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.

Follow the passengers and crew of The Paris Express (by Emma Donoghue) as the travel from Normandy to Paris. The train’s engineer and stoker try to arrive on time so they will receive a Christmas bonus. Passengers each have a unique story to share to the reader. Three government officials are returning to Paris for a legislative session. A young woman plans to blow up the train killing those three men. There’s the student, a painter, a young boy, a Russian emigrant whose stories mix in this interesting tale.

While the author took liberties with the story, the backs facts are true. I was able to read an ARC on #NetGalley.

Based on real events and some of the actual people at the time, Paris Express follows a group of people on a train bound from Normandie to Paris in 1895. It was factual and gave you a keen view of what it was like to travel by train back in the day, but there were so many people, characters, that I had to keep trying to remember who was who.

The time period was interesting as was the difference in the three classes of passengers, but again, I felt that there were just too many people. I would have enjoyed it more if there had been more of an emphasis on fewer passengers and we really got to know them. As it was we met not only the crew but multiple passengers in all the classes along with those who cam onboard at each of the stops. Then 90% into the book we met yet another character who was at the train station in Paris.

I appreciated the author's notes at the end to know how many of people were real and what happened to them but since so much of their lives were fictionalized I really think the author could have cut down on how many she introduced us to.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

With a large cast of characters and mounting tension, The Paris Express is based on the true story of an 1895 train disaster. The author, Emma Donoghue, is a brilliant writer whose amazing book Room still haunts me.

I might have preferred fewer characters to keep up with, but each was deftly drawn and interesting. The social issues of that period and place are woven into each passenger and train crew’s stories. The passenger list includes a social activist/anarchist, an American artist, members of Parliament, Russians, Irish, Algerians, and even Cambodians. The ordinary and extraordinary, the impoverished and the wealthy, share this journey toward an unknown fate. Part of the tension for the reader is knowing something bad will happen while most of these innocent (well, mostly innocent) travelers suspect nothing.

As with any good historical fiction, the factual bits are like finding diamonds for the reader. I was fascinated in particular by how the emergence of photography impacted this story. Loved getting to share the worlds of such a variety of people, too.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for an advance review copy.

Sadly, I was disappointed in this novel. Having read other books by Emma Donaghue, (Room, which I loved, and The Pull of the Stars, which I liked but didn’t love), I looked forward to reading this. I felt like the premise was interesting and had potential for a good story. I found some parts of the story to be interesting… mainly those dealing with everyday things: a man with a crush on a woman, a frail young woman who may be suffering from a terrible disease, a pregnant woman about to give birth, to name a few. Some parts were even thrilling.
On the other hand, I didn’t enjoy the details of the train workings, politics, and, unfortunately, found those parts to be a bit boring. I skimmed over those parts in order to finish the book. The flow of the story wasn’t smooth and some of the writing was difficult to understand. The fact that I didn’t really enjoy this book won’t deter me from reading future books by this author, as I’ve enjoyed others by her. I just wished I found this to be better.
Thank you to Summit Books/Simon & Schuster Publishing for an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

I appreciate what was trying to be done here, but this book just wasn't for me. I found it a bit choppy and unfortunately forgettable. In fact, I had forgotten to submit this review, saw the book was still on my NetGalley to-read list, and started downloading it for a second time because I had completely forgotten that I had already read it. Sorry!

Donoghue's newest novel is about an infamous train crash in Paris in 1895. Definitely go look up the photos from this incident, as they are remarkable for their time. As always, Donoghue's writing is strong and the story is well plotted and paced. I struggled with the sheer number of characters; the book was short enough that I think I would have enjoyed more depth and backstory on fewer characters. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster | S&S/Summit Books for a digital review copy.

was really excited to read this Emma Donoghue novel, The Paris Express, because I so enjoyed the movie version of Room. It took quite a bit of reading to get involved in this and I thought it took a long time to set up the action. About half way through it really clicked with me and I enjoyed the second half much more than the first half. After visiting Paris last summer I had hoped to really enjoy this from the beginning. I did really like the Author’s Notes at the end and they contributed greatly to my enjoyment of this historical novel.

Thanks to Netgalley and Summit Books for this ebook arc to read. All opinions are my own.

