This book takes you on a journey from Granville to Paris in 1895, inspired by a real train crash. The story is packed with over 30 characters from all walks of life—a knitter, a revolutionary with a bomb, a medical student, and more. It’s an interesting mix, and the setting really brings the time period to life.

But honestly, there were just too many characters for me to keep track of. I couldn’t tell who I was supposed to focus on, and some of the details—like how steam trains work—felt unnecessary. By the halfway point, I was a little overwhelmed.

That said, if you enjoy historical fiction with lots of perspectives, you might like this one. The premise is fascinating, even if the story felt a bit crowded to me.

I loved this! It was so interesting and well written with all the different characters had such great back stories. At first I got a bit confused between them all but once I got into the story I was well away. I actually stayed up until 3 am to finish it which says it all. I hope the little boy found his family...

Was astonished that it was based on an actual incident at Montparnasse Station.
Highly recommend this - an author I always look out for the next book from.

The Paris Express is a fascinating historical novel based on the true story of a train derailment in 1895. The story follows a steam train traveling to Paris, filled with a diverse group of passengers, including an anarchist with a bomb, a young boy on his first solo trip, and a pregnant woman..

The book starts slowly but has quite a dramatic finale. It’s perfect for readers who enjoy well-researched historical fiction and whilst it’s not fast-paced, it’s a compelling and unique read.

I knew I was going to love Emma Donoghue's new novel, but I had no idea quite how much. The Paris Express is a piece of literary engineering genius. (Beware, there follows some rail-ly bad train puns.) The story takes place on the Paris Express train in 1895. The steam train is a character in her own right, and chugs along for a bit quite gently, meandering almost, as the reader is introduced to all the varied passengers and crew.

All the characters are intricately drawn, Donoghue conducting their hopes and fears and dreams in her consummate genius way, but a few in particular stand out.

Most notably the young woman clutching the bomb on her lap.

The train steams on towards its destination, and the reader thinks the rails will bend in a certain inevitable direction, but then there comes a shock that no one is predicting, least of all me! This story derailed me (in a good way!), stoked my heart, and I predict it will be a runaway hit!

Emma Donoghue is an excellent writer and you never know where her novels are going to lead you. This one leads you across France on a steam train with a huge cast of characters and a building atmosphere of tension. Although the writing is crisp, the stories behind all of the people on the train are slightly overwhelming and I found myself speed reading to get to the end of the book. Not the best Emma Donoghue novel I have read, sadly.

Absolutely jam-packed with characters, this worked for the most part but did feel slightly overwhelming at times. I hadn't realised it was based on a true story, and so I felt the suspense throughout, wondering quite how things would play out and what was going to happen. Everything feels heightened, since these chance conversations are taking place on a train journey, and when you meet someone on the train you know it's just, usually, a momentary interaction. And there is that pace to the story of the journey passing, time passing, and the disaster incoming. I'd imagined we were heading towards something quite different with the ending, so it was interesting to learn about the true story it was based on at the end.

I liked the additional note at the end explaining the characters & the author's research. I also learned a bit about steam trains, which was interesting!

A haunting story filled with suspense right until the end. The author really manages to make the reader feel on the fated train with all the various passengers each with their own back story. I would highly recommend mend this book.

The Paris Express- is based on a real event and Donoghue has cleverly reimagined, the 7 hour train journey from Granville in Normandy to Paris Monparnasse where the engine spectacularly crashed.
Emma catches turn of last century France so well and you can really see the coaches of the train in your mind. As well as the dirty, smelly coal locomotives. There is a large cast of characters (mostly real) and it is a little hard to keep track of them all , but again she captures the feeling of a long journey where you interact with strangers for several hours and then arrive at your destination and never see them again.
I found the pacing of the book a lot off , she flits from one carriage to the next , but on finishing the book it makes sense as again the pacing fits with the journey and emphasises the crash at the end.
I am a long term Emma Donoghue fan , I just love how each of her books is completely differently but totally immerses you in the world she is describing. This book was no different, well worth a read.

Wow. This is fascinating and it became all the more so when I finished it and realised it was based on a true event! Admittedly it felt like slightly slow going to begin with, I think purely because I found it hard to keep track of who was who when you are so quickly introduced to a huge number of characters. However, I quickly found them fascinating and was so intrigued by the story behind each grouping of passengers.
I won’t ruin the story but I would absolutely recommend this thoroughly well researched and utterly absorbing story.

