The Girl on the Train

Article written by Fave

B.A. in History and International Studies from University of Ilorin, Kwara State.

The principal character, Rachel Watson, is an obsessive alcoholic whose mental struggle leads to the loss of her husband. Although she also loses the job that takes her out of her rented accommodation, she still rides the train to and from London daily.

On her trip, she fantasizes about a couple who live in one of the houses. As she becomes more involved in their lives, she gets exposed to deceit, lies, and insecurity.

In ‘The Girl on the Train,‘ Hawkins’ analysis of obsession, betrayal, secrets, addiction, and crime resonates well with lovers of the thriller genre. Subtly, she shares her knowledge about the damaging effects of trauma.

Key Facts about ‘The Girl on the Train’

• • Title: ‘The Girl on the Train’
  • Book Inspiration: Paula Hawkins trips by train to Central London from North London. Also, ‘Gone Girl’ by Gillian Flynn.
  • Publication Date: January 13, 2015.
  • Literary Period: Contemporary period.
  • Genre: Psychological thriller.
  • Setting: London, England.
  • Point-of-view: First-person narrative.
  • Climax: Rachel’s remembrance of the events of the night when Megan Hipwell vanished.
  • Protagonist: Rachel Watson.
  • Antagonist: Tom Watson, alcohol.

Paula Hawkins and ‘The Girl on the Train’

Almost panicking because she handled the mortgage herself and did not have enough money, Hawkins wrote ‘The Girl on the Train.’ Her feeling of urgency flowed through the pages as she described the book, saying it “felt like the last roll of the dice” for her as an author.

Stating that her interest in crime and psychological thrillers flourished because of Agatha Christie and Donna Tartt, she started to explore her literary prowess.

Hawkins’ writing career started as a business journalist. She wrote for publications like The Daily Telegraph and The Times. During leisure, Hawkins wrote fiction. ‘The Girl on the Train’ was published in 2015 after four “chick lit” novels. Her encounters while transporting by train formed the basis of this novel. She also intended to examine the idea of perception and obsession.

Since the publication of this novel, Hawkins has written ‘Into the Water’ and ‘A Slow Fire Burning.’

Books Related to ‘The Girl on the Train’

The story of ‘The Girl on the Train’ was adapted to film in 2016 and accelerated to the top at the American box office with $24 million in ticket sales. The novel illustrates a thrilling story about illusive memory, toxic obsessions, and mystery, which share similarities with other books. Some of them are listed below.

• • ‘Unravel’ by Calia Read is told from Naomi’s point of view through flawless transitions from Naomi’s present life in Fairfax Mental Health Institute and different events in her past. Confined to the walls of a mental hospital, Naomi gets tormented by the recollection of a summer that turned into a nightmare of obsession and distorted truths. During a summer break with her best friend, she meets Max and cannot fight off her attraction to him. Eventually, a life-changing event leads to her admission to a mental health institute. There she insists she is alright, but the doctors refuse. Her memories of the past are contorted and confusing, but therapy helps to put the pieces together.

• • ‘The Girl in the Window’ is a novel by A.J. Finn, known as Daniel Mallory. The book was published in 2018 and was a New York Times bestseller. Anna Fox lives with apprehension because of post-traumatic stress disorder. A former child phycologist separated from her husband and child, she struggles with depression and alcoholism. She is also on a variety of prescription drugs. Like Rachel Watson in ‘The Girl on the Train,’ Anna believes she witnessed a crime through the window of her neighbor’s house, and this is the primary mystery of the novel. As the plot unfolds to reveal the identity of the murderer and Anna’s past, she has to deal with her demons and the reason for her agoraphobia.

• • ‘Sharp Objects’ by Gillian Flynn is a novel that delves into themes of trauma, addiction, and the destructive power of familial relationships. After a brief stay at a psych hospital, Camille Preaker faces a disturbing duty: she is to go to her hometown of Wind Gap, Missouri, to carry out a murder investigation. As she probes the case, unsettling episodes of her past and the toxic relationship with her mother and half-sister are revealed. The story progresses with Camille uncovering the psychological enigma of her past and untangling the knot of secrets and lies that lingered in Wide Gap for years.

• ‘The Good Girl’ is a novel written by Mary Kubica. It narrates the kidnapping of Mia Dennett, an art teacher and the daughter of a prominent judge in Chicago, and her struggle to remember her experience when she returns home. Like ‘The Girl on the Train,’ the story is told from different perspectives. Leaving the bar with a stranger she believes is harmless, she realizes her mistake too late and is held captive in a remote cabin in Minnesota. As her family and the police try to find her, characters connected to Mia’s kidnapping get examined. The novel switches between moments before and after Mia’s rescue, finally centering on the revival of her memory after weeks of amnesia. Colin’s reasons for abducting Mia are also slowly unveiled.

The Lasting Impact of ‘The Girl on the Train’