Book Review: The Girl on the Train

I probably only have myself to blame for this, but I was let down by The Girl on the Train. Everyone I know that had read the book before me raved about how it was this year's Gone Girl. So let me stop anyone right there. If you're going into this thinking it's the next Gone Girl you're probably like me going to be disappointed. However if you go into this novel hoping for a good mystery then that is exactly what you're going to get. 

The story revolves around three women and told in their perspectives. However the main centerpiece is Rachel. She's an alcoholic who takes the train every day to a job she was fired from months ago. On her journey into London every day she looks out at some houses and makes up names for two people she views through the window in the train. Anything past that would be spoiler territory so I will leave it at that. 

For me what doesn't work about The Girl on the Train was that it uses Rachel's alcoholism conveniently. It's used more as a plot device. Sure the book does make it clear she's a mess personally and physically but  at some point I lost interest in her character. There are two other female leads that are both in pretty rough shape. This is anything but a book for a feminist. These women are anti-heroes. And as such as the climatic turns eventually happen I was left feeling nothing.

I didn't care over one persons triumph or another failure. I'm not sure there was a good or even slightly good person in the entire story. It was an enjoyable read but one that requires you to turn the brain off and just buckle up for the ride. And if you take the ride there is some enjoyment to be had.