Emma Donoghue is a master storyteller—her books are always unique, gripping, and expertly crafted.

The Paris Express is a fascinating read set around the 1895 Montparnasse train crash, following a train full of passengers heading toward disaster. Through beautifully written vignettes, we get a glimpse into their lives, secrets, and struggles—whether they’re in the luxury of first class or packed into second and third.

There’s a big cast of characters, but that only adds to the tension. We meet an oyster seller on her way to Paris, a young Black artist, a lonely old man hiding his desires, a boy traveling alone for the first time, a pregnant woman, a cabaret performer, an ambitious mixed-heritage scientist, and the rebellious Mado Pelletier, determined to cause chaos.

What really makes this book shine is the rich historical detail. It explores class divides, church hypocrisy, corruption in the railway industry, and social changes still relevant today. Even knowing disaster is coming, you can’t help but get invested.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster | S&S/Summit Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rounded up from 3.5.

Based on a true event, this historical fiction moves away from the traditional historical fiction model. It was a quick and interesting read that combines many stories into one. Donohue does well, as always, of researching stories and writing interesting characters that feel genuine. Historical fiction is not my cup of tea and in many ways, this continued that trend but it was well written and short enough to keep me engaged throughout.

Based on a true event in 1895, The Paris event tells the story of an express train, its crew and passengers on a fateful journey to the Montparenasse station in Paris.
The novel weaves in and out of the multiple characters stories which are brief and one dimensional. What kept me reading was waiting to find out the crew and passengers outcome. The author’s notes at the end were very informative and interesting.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC.

Based on an 1895 disaster that went down in history when it was captured in a series of surreal, extraordinary photographs, The Paris Express is a propulsive novel set on a train packed with a fascinating cast of characters who hail from as close as Brittany and as far as Russia, Ireland, Algeria, Pennsylvania, and Cambodia. Members of parliament hurry back to Paris to vote; a medical student suspects a girl may be dying; a secretary tries to convince her boss of the potential of moving pictures; two of the train’s crew build a life away from their wives; a young anarchist makes a terrifying plan, and much more.

This was an absolute fantastic book. I love historical books and I need to read more from this author.

I received a free DRC of this book through Netgalley. I wasn't sure how interesting this would be at first, but then I really found myself hating to put it down. It built up the pressure chapter by chapter as we get to know the people on the train and get invested in their lives knowing that they may get killed soon. The suspense aspect really was like an electrical current getting stronger as the clock clicks by. At the end, I found the historical story that it is based on very interesting.

October 22, 1895.

An express train from Granville to Montparnasse Train Station departs at 8:30 a.m., with an expected arrival time in Paris at 4 p.m. The train will stop at Vire, Flers, Briouze (an unexpected stop added during the journey), Surdon, and Dreux.

The passengers aboard represent a diverse and transient group. While they do not all board the train simultaneously, most choose this express service to reach Montparnasse Train Station. Passengers will board depending on whether they have purchased tickets for seating in first, second, or third class.

Mado Pelletier has a specific reason for taking the train on this day, having made a great deal of preparations for her journey. She is particularly protective of her lunch bucket due to its contents, although she has not packed any food. Mado expects that the items within her lunch bucket will make headlines worldwide, though she does not anticipate seeing or reading any of the newspapers.

This story is based on the actual event of a train derailment at the Montparnasse train station in Paris. The passage of time throughout the day is emphasized as each chapter begins with the scheduled arrival or departure time at every station. Epigraphs establish the atmospheric tone for the journey.

I enjoyed the vignettes featuring the crew and the passengers, as they provided a glimpse into different viewpoints, personalities, and the era's technology. Through the stories of the crew, readers gain insight into how they perform their duties individually and collectively, as well as the pressures and constraints they face in meeting the expectations of the railroad company. The choices passengers make—such as working, staying on the train, briefly disembarking at a stop, taking in the landscape, or conversing with others—highlight their socio-economic and cultural differences.

The "Author's Note" provides details about the derailment, the lives of the crew members after the incident, and information about the train passengers based on historical records. It also includes names of individuals who could have been on the train, drawn from their residences in Paris or surrounding areas during that month and year, adding a layer of authenticity to the story.

Thank you to Emma Donoghue, Simon & Schuster | S&S/Summit Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an eARC of this book.