rachel watches the lives of the people who live near the train tracks even creating back stories for many.

We come to know two of the woman who are the subjects of Rachel’s voyeurism: Anna and Megan. Megan lives in Rachel’s “favorite house” and Anna lives in the house that Rachel once lived in herself.

“I feel like I’m part of this mystery, I’m connected. I am no longer just a girl on the train, going back and forth without point or purpose.”

As the mystery unfolds, sections of the book are told from the perspectives of each of the three women. There are flashback scenes and flash forward scenes. Telling much about the mystery, just as in Gone Girl, would spoil the story for other readers. But here’s a snippet that occurs early enough in the story and I love the literary reference:

I think about Ted Hughes, moving Assia Wevill into the home he’d shared with Plath, of her wearing Sylvia’s clothes, brushing her hair with the same brush. I want to ring Anna up and remind her that Assia ended up with her head in the oven, just like Sylvia did.

That’s quite the imagery that Hawkins creates and an interesting comparison to draw among four women. There are those who hated Gone Girl because of its ending or the unsympathetic nature of its characters. Those who loved that book will enjoy The Girl on the Train but the characters are much easier to sympathize with … for the most part.

Four stars

Next challenge: A book of short stories