BOOK REVIEW | 'The Girl on the Train'
Now a hit film starring Emily Blunt, ‘The Girl on the Train' (2015) is the fastest selling adult hardcover novel in history, according to the New York Times.
The psychological thriller novel by Brit Paula Hawkins is written in first-person narrative from the perspectives of three different women: Rachel, Anna, and Megan. It begins with Rachel who notices something peculiar during her daily commute to London. In finding herself an unwilling witness, she becomes deeply entangled in not only the investigation to follow, but also in the lives of everyone involved.
Due to an reliance at-times upon unreliable narrators, 'The Girl on the Train' is often likened to ‘Gone Girl’, and it’s not hard to see why. Also sharing similar themes, it is a relief that ‘The Girl on the Train’ holds a faster pace, interweaving a more traditional, gripping mystery with an intriguing conclusion.
The novel is rather creepy in nature, and promises to hold the reader’s attention until the final page. It's a book that can be read in a single sitting, unlike that of the slow-paced 'Gone Girl' and its unlikable characters. While Rachel, Anna and Megan aren’t characters we necessarily warm to, you will find yourself compelled by their experiences and involved in their stories.
Regarding the novel comparisons, Hawkins waves them off, especially in terms of the characters, stating in an interview that “Amy Dunne is a psychopath, an incredibly controlling and manipulative, smart, cunning woman. (Rachel is) just a mess who can't do anything right.” (The Hollywood Reporter)
Hawkins' writing obliges readers to find out more about the occurrence - the narrators’ differing facts and experiences quickly establishing the tone of mystery.
Another clever narrative hook occurs during the novel’s orientation, when the protagonist commutes via public transport: the other commuters seem observant as to who they're travelling with, making up stories about their lives, speculating what they do when not in this moment of travelling limbo. From its very first page, ‘The Girl on the Train’ creates an air of mystery to draw the reader in.
Shared narration is a clever technique for this genre, and it works well in this novel in particular. The three women are characters that hold the reader’s genuine sympathies, and yet they can be dreadful at the same time; this isn’t an easily executed characterisation attempt for an author, and yet Hawkins manages it effortlessly.
All in all, it is a head-spinning journey, especially during one woman’s disappearance... Now that is a path of uncertainty.
It's a terribly addictive read, but one worth immersing yourself in. Hawkins brilliantly establishes tension and suspense, all without giving too much away - only enough to keep her readers on the edge.
Hawkins shows amazing attention to detail, complete with highly developed backstories and thrilling character development – characters with plausible motivations.
The film is released on DVD 25th January in Australia, and 6th February in the U.K.
Grab a copy of ‘The Girl on the Train’ from your local bookseller or Amazon Kindle today!
