The Paris Express is a train that travels from Western Normandie to Paris (but hardly an express as it makes several stops on its journey). On the fateful day, passengers come from all over - France, Russia, Ireland, Algeria, and of course the United States. They are seated throughout the train in first, second, and third class- and each has his or her own story - members of the French parliament, a medical student, a secretary trying to convince her boss to make a motion picture, and even a young woman we would call a terrorist among others. And then there are the train’s driver and stoker and a couple of other crew members who take their jobs very seriously until the fateful day when catastrophe strikes as the train enters Montparnasse station in the heart of Paris.

This is the fourth book I have read by Donoghue-but only the second I have finished (and this was close to another DNF) - the other being Room which I really enjoyed. This book had way too many characters - it was nearly impossible to keep track of who was who. The story just meandered along until the very end. My thanks to Simon & Schuster/Summitt and both NetGalley and Edelweiss for the opportunity to read and review the ARC of this book.

“The Paris Express” is a historical fiction book by Emma Donoghue. Oh, I so wanted to like this book! Who wouldn’t like to take a journey through France (back when trains were supreme)? Ms. Donoghue did a great job explaining the various jobs of running a train - from the conductors to baggage to working the steam engine. The different classes of cars I also found interesting regarding placement and layouts. So kudos to her for her research. My first complaint is that there are a LOT of characters in this book, each with their own internal thoughts. They’re regular people taking the train - which is fine, but when it seems that everyone plus the train gets a chance to ruminate, it’s a lot. Also, not a lot happens - they’re on a train, they’re thinking about whatever comes into their minds (as is typical on a long train ride). I think this book was an interesting idea, but the overall execution wasn't as well done as I had hoped.

While I usually love historical fiction, The Paris Express was very slow moving with way too many characters to keep straight.

I liked how the author told the story of the pending Paris Express crash through the lives and interactions of the passengers and crew, as well as the train itself. The diversity of the passengers and crews — social status, employment, race, education — provided opportunities to discuss and address a variety of issues including class and race prejudice, city life versus country life, sexual orientation, religion, politics, commerce, anarchism, hypocrisy, etc. The story also addresses technology — whether benefits outweigh costs, how it changes society, etc. The author includes characters who talk about technology that will appear in the future (moving pictures, subways).

I liked the inclusion of John Synge as a passenger. Also, the comments by a former model for Gauguin about his strange paintings and how they would never sell; how wrong she was. One of the best parts of historical fiction is learning which characters were real people. This book has few characters that would be familiar to most readers but many of the characters were real people (although not necessarily passengers on the Paris Express that fateful day). I appreciated that the author made the effort to find out what happened to these individuals in the future and shared that information with the reader.

I appreciate NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Emma Donoghue's new book, The Paris Express. The Paris Express is based on a train derailment that happened in Paris in 1895. The story is set up interestingly as we travel through the different stations that the train stops at along the way on a 7 + hour trip to Paris. We see what is going on with the passengers in the three different classes of train cars and the train employees. We find different characters in each class and learn about the lives they lead. One of the passengers has a deadly secret. It was interesting and kept my attention.

This character driven book takes a couple of chapters to get going but then you are captivated. Donoghue is remarkable at bringing characters to live and providing the reader with an in-depth knowledge, while still keeping the story line going. While not a mystery, there is a hint of intrigue throughout the novel and I was completely surprised by the ending, including the photograph. But for the slow start, this would be a 5 star read, that said, I would still recommend it to anyone - especially if they like historical fiction.

Based on the train derailment that occurred at the Montparnasse train station in Paris in 1895, passengers
and their reason for being on the train are introduced, as well as the two train engineers. Background information
is provided for the cast of characters and the reasons they are on the train.
Interesting read .
#TheParisExpress #Simon&Schuster #S&S/SummitBooks #NetGalley

The Paris Express, by Emma Donoghue, is a novel based on the 1895 disaster at Paris' Montparnasse train station. It started out like most books I enjoy reading, as I always come away from historical fiction with knowledge I didn’t have before.

The Paris Express did not disappoint as I knew absolutely nothing about the 1895 train disaster at Paris’ Montparnasse station; in fact I’d never heard of it before reading the book. Learning how Paris’ early train system functioned and the perspectives and loyalty of the crew on Train 721 was enhanced by Emma Donoghue’s brilliant writing. I easily envisioned the train platforms at the different stations, “felt” the speed of the train as it lumbered along the tracks and marveled at what it took in those days to keep a train running and on time.

The other aspect of this book that fascinated me was the multi-faceted, complex makeup of the passengers on the train, people from all walks of life and different cultures. Again, the writing was superb and deepened as Donoghue brought the characters to life. I found the ones in third-class the most interesting as their lives took such different turns and their needs were many and varied. The passengers in second-class were more educated with attainable goals, and first-class spoke for itself - comfortable seating, excellent service, people of status. I liked most of the passengers, felt compassion and sympathy for many and a few were unlikeable. I thought I knew how this story would end but…I was wrong.

My three-star rating reflects what I consider to be an over-written story with unnecessary innuendoes and descriptions that were added to stretch out The Paris Express. Had the twist at the end come a few chapters earlier I would have given The Paris Express four-stars.

Thank you to Summit Books and NetGalley for a digital copy of The Paris Express.

Ms. Donoghue is one outstanding storyteller. She took a simple day long train ride, added individual personality to it, and kept me enthralled throughout the transit. Being historical fiction, one will be pleasantly surprised at how the passengers interacted to reach the historically correct ending. Highly recommended to fans of well-told historical fiction.

Ms. Emma has big shoes to follow after her best seller “Room”, I absolutely loved that book. This one is a bit different; you need to pay attention to the characters and it almost gets too deep into the weeds, but if you take the time and just sit back and enjoy, it is quite a story. Lots of twists and turns and many characters to get to know. Each one has their own story to tell.

I appreciated learning about a train wreck I had never heard of before and her research into the timeframe of 1895 was excellent. She truly brought riding a vintage train to life, you could picture the steam and feel the heat of the fire. A short quick read I enjoyed immensely. Comes in with 4 stars.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue

I LOVED this book! I didn’t realize it was based on a true event until the author’s note. Ms Donoghue lets the reader know who the actual passengers were and who were the characters “ invited aboard” by her imagination. It is SO well written.

In the 1890s, the Paris Express train went from Normandy to Paris and had a schedule to keep. Passengers got on and off at its few stops and some just changed cars out of boredom or for comfort. The reader gets to know snippets of each character, including the crew, as he or she moves about. This book is why I love historical fiction when it’s done right. I was engaged from the first paragraph.

The build up to this doomed train ride was perfection. Just as in real life, all the characters were very different and added interest to a long journey in confined train cars. The reader gets to be fly on the wall to human nature at its best and worst.

I would rate this story more than 5 stars if I could. Don’t let the lower reviews sway you. It’s a winner!

Emma Donoghue has created a clever and fascinating take on the real-life 1895 Montparnasse train disaster. But more than that, in this story, the train seems like a metaphor for the journey of life and the stops at stations along the way are turning points or realizations for each of the characters.

Feminism is front and center here, with strong female characters driving the story, literally, since even the engine is given personality and is female. The way the author personifies the train engine is a smart touch.

Time is also one of the novel’s biggest themes. Whether life’s journey is long or cut short, what matters is how you spend it.

The story is rich in French culture, social commentary and full of atmosphere. At first, the characters might seem a little dull, just going about their everyday lives, riding the train. But the real intrigue is in what’s left unsaid, what’s hidden beneath the surface. Every passenger has their own ambitions, regrets, and secrets, making the journey feel just as much about their personal struggles as it is about reaching their destination.

I can see people either loving or hating this, but for me, the author’s note at the end really pulled everything together. If you’re up for something a little different, give this one a go. 4.25 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Summit Books for the ARC

I was very excited about reading this new book by Emma Donoghue, as I have I really liked Room, the Wonder and Pull of the Stars. This book however was completely different. It is the real story of a 1895 train derailment in France at the Paris Montparnasse train station. The beginning of the story introduces many characters boarding the train at every stop. As the story unfolds more characters are introduced. Truthfully I had a hard time keeping them straight. It might have been me as I am a fast reader, but I found I had to keep going back to follow the story. The book has been given many good reviews so I will perhaps reread it.
Thanks you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The year is 1895, the cusp of the 20th century in France. Political unrest and antigovernment anarchists have created terror with their attacks. The wealth of France continues to be centered in Paris and this modern city is connected to the larger country via an elaborate rail network. The Paris express is due back in to Montparnasse station just before 4pm and its many passengers span the likes of politicians to young students to artists. As the train hurtles toward disaster, the many riders have 6 plus hours to familiarize themselves with their fellow passengers and this story highlights these interactions. While this story is a work of fiction, it’s based on the very real Montparnasse station disaster.

