The Girl on the Train

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

BEWARE OF SPOILERS! PROCEED WITH CAUTION!

I love this style of narration, and the switching of narrators. It almost felt like we were reading someone's diary, and when we got thrown into an entirely different diary, it changed our perspective. Throughout the book, we aren't sure whose version of events was true and whose was false. In the end, though, I suppose no one is unbiased towards any story, especially their own. I was very sympathetic towards Rachel (and not just because we share a name), and as the book went on, I grew quite defensive of her, especially for those short segments when we lived in Anna's perspective.

All 3 women in this story have a lot in common once everything plays out, as much as Anna refuses to admit it. Rachel and Megan in particular have many similarities. They both desire love and closeness, and are searching for something to fill the void in their hearts. Losing someone so young (for Megan, her brother; for Rachel, her father) puts you in a vulnerable position that can end in heartbreak if you choose the wrong person to be your support and lifeline.

Some people in the book were terrible, but no one was perfect. Really the best person in this book was Rachel's flatmate, Cathy. Not only did did she give a depressed alcoholic divorcee a place to stay for more than 2 years, despite the fact they were never that close, it sounds like Cathy put up with a lot from Rachel, and only asked her to leave once things got truly unacceptable. And even that request she eventually took back. Cathy was immensely supportive of Rachel's sobriety and tried to help her along that path in any way she could, and even helped find her a job once she finally learned she'd been fired. It's hard to ask for a better friend, actually.

Here's hoping Rachel can stick with the good people in the future and ignore the ones with bad intentions.

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