Book Review: The Girl on the Train

Title: The Girl On The Train
Author: Paula Hawkins
Published: 13th January 2015
Dates read: 1st-2nd June 2016
Rating: 8/10


For the first time ever, I had been sat alone in an airport. On every other occasion I have travelled it has always been with someone else, and my natural anxiety set in when faced with the very large departures board of Heathrow Terminal Three alone. And so my natural survival instinct led me to the abundance of bookstores in Heathrow departures lounge to try and soothe my nerves, (despite the book already stowed in my bag in anticipation). So naturally I sought solace in a violent psychological thriller which once I started I didn't put down the entire journey across the North Atlantic.
Anybody who knows me well, knows my love for Hitchcock and more specifically his 1954 film Rear Window, and therefore my interest in the concept of voyeurism or the voyeur. If you tell me, you don't enjoy people watching, you're seriously missing something in your life. It is an indulgence all of us participate in, whether consciously or not. Unfortunately, I am the least conspicuous person in the world, so whilst I love to people watch, I won't be making a career as a successful voyeur any time soon.
The Girl on the Train then is every murder mystery, voyeur-obsessed bookworm's dream come true. It depicts the life of Rachel, a troubled alcoholic London commuter, who takes the same train every day to and from work, which stops at the same red signal, at the back of a row of houses every day. During these short pauses, Rachel gazes longingly into the lives of the people in the house, creating names, personalities and a life for the individuals who inhabit such houses, in a desperate attempt at escapism from her own failures and alcoholism. However, one day Rachel witnesses something in one of the houses which sets in motion a rollercoaster of events, which left me devouring page after page after page in an almost frenzied manner to unravel the mystery. Never in my life have I so wanted to have Doctor Who's reading gift!
For me, the whole idea of somebody watching someone else from afar, and constructing a life for them is a fascinating concept, and something which The Girl on the Train captured perfectly. Too many times, have I studied somebody and imagined who they are and what their life is like. On top of that, there was the added excitement of a possible mystery, the excitement of maybe witnessing something important, something valuable as an invisible entity. The alternate viewpoints of the book adds an interesting dimension of viewing both within and without. You see from the point of view of the watcher and the watched, which added a rich dimension of interest for me. I loved the idea that whilst in one chapter Rachel was witnessing something, in the next we could read the same scenario, with completely different connotations or conclusions.
Whilst I felt The Girl on the Train didn't have the most unique mystery plotline to it and I was pretty sure by the end of the book, I had it figured out, I feel like the mystery is the most obvious dimension to focus on, but by no means the most important. The book explores more interesting themes than just the simplicity of the plot. The focus on small details, such as the clothes on the side of the train line, in the opening chapters of the book, appealed to me as an individual as it seemed a thought process that I would too, take on and adds to the image of the voyeur
In conclusion, I devoured this book in the space of about nine consecutive hours. It takes an interesting dimension on the genre of psychological thriller, and it left me wanting for more. I await in eager anticipation Paula Hawkins next novel, and I can only hope that the upcoming film due for release in October lives up to the novel!