As always, thank you NetGalley and S&S/Summit Books for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I admit I struggled to engage with this book for quite a while. This is definitely a character driven story which is not my favorite format and it was made more challenging by the sheer number of characters involved. I struggled to keep track of who everyone was as the story jumped back and forth which made it more difficult to stay engaged. The book reminded me somewhat of Devil in the White City where it was a mix of descriptive history and character experiences. (I didn’t like that much either) the last 3rd of the book was more exciting to me as it felt like more was happening but it still wasn’t enough to make me excited to read. The author’s notes at the end clarifying what really happened were helpful to understand the true history captured but this book just didn’t quite do it for me overall.

I loved this unique book, and I'm glad I read it without researching the train crash beforehand. The author did a wonderful job bringing the time period to life. It was very atmospheric; I felt like it was written by a French person. Readers will learn a lot about life in France at the end of the nineteenth century, with the train's first, second and third classes representative of life off the train, from racism to sexism to homophobia and more. One also learns about the activity of anarchists, new technology of the time, and the intricate demands of running trains. I enjoyed learning all of it. There are many characters in the book, both passengers and crew. I was glad to be reading the book on my kindle so I could easily refresh my memory of who was who for the minor characters. Suspense builds throughout the book about who (if anyone) will survive the crash. I found it all a great read, and I appreciated the author's note at the end revealing what was true and what was fiction. I highly recommend this very original book.

Very well told story with great character development. I loved the setup of each chapter being a train stop along the route. The author does a good job giving you a sense of the different stories of the people on the train.

I deliberately didn’t read about the train crash on the internet. I wanted to learn its fate through the pages of Emma Donoghue’s novel. And I’m glad I did! This book was full of suspense and fatalism, even the train had a POV. The story built slowly, gaining speed to then be halted at each station. Wonderful use of prose and structure to mirror the journey.
There were many characters within these pages, yet I didn’t struggle to keep up with the change of voice. Each character had a secret, an inner struggle or a fanatic dream. They all came together for a single train journey that would bind them in a memory forever.
This was easy to read, rich in prose and description. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the authors note at the end.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

The Paris Express is Emma Donoghue’s latest historical fiction novel about the infamous railway disaster in 1895 Paris. We follow the route of the train from Granville to Paris, learning the stories of many of the passengers and crew. I enjoyed this novel, but I enjoyed other books by this author more (Room and The Pull of the Stars to name a few). There were a lot of different characters to keep track of, and I felt it took away from the story a bit.

Thank you to Summit Books and NetGalley for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. Fans of Emma Donoghue will be able to purchase this book in late March.

The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue is a historical fiction novel based on an infamous train derailment that occurred at the Montparnasse train station in Paris in 1895. I went into this novel enthusiastically as I enjoy reading about historical events that are new to me and I’m a fan of this author’s previous work. The novel features an exhaustive cast of characters who were listed as passengers on the train or were living in Paris during that time. I felt an overwhelming sense of dread as I was reading, as I became attached to certain characters and was dreading the impending disaster. All was not as it seemed with the storyline and I would suggest going into this blindly so as not to ruin any twists. I enjoyed reading the author’s note, especially how she chose her characters based on the passenger list as well as other Parisians of that time. Historical fiction fans who aren’t overwhelmed by an extensive cast of characters will enjoy this novel. 3/5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Summit Books for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue is a historical fiction based on the train disaster that took place at the Montparnasse station in 1895. The story brings to life a number of characters that were on the train that day. It goes into the background of these passengers who are from a number of different countries, members of parliament who are heading to Paris to vote, as well a the crew. Stories, interpersonal relationships that develop among these passengers, and happenings with the crew develops this story.

The story starts out with a few characters but as the train stops along the way, more board for the trip. There winds up to be so many passengers involved that it was hard to keep track of them. It was interesting to hear their stories and how things develop among the passengers.

Thank you Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to read this advanced readers copy.