“The Girl on the Train” by Paula Hawkins is a gripping psychological thriller that follows the story of Rachel Watson, a troubled woman who takes the same train every day and becomes fixated on a seemingly perfect couple she observes from the train window. Rachel’s own life is in shambles, as she struggles with alcoholism and the fallout from her divorce. When the woman she has been watching, Megan Hipwell, goes missing, Rachel becomes entangled in the investigation. As she tries to piece together the events leading up to Megan’s disappearance, Rachel discovers dark secrets about the people involved, including herself. The novel explores themes of memory, perception, and the destructive nature of obsession, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the shocking conclusion.
And I can’t do this, I can’t just be a wife. I don’t understand how anyone does it—there is literally nothing to do but wait. Wait for a man to come home and love you. Either that or look around for something to distract you.
Paula Hawkins – The Girl on the Train
I lie to myself all the time. But I never believe me.
Paula Hawkins – The Girl on the Train
When did you become so weak? I don’t know. I don’t know where that strength went, I don’t remember losing it.
Paula Hawkins – The Girl on the Train
Sometimes I don’t even know if I’m acting. Maybe I am a happy, cheerful person who drinks too much.
Paula Hawkins – The Girl on the Train
I can’t do this, I can’t just be someone’s wife.
Paula Hawkins – The Girl on the Train
I want to drag knives over my skin, just to feel something other than shame, but I’m not even brave enough for that.
Paula Hawkins – The Girl on the Train
You’re stuck in a place you don’t want to be, with no way out, no options.
Paula Hawkins – The Girl on the Train
I can’t stop thinking about her, about what she’s doing, who she’s doing it with.
Paula Hawkins – The Girl on the Train
Memory’s a slippery thing. The most treacherous thing about it is that you often get what you think you want.
Paula Hawkins – The Girl on the Train