The Girl On The Train - Paula Hawkins

I'd heard so much about The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins, so many comparisons to it being the next Gone Girl, (one of my favourite books of all time), and I waited months and months for this on the list at my local library. 

I finally picked up my copy, and finished it within two days.

The Girl On The Train is a psychological thriller, and in my opinion, so very clever. 

Is it the next Gone Girl? 

No, but it is very enjoyable!

Rachel is the main character. She's a very heavy drinker who can't seem to get over her relationship breakdown with Tom, her now ex-husband. 

Even though Rachel lost her job months ago thanks to the alcohol, she continues to catch the same train into the city, and return home on the same train line every evening, in order to keep up the pretence to her flat-mate that she still has a job.

Every day, she passes the street where she and Tom used to live (he now resides there with his new love, Anna, and their baby daughter). On the same street, a few houses down from Tom and Anna's, Rachel often sees a couple sitting out the front of their home. They appear to be in love, and Rachel often creates stories about this couple in her head - the jobs they might have, their interests, etc, even naming them "Jess and Jason".

Without giving too much away, we learn that this couple (their real names are Megan and Scott) aren't as perfect as Rachel envisions. 

It happens one morning as she is on the train - she sees something shocking that immediately changes her perception about this couple.

She then becomes embroiled in their lives, but is that a good thing?? 

The story has three narrators - Rachel, Anna, and Megan, and the way these three character's roles interweave with each other is pieced together bit by bit as we read on in their alternating chapters.

I have to say that all of the characters in the book aren't very likeable and that did grate on my nerves more than once, but I think it did add to the emotional experience of reading this.

This book did keep me guessing right until the end, so it's definitely suspenseful. 

I would recommend this book, and would go so far as to say that it is one of my top 5 books I've read so far this year.

I'm curious to see how the movie compares to the book (the movie adaptation is due for release later this year).

If you've read it already, I'd love to hear what you thought of it.