MashableReads discussion

The MashableReads social book club has selected The Girl on the Train as our first pick of 2015! http://mashable.com/2015/01/16/girl-o...

Every day, Rachel takes the train into London and observes a beautiful couple who live in a house close to the tracks. She imagines their perfect life together and builds a fantasy around them.

But the couple — and Rachel herself — are keeping secrets that propel the breakneck plot of 2015's standout thriller, The Girl on the Train, all the way to its shocking finale.

We want you to read Girl on the Train with us! Let us know you questions, comments, observations and favorite quotes about the book here.

Happy Reading!

What does everyone think of Rachel (no spoilers please!). I know I felt a deep pity for her, and also the scary sense that she represented the worst of what someone could become if all the circumstances were against her. But I know others thought she was vile and hated spending time in her head. What do you guys think?

I pity Rachel as well. A part of me is afraid to sympathize with her because then I will have to face the fact that I see parts of her in myself. I think Rachel is a complex character and I enjoy hearing her story and living in her head. All I can think of is "God, she needs help" but I honestly don't think help would help. She just needs a reset button. To reset her life; start from scratch. But hey, I'm only on page 39, so what do I know? Ha!

DeVonna wrote: "I pity Rachel as well. A part of me is afraid to sympathize with her because then I will have to face the fact that I see parts of her in myself."

I TOTALLY agree DeVonna! At times her actions seem so ridiculous, but at times you find yourself thinking... could this ever be me? In a novel that's totally a thriller, that was one of the scariest parts for me!

As I get farther and farther into the book, I can't help but wonder about the title, "The Girl on the Train". I keep finding myself thinking that the title and the front cover description of the book are totally misleading.

To me, the title implies that the story will be about a young girl: innocent, uninvolved, an observer. However, in just the first few pages of the book, it becomes very clear that Rachel is 1. A grown woman, 2. extremely damaged and 3. intricately involved in the situation.

I wonder if this was an intentional detail made by the author or if the title and description were reworked.

I can totally relate (not personally, thankfully) to how she has reacted to her situation. It seems perfectly reasonable that someone would read a smilar article in the paper and think "yeah I can see that, what a shame".

Now the hopeless romantic in me wants to see her saved somehow but as I am not too far into the story we will have to wait and see...

Lawrence wrote: "I can totally relate (not personally, thankfully) to how she has reacted to her situation. It seems perfectly reasonable that someone would read a smilar article in the paper and think "yeah I can ..."

So would you say you find the characters "believable" and/or relatable?

I wanted to wait to finish the story before commenting further.

I did find the characters believable. I have never read a style such as this before where you are "seeing" the same story from each characters point of view. It was, at times, confusing and required re-reading some but that too made it so much more immersive to me. I found myself thinking about the story even when I was not currently reading and trying to work out the difference scenarios in my mind.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this and will look forward to her next work if there is more. What did everyone else think?

Hey Madeleine, I think you're right! The title is misleading (or a tremendous understatement). I think the marketing team for this book really wanted to position this as the next Gone Girl.

Overall, this book was a fun, compulsive read. I think I finished it one or two sittings. Hawkins has an excellent sense of pacing. Some of my favorite parts of the book are in the beginning, when we ride along with Rachel on her commutes as she lives vicariously through "Jess"/Megan Hipwell. And the way Hawkins writes, Rachel's character just gets more and more layered.

Like you, Nora, I also felt deep pity for Rachel. Hawkins doesn't spare Rachel any grief, and I found the way Rachel deals with the horrible things in her life pretty believable (the drinking, the self-loathing). I like how Hawkins makes identity and sense of self fragile and breakable things. As I read, it made sense that the only direction Rachel could go was down. Hawkins gives us enough to make us understand why Rachel does what she does.

Yet despite having the basic set up for a potboiler mystery-thriller, the novel lost steam for me by the end. I'm being tough here because I was really blown away by Gone Girl, a book that this novel aspires to, I think. Hawkins's novel ultimately lacked the clever wickedness that GG had.

The ending kinda disappointed. (I ponder this a bit more in my review.) Did anyone else feel that way? I bought into the suspense as Rachel works her way through her memory gaps, but then her 'epiphany,' for a lack of a better word, at the novel's climax felt too easy and not wholly earned.

Genevieve wrote: "Hey Madeleine, I think you're right! The title is misleading (or a tremendous understatement). I think the marketing team for this book really wanted to position this as the next [book:Gone Girl|21..."

I love the way you talk about books Genevieve! I'd love to talk out the ending with you -- meet me in the spoiler thread? :D

Nora wrote: "I love the way you talk about books Genevieve! I'd love to talk out the ending with you -- meet me in the spoiler thread? :D"

Yay, spoilers! See you there...

I'm about halfway through this book now, and the more I read, the more I dislike Megan.

As for Rachel, I pity her and understand why she is the way she is, but I can't help but wish (the way Cathy does) that she would just get herself together already!

Anna's voice has just been added to the narrative and I am interested in seeing where it goes. Though, her complete lack of remorse for cheating with Rachel's husband gives me a Amy Dunne (Gone Girl) vibe from her!

I, frankly, was really disappointed with this book and can't seem to grasp why it's as popular as it is. While the plot is thrilling and suspenseful, I think that is its only redeeming quality. Each woman in this book was awful - they're weak and define themselves wholly by the man they are with, or not with. This is not a positive reflection of a modern woman who -- more often than not -- is self sufficient, has a fruitful career and is marrying later in life, if at all. Why would a female author want to concoct such distasteful female characters? It tarnishes the way women are perceived; Hawkins has us believe women are always vulnerable, abuse alcohol and will sacrifice their moral standing for a comfortable life at home with children. Although the women ultimately ~ come out on top ~, little time is spent on the women's redemption.

Aside from creating completely unrealistic and unappealing characters, the novel was predictable and had way too many adverbs.