I have no idea how anyone can make a book about a train crash interesting, funny, entertaining and educational, but somehow Emma Donoghue has managed it here.
Astonishing, Fantastic, Brilliant.
Even though I knew about this crash, my heart was in my mouth right until the end.
If I was to recommend just one book for all inspiring authors to read it would be this one.
Thank you a fantastic couple of days reading. I loved it.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Once again Emma Donoghue has produced a great novel that is different from all her others. She's an author who resists formulae, has brilliant ideas and executes them to perfection. The train of the title is speeding through the French countryside in the late 19th century, and on board is the full range of society - from wealthy politicians in first class, through to maids and manual workers in third, and the railwayman themselves. Amongst their number is a young anarchist with a bomb, who believes the only way to transform what she sees as a fundamentally broken society is to blow it up. The reader's knowledge of this creates an escalating tension throughout the book, as we come to know and love the characters the stakes feel higher and higher as the train approaches the station and we fear for their lives.

At first I worried I wouldn't enjoy the story, as it uses one of my biggest bugbears in a book - swapping character viewpoints from one paragraph to another without any sort of break. And it does it constantly. However I grudgingly admit that it probably is the right technique for this particular novel, as there are so many characters and staying too long with any one would affect the pacing, meaning there are so many transitions that using different sections for each would break the flow of the narrative. I did get used to it over time, and Donoghue is such a good writer that she makes it work. I did still find it a bit annoying, but not enough to take away a five star overall impression.

I don't want to say too much about the story to avoid spoilers, but I'd highly recommend it to all those who enjoy literary fiction, and it's essential reading for anyone with an interest in the time period. I liked the 'message' within it about the value of life, and the contrast between the philosophy of the anarchist versus that of the selfless humanitarian Blonska creates a second layer to the tension. Is it better to make a radical gesture, no matter how destructive, in the hope of forcing big scale change, or to make small contributions to improving the lives of others even if in the grand scheme of things such an effort seems paltry? It's possible to appreciate the philosophical tension between the ideas, even though using a bomb is clearly never the right thing to do.

As the story is quite thought provoking and full of characters and ideas, it would be a great book group choice, as well as being a very enjoyable and compelling read.

What a great read for me.. I love trains and particularly steam trains.. so a historical novel set on a steam train with a wonderful collections of characters.. well a dream read.. Plus based on true events too.. It certainly felt well researched and the characters were well drawn. I will definitely recomend this to fellow train lovers.. An excellent sense of time and place. and there was. great sense of suspense.. Def 4stars..

An eventful railway journey based on real events. A train travels to Paris in 1895 with an odd assortment of passengers, including a photographer, a gay man (illegal then), a very pregnant woman and a girl with a bomb. An enjoyable read, especially if you like train trips or railway history.

As ever, Emma Donoghue tells a very good story and it’s easy to become swept up in the sounds of station bustle, peep into the baggage carried on, listen to the railway workers’ grumbles, picture the various different seating arrangements and peer at the many passengers boarding the train to Paris from Granville in 1895. The author has clearly researched this true story meticulously and we are given plenty of social and historical context throughout this calamitous journey.

However, at times it feels as if the background research is in danger of overwhelming the narrative. The large cast introduced in this relatively short novel inevitably means that the reader only connects fleetingly with some of the characters even though others, such as Olivia and Maud, make a strong impression.

Not one of Donoghue’s best but an interesting story which gives life to a now mostly forgotten fragment of railway history.

My thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan Picador for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.

I think I've read all of Emma Donoghue's books to date, and each one varies greatly from the others on topic and style. This was a good read, descriptove of setting and lots going on with plenty of characters.. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance reader copy .

Every book of Emma Donoghue’s can be vastly different in style and tone from each other. The Paris Express is a very commercial historical fiction story based on an actual train crash in 1895. Written from the points of view of the passengers as well as the men who work on and operate the steam train, the story builds momentum as it rocks along, much like the train itself.

From the first few pages, the reader realises one of the passengers isn’t what she appears to be and who will be the main focus of the action. Not only is this a good drama/thriller in itself, I really enjoyed the depiction of each of the passengers from First class to third and their varied lives as well as learning a lot about how a steam train worked.

This was a really interesting book, but there was just too many characters which made the story confusing and hard to follow. I think it would have been a great book if there was a few less characters, or a small core group that you got to know better. It's a shame because I love this author and I think this book had great potential

This was just OK for me, it felt confusing at times and I can't put my finger on it but just seemed to bore me more than anything else. I was disappointed with this book which is a shame because I love this author but I did finish it and find the overall story, the real life story interesting at least.
Also it is really badly edited to read on Kindle, which took me out of the story so perhaps buying a copy when released might make me enjoy it more.

This book is inspired by an actual event in 1895 Paris and many of the characters are based on real people. It is very well researched and makes for an interesting read. I enjoyed the cameos of each passanger on the train which gives the book its title. They gradually built into relatable people and made for a good cast to make the journey with. Not a long book at 288 pages but there's a lot going on and it's a very good read. With thanks to NetGalley, the publsher and the author for the e-ARC to read and review.

“All Aboard the Confusion Express!”

Emma Donoghue’s The Paris Express had all the makings of a thrilling ride—an overnight train, a tense wartime setting, and a plot that promised intrigue. Unfortunately, what we got felt less like the Orient Express and more like a train stuck in a loop, stopping at every possible station of overstuffed character backstories and internal monologues.

There are simply too many people on this train. I expected spies, refugees, and wartime drama, but at some point, I started wondering if even the dining cart had a tragic backstory. Every passenger has thoughts—so many thoughts—most of them muddled and overlapping like a particularly chaotic game of musical chairs. And yes, even the train itself gets a speaking part, which was about the moment I started questioning my life choices.

