Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

131 reviews

carolinebl's review

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

I really enjoyed this audiobook: it was by far the best narrated of those I have encountered. Before this novel, I had forgotten how exciting thrillers are, especially when they are so well written. I enjoyed the contrasting and conflicting characters, and even when you could see the upcoming twist you couldn’t predict exactly how it would happen. Irrelevant sidenote: I am confused how Emily Blunt plays Rachel in the film adapt (I am yet to watch) if she is meant to be so unattractive… unless that is the point.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Violence, Child death, and Death

Moderate: Fatphobia

angievansprang's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I finished this within 36 hours of starting it, so I obviously had a good time with it. Read this if you want to hate men more! I promise you, there are zero redeeming male characters in this that are mentioned more than 3x. They are all complete trash. Hawkins paints a drearily pitiful scene over an otherwise picturesque suburbia outside of London. This follows 3 different POVs of women who are all connected via relation to the same neighborhood where something - or someone - sinister is brewing. I felt that the author did a good job in allowing you to feel just enough sympathy towards a character before twisting your stomach into knots with a horrific reveal of who they truly were. Most of these characters are hopelessly tragic, yet very realistic. The circumstances by which each main character finds themselves in this neighborhood make it believable why they might behave the way they do. While it may not initially seem like it, this is a chilling tale about the strength in women following their instincts and sticking together despite being very much so at odds with one another. A true feat of a debut from Hawkins, and it has reignited my love for thrillers. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Murder, Alcoholism, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Stalking, Fatphobia, Child death, Physical abuse, Infertility, Pregnancy, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Death and Vomit

happilyheatherafterr's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Physical abuse, Murder, and Death

tahnnn's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

easy, enjoyable read though a predictable plot twist and the end felt quite boring and dragged out.

not a single likeable character with little to no development, it was impossible to root for anyone (except maybe the train itself).

probably one of the best openings to a book i’ve seen, had me hooked instantly but was 100% a let down at the end.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Infertility, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Murder, Body shaming, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Stalking, Gaslighting, and Fatphobia

betag1013's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Infertility, Infidelity, Murder, Sexual content, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Blood, Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, Fatphobia, Addiction, Child death, Cursing, Misogyny, Stalking, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Grief, Vomit, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence

corriejn's review

4.25

Not my most typical fare, but I found it very engaging. Decidedly not a light read, and note the major CW for active alcohol addiction, but I was pretty hooked throughout.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child death, Physical abuse, Death, Infertility, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Fatphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Blood, and Grief

Minor: Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Drug use

sarahmmichael's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Murder, Child death, Death, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Abortion, Pregnancy, and Addiction

corinnelora95's review against another edition

dark sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

TWs for this book: alcoholism, emotional abuse, physical abuse, infidelity, murder,

infant death

, manipulation

Much like a train, this book took a long time to get up to speed. The first 60% moved slowly, making me wonder if it really was a thriller. Once it did pick up, it gave me a very panicky feeling. I had to keep reading just to be done with the book, not because I felt the thrill enjoyable. The "saving grace" was that I didn't see the twist coming.

Here are the top three things I disliked while reading this book, though there were many others:

1) I disliked that the author resorted to the "alcoholic female" trope. It was frustrating to read over and over that Rachel would back slide and feel little remorse. 

2) I disliked the descriptions of abuse. They were written in a way that made me feel panicked and afraid for my life. The fight or flight response was real. 

3) I disliked the scene where Megan recalls the death of her infant. It again was written in a way that made me feel panicked.

If you enjoy thrillers that make you feel panicked and leave you on the brink of an anxiety attack, this book is for you. If you don't like that feeling, leave this one on the shelf. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Murder, Addiction, Alcohol, Death, Stalking, Violence, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Child death, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Vomit

Moderate: Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Sexual violence, Grief, and Blood

Minor: Abortion

ladycranstonkc's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Violence, Infidelity, and Infertility

Moderate: Body shaming and Physical abuse

Minor: Pregnancy, Abandonment, Addiction, Blood, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Death, Cursing, Confinement, and Bullying

ltsang08's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Fatphobia, Murder, Infertility, Domestic abuse, Death, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, and Infidelity

Moderate: Vomit