This well-written novel own strong themes that knit the story into a tale of obsession and mystery. The characters are confusing and defective, making them relatable. The flexuous storyline of “The Girl on the Train” deters predictability.
The Train’s Eye
The story of “The Girl on the Train” offers different points of view in every part of the story. This style creates anticipatory narratives that captivate the reader. By shifting between the perspectives of Rachel, Megan, and Anna, the author builds a complex story of unreliability and twists linked through trains.
Hawkins uses this structure to control the knowledge of each event. Known from Rachel’s narrative that Megan got murdered, the reader becomes more anxious when Megan narrates secret activities, such as going out alone at night.
A switch in perspectives also explains experiences, inspirations, and secrets. Not only does this structure portray the character development within the plot, but it also presents a multifaceted exploration of relationships and the implications of lingering trauma.
The writing style of “The Girl on the Train” features disjointed yet eloquent prose. The short, concise chapters support a fast-paced rhythm, maintaining engagement and suspense. Critics describe the characters in the book as simplistic and shallow, however. Hawkins insufficiently explores their motivations and experiences.
Tracks of Despair
Set within the quiet suburbs of London, the setting forms the novel’s atmosphere. Rachel spends her days commuting on the train and observing others with seemingly perfect lives. She then compares them with her chaotic existence. The integration of fast-paced city life with the intimate, dark sides of despair significantly advances the themes of loss and identity. The strategic pacing and atmospheric tone immerse readers, solidifying their understanding of every character.
“The Girl on the Train” explores the dilemmas and complexities of the characters. Paula Hawkins examines issues like excessive interest, addiction, and melancholy. Rachel, Megan, and Anna’s lives intersect in unpredictable ways. In the book, Rachel is an alcohol abuser with obsessive traits. Divorced and jobless, she finds comfort in riding the train to London daily. She spends time on the train visualizing other people’s lives, especially a couple she sees from the train window. Her sadness and sense of failure haunt her, leading to depression.
Megan is the woman Rachel fantasizes about. Although beautiful and married to a man who loves her, she feels unfulfilled. Her past trauma is unhealed, and she has a history of self-abuse. She is impulsive and miserable. Her quest for excitement leads to a relationship with Tom. This eventually leads to her death.
Anna is Tom’s new wife who pretends to be happily married but deals with apprehension and despair. Though discontented with her duty as just a mother, she throws herself into the work. She feels insecure about Rachel and fears she will lose her home.
Also, “The Girl on the Train” assesses the characters through their conceptions, emotions, beliefs, and actions. Taking it upon herself to solve the mystery of a missing woman, Rachel becomes tangled in a web of manipulations and lies. The novel discusses the challenges of human association, particularly between women and men.
Characters in the book are multi-layered with scandalous secrets. Although Rachel is not involved in crime, she cannot stop her life from falling apart. Aware of the damaging effects of drunkenness, she still indulges in the habit. Megan has a scarring past that involves child murder.
Initially described as a patient, devoted, and caring man, Tom gets exposed as manipulative, deceitful, and murderous. He craftily manages his different identities in the house and outside of it. In “The Girl on the Train,” Hawkins uses the complexity of human behaviors and interactions to drive the story to a gratifying end.
Psychological Journeys
In “The Girl on the Train,” themes like memory and perception explain the mental struggles and trauma of the characters. While Rachel turns to alcohol for comfort when she cannot conceive, Megan seeks validation from multiple men. By the end of the story, she becomes pregnant with her lover’s child, and he murders her. The credibility of the women gets questioned as they provide insight into their experiences and thoughts.
Additionally, by analyzing the themes of identity and loneliness, the author displays modern societal issues, elevating the depth of the plot. Paula Hawkins illustrates the dangerous force of obsession and its destructive consequences. Rachel Watson is the character who struggles the most with obsession. First, her ex-husband and his new family are a victim. She stalks them on and offline. While doing this, she lives in isolation from others.
When Megan and Scott catch her fancy, she stops relating with family and friends and becomes disturbingly focused on their relationship life. Her obsession leads to impulsive and self-destructive choices that affect her and others. She often misremembers events and is considered a suspect during the murder investigation of Megan.
Creatively, Hawkins ventures into Rachel’s struggle with self-doubt. She blames herself for infertility and the failure of her marriage, amplifying her psychiatric disorder. While seeking to solve the case about Megan’s disappearance, Rachel becomes paranoid about everyone. She suspects Megan’s therapist and even herself. Her confusing account of Megan’s murder leads the police to the wrong suspect at the beginning. In “The Girl on the Train,” Hawkins discusses the importance of mental health awareness and care.
Resonating Pace
One of the standout features of “The Girl on the Train” is its unique narrative structure, with the story told from the perspectives of three female characters: Rachel, Megan, and Anna. The switch in narrator creates a rare, layered approach to storytelling. Each protagonist displays their true intentions, dreams, fears, and motivations. As they narrate their experiences and thoughts, the readers identify the similarities in their psychological state and fears. The unreliability of the narrators keeps the readers guessing.
Another strength of the book is the characters. The characters in “The Girl on the Train” are flawed and relatable. Rachel’s obsession with alcohol, Megan’s secrets, and Anna’s imperfect marriage highlight human vulnerabilities. Although Rachel eventually solves the central mystery, she does not seem heroic. She is overwhelmed by insecurity and pain. Relatable characters allow the reader to empathize with their struggles and fears.
The pacing of “The Girl on the Train” explains the mental states of the characters, creating anticipation and tension. Although the narrative progresses through the fragmented views of three women, it allows the reader to piece together clues while navigating their unreliable accounts and memories. The pacing complements the setting by heightening the sense of isolation and entrapment.
Conventional Tropes in a Modern Thriller
The novel incorporates stereotypes, especially in its depiction of women and relationships. The portrayal of women in the context of domestic roles appears outdated. For instance, Rachel is the obsessive ex-wife, Anna is the mistress, and Megan is the stubborn, cheating spouse. These representations may validate traditional gender roles, reducing the importance of their characters to their relationships with men. Critics have expressed displeasure about how the book reflects the societal expectations of women instead of broader ones.
Another demerit of the book is the setting. The setting involves only a few places like the train, Anna’s house, Rachel’s flat, and the neighborhood where all the characters live. This restricted setting gives the novel a claustrophobic feeling. Additionally, while central to the plot, it does not allow much room for diverse environments or cultural exploration.
Finally, the themes of infidelity and betrayal become repetitive as the plot progresses. Tom’s infidelity while married to Rachel, Megan’s multiple affairs, and Tom’s infidelity while married to Anna make the theme of deception and disloyalty prevalent throughout the book. The emotional impact of these themes is shortened because of the redundancy, making the narrative predictable. Instead of evolving the plot or offering new perspectives on relationships and honesty, the continuous return to these ideas makes them lose their dramatic tension.
The Girl on the Train: Paula Hawkins' Psychological Thriller
Book Title: The Girl on the Train
Book Description: Paula Hawkins's 'The Girl on the Train' tells the story of Rachel, a divorced alcoholic who gets involved in a murder investigation.
Book Author: Paula Hawkins
Book Edition: First Edition
Book Format: Hardcover
Publisher - Organization: Riverhead (US) and Doubleday (UK)
Date published: January 6, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-316-28007-7
Number Of Pages: 317
- Story
- Characters
- Setting
- Writing Style
- Dialogue
- Conclusion