 |
| Source: Amazon.com |
For many readers the obvious draw to The Girl on the Train, just out this past January, is its comparison to Gone Girl. (Read here for a thought provoking post from Shannon at River City Reading about such comparisons being spoilers.) Having read Gone Girl awhile ago and seeing the movie (loving both), I couldn't resist the comparison, even though I know better.
And the result? I loved The Girl on the Train, a story about Rachel, who rides the same train every day and gets to know the surroundings of the trains stops. One neighborhood in particular catches her eye and she makes up lives and names for the people she often sees. One day, as she watches from the stopped train window, she witnesses a scary confrontation between the people she often watches, a husband and wife. And then the wife goes missing. Is Rachel's eye witness any good though? After all, she's just a girl on the train. And she's a drunk...double unreliable narrator whammy.
Of course, the story and characters twist deeper than any brief summary or jacket cover will say. Rachel is the main narration, but we also catch glimpses from Anna, the wife of Rachel's ex-husband, as well as Megan in the months leading up to her disappearance. And while there are definitely psychological and storyline aspects like Gone Girl, it's not quite the same either. It's hard to explain what I mean by that without spoiling too much. I think if you liked one, you'll like the other and vice versa. I thought both were great page turners and I like both books, each for their own qualities. So suffice it to say, I endorse this book as a great read that can stand on its own.
Also, as I was waiting to read it, I ended up collecting a group of reviews that I didn't want to read until after I'd finished the book. And apparently, I'm trying to set a record number of links in one post! Here are the links to those reviews:
Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Sarah's Book Shelves
The Gilmore Guide to Books
Read Lately
Words for Worms
Do you plan on jumping into the hype readers? Or have you already...did you like it?
I enjoyed this book as well, it was pretty clever, but I do like Gone Girl more if we're comparing it. However, I think like you said there are so many unique things about each books that it's tough to compare them.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Gone Girl was much more of an OMG factor. But I like that The Girl on the Train held the suspense for so long.
DeleteI've seen so much hype about this one! It looks really good!
ReplyDeleteI think if you go into it comparing it to Gone Girl (whether you've read GG or seen the movie), then it can be disappointing. But if just looking for a good thriller, then you'll probably like it.
DeleteI read this in January and devoured it. It was just what I needed. We all do need to stop comparing books like this because, especially with GG which is so characterized by its big twist, it can set up unrealistic expectations. So I'm glad you liked it despite the comparison!
ReplyDeleteGlad you see it too!
DeleteThanks so much for linking to my post! And - I agree - it's not the same as Gone Girl, but I do see why people are making that comparison. Incidentally, I much preferred GG :)
ReplyDeleteIt's that tricky "unreliable narrator" that makes people compare...but even there they're not comparable in the same way!
DeleteThanks for the shout out, girl!
ReplyDeleteOf course!
DeleteI loved this book, the suspense was well-maintained in my opinion, I just think Gone Girl was a trendsetter and so that will be more in public memory. In fact I just did a post on this last week: http://nishitak.com/2015/03/02/the-girl-on-the-train-as-compared-to-gone-girl/
ReplyDeleteOh, how did I miss linking it?! I follow blogs through email and had been saving reviews on this one for when I finished reading! I will check it out.
DeleteI've been hearing about The Girl On The Train for a while now, even though it has only been released a couple of months! It sounds like a book I would adore, but I think I'm going to wait a few months before seeking it out.. I think all the positive reviews would impact, not in a good way, on my reading experience.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your thoughts!
:-)
Life’s Open Pages
Definitely. The hype can truly ruin a book. That's what happened to me for The Fault in Our Stars.
DeleteMe too!!
Delete:-)
Life’s Open Pages
I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed this despite the hype! I've been reading a lot of reviews lately where the hype surrounding a book has contributed to an author feeling let down by the reading experience, which makes me nervous to pick up books that are being raved about. I do think I'd like this one though, so I expect I'll eventually give it a chance :)
ReplyDeleteThe big problem with this one is the constant comparison to Gone Girl. They truly aren't alike even in ways that they are seemingly alike. How's that for confusing?
Delete