The Paris Express: a historical fictionalization of the infamous 1895 train disaster

The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue is a historical novel about the infamous 1895 disaster at the Paris Montparnasse train station. Originating in Normandy, on the morning of October 22, 1895, The Paris Express is packed as it heads to its final destination. From individuals from French citizens to foreign visitors on a normal, every day train to Paris. From members of parliament in a hurry for an important vote, a medical student who suspects a patient is dying, a secretary trying to convince her boss to see the future in motion pictures, and a young anarchist who plots a terrifying plan. What they don’t know is that this train ride will not end well and change their lives forever. Who will survive? Who is to blame? 

While I have heard of Ms. Donoghue’s novel, Room and the subsequent film, she is a new author to me. The Paris Express is touted as “an evocative masterpiece that effortlessly captures the politics, glamour, chaos, and speed that marked the end of the 19th century.” I hadn’t heard of the 1895 disaster and was curious to read about it. However, I was quickly disappointed. I was bored and I could not connect or care about any of the characters, which there were far too many to keep track of (and I take notes for my reviews)! The Paris Express is more about the characters as they travel on the train than the disaster itself. The build up to the disaster didn’t work either and when it happened, it was underwhelming. I do not recommend The Paris Express. 

The Paris Express is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook