I've heard many different descriptions of Paula Hawkins's The Girl on the Train while debating whether to put myself on hold for it. "Kind of Like Gone Girl, only British" was the most prevalent one that came up. However, after reading it for myself, I would liken it more along the lines of Rear Window meets Gaslight.
A large portion of this book is spent questioning the motives of the initial character, Rachel, i.e. "the girl on the train." While she is presented as the central protagonist, she definitely does not (initially) come across as a necessarily a good person. I found myself less drawn to the actual mystery story happening, and more to the intricate writing style and the in depth addressing of the prevalence of gaslighting used by domestic abusers to gain dominance in their relationships. The way Rachel slowly and painfully unlearns all of her coping mechanisms is heartbreaking. Paula Hawkins' very Faulkner-esque writing style was what ultimately held my attention through the novel. The multiple first person narrators and spur of the moment change of narrator was extremely reminiscent of The Sound and the Fury and is what keeps the story from going stale.
The Girl on the Train is at the Ocean City Free Public Library in multiple formats, and you can add yourself to the waiting list for it here.
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