Top 5 Facts About The Girl on The Train

Best-selling novels are a go-to source for Hollywood movie producers looking to make their next hit film. Basically, if a book sells really well... it’ll likely get the silver screen treatment. This particular novel was exceptional however, as the rights to the film were optioned before readers even knew it existed, and long before it proved its worth by selling millions of copies. Jared LeBoff, a producer with Marc Platt Productions, received an advanced ebook of the novel from the author’s agent and immediately saw its potential. By the time the book hit shelves, the screenwriter charged with adapting the material - Erin Cressida Wilson - had already turned in her first draft. Apparently Mr. LeBoff knows a good book when he sees one.

Paula Hawkins is arguably one of the hottest names in fiction thanks to the success of this novel. “The Girl on the Train” is being marketed as her “debut psychological thriller,” but before taking this ride into the uncharted territory of dark, gritty, amnesiac thrillers, Hawkins had already published a number of novels under the pen name “Amy Silver.” Before you rush out to buy all her previous work, you should know that Amy Silver’s books bear little resemblance to “The Girl on the Train.” They’re easily digestible, fun stories that one might describe as “chick lit,” with names like “Confessions of a Reluctant Recessionista” and “One Minute to Midnight.” They didn’t sell very well, but the few reviews they did receive were actually quite positive, at least in terms of their genre.

The role of Rachel Watson is not an easy one; in fact, some have called her flat-out unlikable. While Paula Hawkins personally feels that her character is sympathetic, even she draws the line at casting a natural beauty like Emily Blunt in the role. The character of Rachel is defined largely by her self-loathing and self-consciousness as her alcoholism takes over her life. She’s hit rock bottom but still tries to hold onto what she used to have. Allegedly, the makeup team and stylists went out of their way to downplay Blunt’s beauty in order to get that dishevelled, beaten down look, studying the skin of alcoholics for inspiration and even giving her cheek puffers to get that authentic puffiness. Despite her reservations, Hawkins does feel that Blunt delivered an extraordinary performance.

Within a month of its release in early 2015, “The Girl on the Train” had sold 1 million copies – sales figures the likes of which Hawkins had never seen as her alter-ego rom-com writer, Amy Silver. By August 2016, the book had sold over 11 million copies worldwide. Just two months later, in the days leading up to the film’s release on October 7th 2016, that number had jumped to 15 million. Trailers for the movie were only adding to the book’s success, causing sudden spikes in sales. All in all, this novel has spent 83 weeks on the New York Times best-seller list, and held the top spot of the UK hardback book chart for a record-breaking 20 weeks.

None of Hawkins’ books under the name “Amy Silver” was ever very financially successful. In fact, Hawkins has said that “The Girl on the Train” was her last attempt as a fiction writer; she had borrowed money from her father to get by while writing it, so if it proved unsuccessful, she was likely going to throw in the towel. But even with help from family, she couldn’t afford to finish the book, and submitted the incomplete manuscript. Thankfully, publishers loved it, and what began as a last ditch rollercoaster ride to financial viability turned into a runaway freight train of success. In 2016, Hawkins made $10 million as a writer, earning a spot on the Forbes list of highest paid authors, alongside George R.R. Martin and J.K. Rowling.

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