The Girl on The Train by Paula Hawkins

*Psst* Click the picture to find a copy

I got The Girl on The Train for my birthday last week and I devoured it! All I wanted to do was read this book. I took it to the gym, I stayed up way too late reading it and I took it into the bath and read until the water was cold, it was that captivating.

The story follows three women and is told in morning and evening segments, following the timetable for the commuter train in and out of London. Between the made-up fantasies, the love triangles, the mental breakdowns, and the struggle to be a better person this book just gives and gives.

So while it’s a mystery thriller, it isn’t scary or gory. There’s a lot of psychology involved and the reader really gets to delve into the minds of the narrators (there are three) and see why they make the decisions they do. I really liked that added depth!

I also found it interesting that, in my opinion at least, there is no clear protagonist. Yes, there are main characters of course, but I despised and adored each character at some point throughout the book.  You hate the decisions they make and then you love some insight they have on the world. You are certain they’re just totally screwed up and then you find out what triggered it and you’re empathetic to their choices. This book has so many layers, and each one was crafted to fit with the others beautifully. And I loved all the back stories and character development!

I was honestly sad when I finished this book. I had to detox from reading for a few days before I could start another because I was in mourning that I had finished it. Usually, I read books that have gotten a lot of hype, either award winners or NYT bestsellers, and I am disappointed because they never live up to the hype, but The Girl on The Train most definitely deserves every bit of praise that it has received. Plus, you don't figure out the killer until the very end!

I'm hoping that someone writes a really artsy/indie screenplay and turns this story into a brilliant mini-series or a movie. It deserves so much more than to be a fluffy studio production.

If you haven’t read this book yet go buy it, download it, or check it out from the library. If you already own it, drop everything you're doing, bookmark your current book and start this one!

Five out of five owls for this awesome story: