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.

Sparkling writing and engaging characters being what was a real event back to life again.. each character is depicted fully.. I guess there are many , but each has their own plight and narrative trajectory .. yeah, sure, I had to look back sometimes...but by depicting these many train passengers we get full flavour of the times. And what was truly at stake for each and every one of them that this extraordinary, doomed voyage mattered for all. Truly brought it to life. Exciting.,propulsive journey .. wow ..

Emma Donahue has taken a historical event, a train crash in Paris in 1895, and woven a novel around it. As the train hurtles towards impending disaster, we're given an insight into the daily lives, thoughts and emotions of the many passengers.
Although this was an interesting read, for me, there were too many characters which meant that I didn't really empathise with/care about the characters other than perhaps the pregnant woman who was about to give birth. I did however enjoy the historical content.
I did enjoy the book but far preferred her earlier historical novel set in the Spanish Flu pandemic.

Emma Donoghue’s latest novel “The Paris Express”, left me cold. Based on an infamous 1895 Paris train accident known as ‘The Montparnasse derailment’, it tells the story of the trains journey from Granville in Brittany to Paris. As a result of driver error, the train ended up crossing the concourse and crashing on to the street below which was captured in a series of iconic photographs. On board are an eclectic mix of passengers, sitting in 1st, 2nd and 3rd class carriages. It was difficult to follow who was who, such was the variety of characters and back stories and nine of them were particularly inspiring or interesting. This was just an OK read.

Many thanks to @netgalley and @picadorbooks for this advance copy in return for my honest review. 3 ⭐️

Ever since I read Agatha Christie and the Orient Express, I've loved the romance of trains. And this is set in 1865 on a steam train in France, and written by the author of 'Room' and 'The Pull of Stars', so I couldn't wait to read it.

The Granville to Paris express train is ready to leave. Passengers all have their reasons for travelling, the lives they're leaving behind, the places they're planning to go to, the things they want to do.

One of these passengers this morning is an anarchist determined to make her mark on history.

There's also a little boy travelling alone for the first time, an artist, a statesman and his invalid wife, the railway crew.

How will they all be affected by this journey? How will they be changed by the time they reach their destination?

The journey is doomed. They are all heading to potential disaster.

This book is inspired by a real life rail disaster and there is a sense of foreboding throughout. You turn the pages with an increasing sense of dread and expectation.

Emma Donaghue never fails to surprise and impress me. Her ability to write about different times and cultures is astounding and I am once more in awe. The Paris Express is set in northern France at the tail end of the 19th Century. It is set on a train over the course of just one journey to Paris. Who knew the idea could be so engaging and so beautifully portrayed.
The diverse characters, who provide so many interesting and well written points of view, make the book. (The research was stunning.) From the train engineers and porters, the politicians and families joining the train to attend parliament in Paris, the third-class characters dealing with a woman in labour, I loved them all. The female characters were particularly well received, as they were given a real voice at a time in history when they were often overlooked.
An easy 5 stars from me. Book clubs are going to love this.

This was an interesting book with lots of different characters and sub plots. I found it a little bit hard to settle into, but once I was further in I was drawn in to find out what was going to happen. I especially liked the historical notes at the end which showed how much was based on real people and events.

In ‘The Paris Express’ Emma Donoghue takes a real life rail crash and fictionally explores the event and the lives of the rail workers and passangers. Drawing on records from the time and her own imagination, she brings a large number of characters to life, providing snapshots of each of them along the journey.

Initially, I found the array of characters and names confusing, but as the novel went on I felt this ensemble piece worked extremely well. The drama and uncertainty over the crash built up, and as a reader I truly cared about what happened and how it happened. Donoghue brings the characters brilliantly to life, with all their drives and motivations. I also enjoyed being able to look up the mentioned artists and see their work, as well as the real reports of the crash. After reading one or two novels of Donoghue’s I was less keen on, this one really hit the spot.

This was such a thrilling ride from the beginning to the end. I was devastated by the end and my heart broke for the tragedy that took place in real life. The book is really well written, with multiple pov.

Based on the true story of the Montparnasse derailment in 1895 this is a beautifully written story with multiple characters. Precisely researched, I was fascinated by the exploration of the French society of the time. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

A very slow burn with lots of fascinating historical detail about the politics of the time, the poverty of the masses and the operation of the Paris Express. There's a large cast of characters with intriguing vignettes but not enough to get really engrossed. Slow at times but beautifully written.

The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue is a historical novel set on an express train traveling from Grenville to Paris in 1895, on the fateful day of its tragic crash. The story unfolds through a diverse cast of characters, including a young boy, an anarchist with a sinister agenda, and many others. For the first 50 pages, the author sets the stage, introducing us to the characters. I found the start very slow-burn, but I was glad I pushed through.

One of the novel's strengths is its vibrant cast, with each character possessing distinct personalities and agendas. As the train inches closer to Paris, the tension steadily escalates, leading to a compelling end. The author also includes a detailed historical afterword, shedding light on the real-life events that inspired the story, which highlights the meticulous research that she has done.

Overall, my reading experience was mixed. While I appreciated the strong writing, the large cast made it difficult for me to fully connect with any single character. That said, The writing was really good, making me want to read more from the author.