Genre(s): Adult, Psychological Thriller
Pages: 323
Release Date: January 13, 2015 | Riverhead Books
Edition: Kindle + Audiobook
Source: Purchased | Amazon
Rating:
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?
If you follow me on twitter, then you'd probably know that I have a very BAD sinus infection. For the past week I've been suffering from congestion, and on again off again headaches which have been hindering me from blogging like I want to. It's difficult for me to get much reading done, and let's admit it, getting behind in reading AND blogging, is not the best combination.
Anywho, when I started The Girl On The Train, my sinus infection attacked full force, and I found myself unable to read. To solve this problem, I figured I would purchase the audiobook to use whenever my head was hurting. For a while I was able to follow along (reading while listening), but around 50% my head hurt to much, and I ended up listening to the rest of the story. Not such a great idea, especially since I'm not really used to listening to audiobooks in the first place. To make a long story short, I believe this is the reason why I gave The Girl On The Train a 3 1/2 star rating. At first I was truly engaged, captivated by the story even, but when I started the audiobook, I began to feel as though the story was dragging, (probably because the narrators talk a bit slow) and before I knew it I was huffing & puffing, wishing that the story would end.
Who Knew Train Rides Can Be So Scandalous
" Twice a day, I am offered a view into other lives, just for a moment. There's something comforting about the sight of strangers safe at home. "
Q: What do you get when you mix a cast of fucked up characters into a thriller novel?
A: Well a fucked up story of course.
Because The Girl On The Train is such a popular title, it'll be no surprise to me if you already know what this book is about. Told in alternating chapters, bouncing from morning to evening, day to day, month to month, we dive into the lives of three women:
Rachel - A Delusional Drunk.
Anna - A Shady & Oh So Annoying Housewife.
Megan - A Terrible Cheater.
Seriously guys, all the characters in this story, probably except for one, are HORRIBLE people. Anna for instance, was terribly nosey, Rachel was desperate and incredibly pathetic, and Megan was a immature child stuck in a woman's body. While the messed up qualities of these characters made the story THAT much better, I also couldn't help but to get annoyed with them, especially as I listened to the audio. Now, if you're used to listening to audiobooks, then this story will be spot on for you! The narrators were so damn good, (especially the woman doing Rachel's voice) that I found myself YELLING at the book in frustration. (" PUT DOWN THE WINE RACHEL! RACH, GIRL IF YOU DON'T STOP DRINKING AND REMEMBER !! MEGAN GIRL YOU ARE A HOT MESS FOR REAL !! STFU ANNA DANG ! ALWAYS STARTING SOMETHING !! " ) It was as if these fictional characters were brought to life, and instead of being on the page as they should be, I felt as if I was right there with them, in the midst of all the tension.
One of the biggest selling points of this book is the plot twist, and while I know some readers who were able to figure out the WHO, WHAT, and WHY pretty early on, I didn't. I did however, have an idea of what the twist was, but the author did such a great job of throwing you for a loop, that I doubted myself on many occasions. I ended up being wrong at first, then right, as I was able to catch on to the clues a couple of chapters before the reveal.
As a fan of dysfunctional plots, and screwed up characters, I was truly able to enjoy The Girl On The Train. I completely bombed my own reading experience by choosing to listen to the audiobook, (I could seriously kick myself in the ass for this) but with all the drama, suspense, and all around craziness, I would highly recommend this to any reader who fancies psychological thrillers, and for those who you who don't as well.
I'm still conflicted on my rating though! lol. I'm leaning towards 3.5 stars to a solid 4.
Sorry for such a half-ass review guys. Hopefully I'll be back to being myself next week!
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