On 22 October, 1894 there was a spectacular train derailment at Montparnasse Station in Paris. One person was killed, a newspaper seller, Marie Haguillard. The first reaction from witnesses and passengers alike was it was anarchist attack, something that even then was common.
In telling the story behind the stunning event, Emma Donoghue has used the people who were on the train, the employees of the Company of the West, the owners of the train and many others who have now been included in an c work of Historic fiction.
The Paris Express is a very clever re-telling of History, bringing what was surely an horrific event to life once again through the people who were on the train. The Engineer, Guillaume Pellerin, and his Stoker and long-time friend Victor Garnier, tell of being under pressure to keep the train on time despite setbacks and ever tightening schedules.
As the passengers on the train come to life, there is the little boy who loves to travel on trains taking his first journey by himself, an artist, an anarchist, a very pregnant woman, an artist’s muse, a Priest, a showgirl, three politicians, a leader of industry and an Aristocratic family, as well as host of colourful characters to be discovered as the Engine 721 speeds ever faster towards destiny and place in history.
A captivating aspect of this story is that on the train there is a microcosm of humanity, captured for all time in the pages of history, each one with their own stories, each one looking forward to a brighter, better future when the new century arrives.
Not a fast paced read, but one that looks at humanity carefully The Paris Express fits somewhere between a history lesson and a good read.

"The Paris Express" by Emma Donoghue starts off slow, builds momentum and keeps going until the very end, very much like a train. I really wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy this book when I first picked it up but as you start to meet the characters (including the train which is a character as well), seeing who is in third, second and first class, you become invested. Chuck in an anarchist plot, a pregnant lady and a glimpse into late 19th Century French life then you will be gripped. Even better, it is based on a true event!

This is a very engaging novel, based on historical events. The plot covers less than one day, and follows an express train journey from Brittany to Paris at the end of the nineteenth century. As might be expected, there is a wide variety passengers in terms, for example, of social class, age, and occupation. Some of these characters were actually on the express train on the day in question, others were real people who might possibly have been passengers, and some are fictional.

The author gives readers glimpses of the countryside passed through, just as a passenger experiences scenery flashing by during a train journey. Station stops are more fully described, but most of the novel concerns the passengers themselves, their back stories as well as imaginary recreations of their various experiences and inner thoughts during the journey.

The author spent a productive year in Paris researching for the book, and there is a fascinating concluding section which covers the train journey and all the “real” characters in this excellent novel.

Emma Donoghue's »The Paris Express« offers a captivating journey set amidst the turbulence of 1895 Europe. This historical novel centers around the infamous Granville to Paris Express disaster, utilizing the train as a symbol of rapid industrial advancement and social change. The narrative features an array of characters, each harboring their own secrets and motivations, from a radical anarchist to a child on his first solo adventure. This rich tapestry of interconnected lives creates an atmosphere of tension and anticipation.

Donoghue expertly weaves individual stories against the backdrop of broader societal issues such as class divide and political unrest. As the train speeds towards Paris, readers become privy to the ambitions, fears, and desires of its passengers, including a wealthy statesman and his ailing wife, railway workers yearning for connection, and an artist grappling with self-discovery. Donoghue captures the emotional depth of her characters, immersing readers in their trials and triumphs.

Themes of progress versus tradition, social inequality, and personal identity permeate the novel. The train serves as a microcosm of society, highlighting how disparate lives intersect during times of crisis. The rapid pace of the train mirrors the urgency of change sweeping through society, creating an exhilarating yet claustrophobic atmosphere.

Donoghue's vivid and lyrical prose transports readers to late 19th-century France, evoking the sights and sounds of the era. Her ability to craft nuanced characters shines; each character feels authentic and relatable despite their historical context. She skillfully blends fact and fiction, resulting in a narrative that informs and entertains.

While some might argue that the extensive cast can occasionally dilute individual storylines, this complexity also enriches the narrative by showcasing a diverse range of human experiences. Donoghue's background as a literary historian informs her storytelling, enabling her to craft a multilayered tale.

As an accomplished author, Emma Donoghue is renowned for tackling challenging themes with empathy and insight. Her previous works, like »Room«, have earned international acclaim for their emotional depth and compelling storytelling.

With »The Paris Express«, she once again demonstrates her prowess in historical fiction, inviting readers on an exhilarating and meticulously researched journey through time that delves into not only a moment in history but also the timeless nature of human connection and conflict.

Ideal for fans of meticulously researched literary fiction that's populated with a big cast of characters.
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an independent review.
Upon publication, I will post the blurb and my review on my blog and GoodReads.

I loved this new offering by Emma Donahue which is very different to any of her previous books.

It's set upon a steam train....the Paris express and we meet all sorts of characters from the plain and ordinary to the more bourgeois.

So many different stories are intertwined to make this a most readable novel. The fact that it is based on an actual historical event makes it even more fascinating.

I loved it.

There is a lot going on in this book, indeed this train.
SO many characters, with back stories of their own. I did at times struggle to remember who was who, and in what carriage they were sitting.
However, Donoghue hasn't let me down before, so I kept going, all the way to the afterword, which is worth your time.
Slow at times, but still a good read.

I skipped to the end with this one, which I hardly ever do, and I'm glad I did because it was a real let-down. This antique-y, Frenchified take on a similar story to Geoff Ryman's '253' (with a far duller climax) shows a lot of diligent research but also the worst aspects of Donoghue's writing - didactic, overpopulated and overcooked. I've read several of her novels, but DNF'd the last two.