Book Review: The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue
About the book
A woman determined to make her mark. A journey that will change everything.
Paris, 1895. Glamour hides a city on the brink. One morning, a young woman boards the Granville Express with a deadly plan.
On the journey lives intertwine in explosive ways. There are the railway crew who have everything to lose, a little boy travelling alone for the first time, an elderly statesman with his fragile wife and a lonely artist far from home.
The train speeds towards the City of Light and into a future that will change everything .
From the Sunday Times bestselling author of Room and The Pull of the Stars, Emma Donoghue takes readers on a thrilling ride through a simmering turn-of-the-century Paris on the edge of a dazzling future.
Why we love it
The Paris Express is a fascinating and beautifully researched novel that unfolds over the course of a single seven-hour train journey from the seaside town of Granville on the Normandy coast to Paris.
Set in 1895, it introduces us to a rich cast of characters travelling on the train on one particular day - from the railway staff working tirelessly behind the scenes to passengers spread across first, second and third class.
As the novel unfolds, we move between each of their stories: a maid in third class in one chapter, a self-important politician in first the next. And yet, for all these shifting perspectives, it’s really the train itself that feels like the true protagonist - a powerful, unyielding presence carrying everyone towards a shared destination.
Inspired by real events and incorporating historical figures from the time, it’s hard to say much about the plot without straying into spoiler territory. What I can say is that there’s a subtle but unmistakable escalation of tension throughout the novel, perfectly echoing the steady rhythm of the journey. Like the train on its tracks, the story moves forward with quiet inevitability, building towards a conclusion you sense is coming long before you arrive.
The passengers form a microcosm of French society, and through their intersecting lives Emma Donoghue delivers a sharp and often searing social commentary on poverty, privilege and class. The stark divide between the very rich and the very poor and the simmering tensions beneath the surface, feels strikingly relevant today. It’s a reminder that while times change, human nature often doesn’t and history has a habit of repeating itself.
Overall, this is another ambitious, original and intelligent novel from Emma Donoghue — immersive, thought-provoking and utterly compelling. It kept me hooked from start to finish and I loved every minute of the journey.
