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Original poster

The girl on the train (poss. spoilers)

23 replies

Puffinitee · 28/12/2016 15:45

I realise I'm a bit late to this party, but I've just finished reading this. I wanted a gripping, scary page turner and I seem to recall there being quite a hype about this. I found it decidedly meh. Poorly written and far too few plot twists/ blood and gore to make it exciting. Anyone else feel similarly?

OP posts:
BreatheDeep · 28/12/2016 15:54

Yes! Read it a while ago but I didn't understand the hype. I guessed the ending quite early on. Also thought it wasn't very well written. Everyone seemed to be raving about it and comparing it to Gone Girl but it wasn't a patch on that. I probably would have enjoyed it more had it not been hyped about.

gamerwidow · 28/12/2016 16:11

I didn't get the fuss about this either. Very poorly written and the twist you could see coming a mile off. Really disappointing.

Original poster
Puffinitee · 28/12/2016 16:24

OK, good to know it wasn't just me then. Might try Gone Girl next!

OP posts:
JasperPotato · 28/12/2016 16:34

I saw the film and was slightly baffled by the hype. I thought maybe the book was a million times better? Thanks for saving me the read Wink

JemimaMuddledUp · 28/12/2016 16:37

I much preferred Gone Girl.

TheWrathFromHighAtopTheThing · 28/12/2016 16:38

God, it was boring. The protagonist was just a pain in the arse. Thought Gone Girl was even worse, just a ridiculous plot.

Arcadia · 28/12/2016 17:12

Rubbish book. Try the kind worth killing by Peter Swanson it is much better!

tobee · 29/12/2016 02:23

I just finished listening to it on audible. I found it was quite useful for my purpose - background to really boring house tidying/sorting stuff. I didn't have to concentrate too much and if I'd actually read it I would have been more annoyed by it, iyswim. I don't know if it was the way it was read but I found all the men in it really unattractive and blokey. I don't know any men who refer to wives as "the missus" but all of these men seem to do so. It just made it hard to believe the "sympathetic" women found them appealing in anyway.

tobee · 29/12/2016 02:25

Mind you I couldn't be bothered to read Gone Girl but wondered what the hype was so looked up the plot synopsis and thought it sound probably the most ludicrous load of old claptrap.

neveradullmoment99 · 29/12/2016 12:41

I didnt get the hype either. Now reading Before I let you in by Jenny Blackhurst ...wow... its amazing!!! Like chalk and cheese compared to this book. So well written in comparison.

tripfiction · 29/12/2016 17:21

There was a lot of money behind it. Just shows how that can help!

PunkrockerGirl · 29/12/2016 17:29

I agree OP.
It was poorly written with a crap, predictable plot. I was really looking forward to reading it, given all the hype, but it really was shite.

neveradullmoment99 · 29/12/2016 18:06

It was very predictable
It was poorly written - amateurish. One thing i do know is, i wont be buying one of her books again.

mugglebumthesecond · 30/12/2016 20:07

I listened to this via audible and found it a 'page turner' and got loads of jobs and cooking done. I do listen and read so many genres though and it was an easy listener for me.

Thanks for the recommendation of Before I let you in! Started last night and half way through. Love it when I can get into a page turner. Also got the kind worth killing.

Any other recommendations either via audible or kindle ? Grin

smurfest · 04/01/2017 22:41

Just finished it - was a page turner, started well but ultimately not a believable plot or really a satisfying ending. Don't really want more gore, but characters I can believe in .
Gone Girl was better, but itself wasn't a patch on Notes on a Scandal.

hookiewookie29 · 05/01/2017 19:47

Gone girl was worse!
Try "Into the darkest corner' by Elizabeth Haynes...now, that's a page turner!

grumpysquash3 · 07/01/2017 22:45

I agree with you OP, I thought it was a very lazy piece of writing. Definitely my worst read of 2016.

grumpysquash3 · 07/01/2017 22:46

smurf
Notes on a Scandal was brilliant! :)

dalek · 14/01/2017 16:31

Agree with OP - rubbish book - jumping on the Gone Girl bandwagon.

Also, I am bored with books about women being tortured/murdered/abused.

BadKnee · 14/01/2017 22:04

Agree. Started well. I love looking into back gardens from the train or tube windows - always have ever since I was little - so the initial idea really caught my imagination. It was very readable to start with but got tedious and predictable. Very badly written.

Gone Girl was worse although I started with great anticipation and loved where it might go - but it got silly - especially the end.

Will try some of the recomendations

fatdancer · 14/01/2017 22:06

Yes the ending is very predictable.

tobee · 15/01/2017 13:04

Badknee, I agree with you. I think it's the old story of being able to come up with a good idea, something lots can relate to. Having to go somewhere with the idea, and then resorting to the same old cliches for the denouement.

BadKnee · 15/01/2017 19:34

Absolutely right tobe - and probably one reason I have never written "my" novel. Can't get past stage 1.

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