Book Review - The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

What would you say about a person whose days are spent travelling daily from home to workplace in a fixed train sitting on a fixed seat?

Monotonous, mundane, not at all adventurous. But Paula Hawkins builds a compelling narrative around this and it instantly becomes a bestseller!

The main character of this novel is Rachel. Unlike many other protagonists, our character is not special in any sense. She is an overweight unattractive and presently divorced wife, a compulsive drinker, faces bouts of forgetfulness. However, she has a remarkable way of looking at seemingly normal things.

She happens to see a couple while travelling daily through the window. Rachel calls them Jason and Jess, gives them imaginary personalities and occupation. Jason - a doctor and Jess - a fashion designer. "They are what she can never be" she feels.

Rachel's husband, Tom has divorced her for her drinking habits.
The daily journey takes her through the place where she and Tom used to stay. This fills her with emptiness. She sees Jason and Jess, a little further and that fills the void in her.

Later as the story progresses, Rachel gets an opportunity to participate in the real lives of Jason and Jess. Their true names are revealed along with their true characters - Scott and Megan.

Megan is beautiful, svelte and glamorous, but her past holds a lot of secrets. She suddenly goes missing one fine day and the plot gains momentum from that stage.

Rachel frequently calls her ex husband Tom almost every night and Anna, his present wife doesn't take that lightly. Anna tries her best to erase every bit of Rachel from their lives but in vain.

Paula shifts the centre and spawns another central character. In fact two. The shift of perspectives in the narration is what makes it interesting.
This shift doesn't happen in a progressive timeline but goes back and forth revealing only those parts of the mystery that is needed at that moment to keep the readers captivated.

Completely Deserves to be a bestseller!
And you must get your hands on a copy.