The concept and setting had potential—after all, an overnight journey through occupied France is inherently dramatic—but the execution derailed somewhere between the excessive character count and the narrative’s need to make sure we hear from everyone. Ultimately, The Paris Express is a journey that’s interesting in theory but exhausting in practice. Maybe next time, fewer passengers? And perhaps let the train just be a train?

Firstly, thank you to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for an early Kindle copy of this book.

I mostly enjoyed this novel that was based on true events in 1895 but I wasn't a fan of the short passages, which switched back and forth between a multitude of characters that were difficult to get to know. I would have preferred fewer characters with more depth as some didn't interest me and held up the more interesting narratives.

I liked the factual information at the end of the story including accounts of that calamitous day and how real people were interwoven into the story.

Set in Paris 1895, this fascinating novel is based on a real life event. We get to know the passengers and crew, their backstory & some of them their dreams.
There's a large amount of characters, but the descriptive language is so perfect, creating tension & making the reader anticipate, if a character lives or dies.
Please don't research, as it will spoil the dramatic conclusion.
Donahue shows she has carried out great historical research so the reader understands the social & political changes, that were starting to emerge in the Victorian era.
She has included some wonderful quotes running throughout the story.


Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue

I had high hopes for The Paris Express because I have loved many of the author’s previous books but unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. While the concept, a thrilling train journey through Paris, sounded exciting, the execution left a lot to be desired. The pacing felt sluggish, and the excessive amount of characters was underdeveloped, making it hard to connect with their struggles.

The setting had potential, but I found myself wishing the descriptions were more vivid and engaging. Instead of feeling like I was on a high-speed ride through the city, I was left feeling like I was just reading about it from afar. There were some interesting moments, but they were few and far between.

It just didn’t offer the captivating experience I was hoping for. The bones of the story was the derailment but it didn’t happen until 87% into the book and it only lasted a chapter. This novel was just 288 pages long but it was overloaded with wasted words. While it’s not a total loss, it’s hard to ignore both the slow, tedious storytelling and not only the exorbitant amount of characters but also their lack of any development. I can see some readers enjoying the premise, but it didn’t quite click for me. ⭐️⭐️ 2 / 5

It’s 1895 and people are boarding a train from Granville to Paris.
It’s fascinating reading about those in third and first class - who make up the majority of passengers. Then there are a few in second class.
What’s going through people’s minds - shall I ask her out, when do I set the bomb to go off, where can I find a discreet man?
An unscheduled stop at Briouze meant that the train was running late - that was not good for Guillaume nor Victor who depended on reliability and timekeeping for bonuses - the engine driver and his coal man.
I found the story fascinating, even more so when I found it was based on a true story, albeit with a little embellishment.
Engaging and drew me in.

The Paris Express by Emma Donahue
From the author of Room and The Pull of the Stars comes another very different novel. This one is based on the real life rail accident at Montparnasse in 1895. We know that some disaster is going to befall the train from the moment it sets off but we are given a very interesting snapshot of the lives of the people aboard the train as they hurtle towards [possible destruction. We board the train in Granville and get to know the inhabitants of the three different classes of transport. You gain a fascinating insight into the lives of the people aboard and also the way in which the railway operates.
There were many characters to remember and she made the story entertaining throughout. There were some areas where I felt I had a little too much detail. For example in the detail related to the gentleman who wanted to fulfil his sexual needs at a station stop. I found the glimpses of the lives of the various people interesting fascinating and the author certainly writes very well. She did a wonderful job of weaving the social issues of the times into the lives of the passengers and crew. Many thanks to the author, the publisher and Net Galley for the opportunity to read the book in return for an honest review.

The fascinating part of this story is at the end when you see the photograph that I assume gave Donoghue the idea for the novel.

The book tells the story of an express train heading to Paris over 5 or 6 hours, and we get an insight to the various crew and passengers. From the start we know something bad is going to happen and we are introduced to an individual who has brought a bomb on board and plans to blow up the train and themselves. The chapters reflect the various stages of the journey and the knowledge of impending doom definitely drives you forward to try and find out what happens.

I found the book initially overwhelming, as it takes a good bit of concentration to get to know the different passengers but after a while, I felt like I’d got on board the train and was keen to see how Paris we would get.

A good read, but the overwhelming start makes it not so enjoyable as say Haven, Pull of the Stars or Learned by Heart.

Published on 20th March , I read a GIFTED e-ARC from Pan MacMillan

In The Paris Express Emma Donoghue takes a real life event and weaves a partially real, partially imagined narrative around the passengers onboard. We come to know them well as they travel towards Paris and their destiny. It's a very clever idea. Initially the passengers didn't catch my imagination. There were a lot of them introduced quickly and it was tricky remembering their details causing the book to seem to drag initially. The author has however obviously done her research and we are treated to lots of historical pertinent and interesting facts and tales during the journey. Cleverly as the train gathered speed so did the tempo and interest of the story until both reached their finale in Paris. I really enjoyed reading this book once I got into it and began to distinguish the characters. I especially enjoyed the addition at the end which completed everyone's story. A great touch for someone like me who loves to know how things turn out. If you've got the patience to give it a little time I think most readers would enjoy this book as it's certainly something a bit different.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

Loved this book. A train journey to Paris steeped in 1895. So many references to the events of the time and a wonderful cast of characters. Extremely well written with an account that feels you are a fellow passenger. Absolutely compelling and a true masterpiece. This book is truly inspiring and Donoghue is a natural successor to Hilary Mantel for historical fiction.

There is so much in this book that I should have enjoyed it more than I did. There were so many characters and details about the train that I got lost at times. Donoghue had obviously done a lot of research but it didn't translate into interesting story. Unfortunately this one wasn't for me but I would be interested to read future books bu this author.