Into the Water, book review. (Paula Hawkins)

I don't suppose I can review this book without mention, The Girl on the Train, Paula Hawkins' first novel, so I'll get that off my chest first. This book is better. There I've said it, and it's not that I didn't like, The Girl on the Train, I thought it was quite good, it's just that I liked this one more.

Another book worth mentioning is, J. K. Rowling's, The Casual Vacancy, my book of the year back in 2015, and the reason I mention it: because of the familiarity I felt for that book when reading this one. Let me explain.

Both books are set in small town/village communities in the English countryside, there's death, lies and intrigue wherever you turn, but the main difference I suppose, is that, Into the Water, deals with suicide and/or possible murder, as opposed to a heart attack. Both books though, are full of excellent, believable characters, tragedy and regret.

With, Into the Water, Hawkins has her characters narrate their perspective on things individually, which makes for a little confusion at the beginning, but you soon work out who is who and start joining the dots about how they're all connected.
I found the setting, the characters and their emotions quite believable, and as the reader learns, not only how the various men, women and children's lives are intertwined, but about their feelings towards each other, their pasts' and the history of the river at the centre of the story, one finds the pages turning that little bit quicker.
This is not a long book and there is no big reveal at the end, no, oh-my-god-it-was-them! moment, but I didn't feel let down because of it, I rather liked how the pieces started to come together and move toward a coherent and believable ending.
That's not to say this book lacks intrigue, if doesn't, there are a good few twist and turns on the way, and where somethings are explained, (the dead woman and her estranged sister's relationship), some are left to our imagination, (the whereabouts of an ex-teacher at the local school).
So, well worth a read then, and whether you liked, The Girl on the Train, or not, it really doesn't matter, because this book is totally different, and as I said at the beginning, in my opinion better.
Four Stars.

The Girl on the Train, book review (Paula Hawkins)

I am not the sort of reader who runs out and purchases the latest must have, must read, Richard & Judy recommended, if you're not reading this like everyone else is right now, then what the hell are you doing, sort of book; so this review might be a bit late for some, but with the film release last week, I thought it was probably the right time to get it out there.

As many of you already know, I read all sorts, (and why not, I say), with most of my books coming from charity shops, but I have a confession to make. I pilfered this one from my mother whilst her back was turned, in the shameful attempt at being able to converse in the pub, (or equivalent) if the topic of the film came up. (Which in spite of its Americanisation, I'm still looking forward to seeing).

So, what did I find in the three hundred or so pages of Paula Hawkins' bestselling thriller? Quite a lot actually.

There is a love triangle of sorts: Ex-wife who drinks too much, harasses ex-husband and new wife, (who now have the baby that she couldn't have).

Ex-wife then loses her job, keeps drinking, keeps getting the train every morning, in order to keep the fact that she's lost her job from her flatmate, and makes up little fantasy worlds in her head, about the people she sees, including a couple who's garden backs the railway where the train stops each morning, which is also, only a few doors down the road from her old house, where her ex-husband and new family still live.

It's all a bit screwed up then? Well, you'd think so wouldn't you, but then the girl a few doors up goes missing and the shit really hits the fan.

I like this story, it's told in the first person, by three different women, over two time lines, (hold on a minute, Girls on Fire, anyone? See my blog post from 25th July), and hops about a bit, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. 

We find out from the missing girl that she was seeing a therapist the year before, who then becomes a suspect, all whilst the tension between the ex and the current wife builds.

The main character has major memory lapses due to her drinking, but over time, and with a little detective work, (she's unemployed remember), things start coming back to her, pieces of the puzzle start slotting into place and then, the truth!

Criticisms: It’s a bit hard to accept that out of the three women in the book, one is an alcoholic, one needs a therapist and the new wife is prepared to 'sort the ex out' (read into that what you will), and (spoiler alert) the ex-husband is a serial adulterer and maybe a lot more!!! 
Where may I ask, are all the normal people?

That aside, it is a good read, so grab a copy quickly, because the film came out on the 5th October, (UK release), and looks riveting.

Can't wait for the next big, you must read this because it's in every shop window in the world book, by Paula Hawkins.