The Girl on the Train: A Novel
Author:
Genres: Literature & Fiction, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Book Type: Hardcover
Author:
Genres: Literature & Fiction, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Book Type: Hardcover
Barbara M. reviewed on + 147 more book reviews
I bought this book for about $1.00 when a thrift store was closing. Glad I didn't pay more. The title is a bit misleading. The "girl" (Rachel) on the train is really a woman in her late 20s/early 30s (I'm sure her age was mentioned somewhere but I don't recall). Initially, I thought the girl on the train would be the one who disappeared. Instead, Rachel sees this couple most mornings as the train passes their house. This coincidentally is just a few doors down from where Rachel used to live with her then husband (who still lives in that house with his current wife).
Rachel is a very unlikable character. She's a hard core alcoholic and, as the story unfolds, we learn what prompted her plunge into the bottle. Rachel continually makes bad choices throughout the book. Some of it could be blamed on her being drunk but there are times when she's stone-cold sober and she continues to make stupid--even dangerous--choices. After Meghan (the woman who lives near Rachel's former home) disappears, Rachel makes it her mission to insert herself into the investigation. So, she manages to stop drinking for a few days at a time. I'm not an expert on alcoholism but someone who drinks as much as Rachel likely would not be able to stop cold turkey without experiencing potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms.
As some Amazon reviewers have noted, none of the characters in this book were likable. Rachel had been taken in by a woman named Cathy when Rachel was down on her luck. Cathy initially seemed caring in providing Rachel a place to stay. However, as the story progressed, I concluded Cathy was a sap. After becoming fed up with Rachel's behavior, Cathy had given Rachel 30 days to leave but then changed her mind because she felt sorry for Rachel.
Meghan, Rachel, and Anna were all cut from similar cloth--questionable morals, poor coping skills, bad decision making. The men were no better. A book should have at least one character that a reader can care about. This book has none.
Rachel is a very unlikable character. She's a hard core alcoholic and, as the story unfolds, we learn what prompted her plunge into the bottle. Rachel continually makes bad choices throughout the book. Some of it could be blamed on her being drunk but there are times when she's stone-cold sober and she continues to make stupid--even dangerous--choices. After Meghan (the woman who lives near Rachel's former home) disappears, Rachel makes it her mission to insert herself into the investigation. So, she manages to stop drinking for a few days at a time. I'm not an expert on alcoholism but someone who drinks as much as Rachel likely would not be able to stop cold turkey without experiencing potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms.
As some Amazon reviewers have noted, none of the characters in this book were likable. Rachel had been taken in by a woman named Cathy when Rachel was down on her luck. Cathy initially seemed caring in providing Rachel a place to stay. However, as the story progressed, I concluded Cathy was a sap. After becoming fed up with Rachel's behavior, Cathy had given Rachel 30 days to leave but then changed her mind because she felt sorry for Rachel.
Meghan, Rachel, and Anna were all cut from similar cloth--questionable morals, poor coping skills, bad decision making. The men were no better. A book should have at least one character that a reader can care about. This book has none.
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