The Girl on the Train

It might be the only time I ever say this, but I hope the movie is better than the book. I apologize if you just choked on your beverage but we all have to be honest with ourselves, this is not that great of a book.

The Girl on the Train - Pamela Hawkins

EVERY DAY THE SAME

Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning and night. 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.

UNTIL TODAY

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 goes to the police. But is she really as unreliable as they say? Soon she is deeply entangled not only in the investigation but in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good? 

To be fair, I bought this book WAY before it was a thing. I was a trendsetter and didn't even know it. Then I didn't read it because it got all hyped up and I had a ton of review books, and then I found some other books on my shelf that grabbed my attention and I truthfully forgot about this. But the movie is out soon and now I feel like I can't go see the movie if I haven't read the book, plus I'm on this kick where I should legitimately start reading the books on my shelf I haven't gotten to before I buy more so I picked this one up, assuming I'd fly through it. 

Except I didn't. This book is incredibly slow until you get to the last third of it and it's like we rush through everything. We rush through who the actual killer is (which I had pegged almost immediately), we figure out what the deal is with Rachel and Tom (again, pegged it almost immediately), and nothing feels... finished. Clearly, the killer is finished but there are some characters that I feel had a story line, we're involved, and then bam- character is nowhere to be seen in the book again. I really hate when authors do that because I feel like you just took me on a tangent that was totally pointless to the greater story. 

My other problem? Rachel. Rachel is a grossly unlikable character. You literally cannot like her. I couldn't even feel bad with her at the end and you find out what her deal is, what her story is. I think it's really terrible when I like Anna, the original mistress, more than Rachel. Often compared with Gone Girl, this book isn't executed anywhere near that. Gone Girl is really on a whole other literary level and I think the author really tried to get this book there but fell short. 

But you know me, I want to hear your thoughts! If you haven't already jumped on this train (see what I did there? HA!) you can get your copy of The Girl on the Train on Amazon now.