I’m just gonna say it: The Paris Express is my least favorite Emma Donoghue novel. *cries*
But I’ve loved so many of this author’s books that I suppose she’s allowed a clunker here and there, right?
Right???? *sigh*
What’s The Paris Express about?
The Paris Express is a multi-POV novel (yep, another one) about people aboard a fast-moving train traveling across France that is – not a spoiler – doomed to crash. It’s based on a real-life train disaster called the Montparnasse Derailment that occurred in Paris on October 22, 1895. The incident was etched in history via numerous photographs of the derailed train. (One of the photos is included in the book. The image of the wreckage is insane.)
Author Donoghue introduces us to passengers traveling in First, Second, and Third Classes, as well as to train employees. Most characters are loosely based on people who were or might have been on the actual Paris Express that day. We learn their stories – what brought them on the train, what they’re happy with, what they’re upset about, what they’re running away from, and what they’re hoping for.
We also learn the most pivotal piece of information: one of the passengers brought a bomb on the train.
What I didn’t like about The Paris Express
You know all those people we meet in the book? There are just Too. Damn. Many. Of. Them.
The first 60 pages or so of The Paris Express are extremely slow. It’s full of character introductions, which would be fine if we were only meeting a handful characters.
But there are around 15-20 different character POVs in The Paris Express. It’s overload, and the constant introductions weigh down the pace of the novel.
Each POV is doled out in small vignettes. You get a page or two of one character, then you’re moving on to the next. The constant flipping between POVs makes it hard to keep track of everyone. It’s made harder by the fact that some characters appear at the very beginning of the novel, disappear, and only appear again right before the very end of the novel. Most of my time reading The Paris Express was spent going, “Okay, now who is this person again?”
One particular “character” of note is the train itself: Engine 721. It talks about the danger it senses on board. I might have enjoyed this unique narrative more if I weren’t trying to keep track of, like, 15 other freakin’ characters.
POVs: sometimes more is just… more
I kinda understand why Donoghue gave us so many POVs in The Paris Express. (Other than the fact that everyone is doing this now in their books, I mean). I don’t think we’re supposed to get invested in any particular narrative. Rather, I think Donoghue wanted to show just how many different people were taking the train that day and would have been affected by the disaster. Her point (I think?) is that people from all different races, genders, social classes, and political leanings were involved in this singular leveling event.
But, I would have enjoyed the novel more if Donoghue had presented POVs from only a handful of characters. This would have allowed me to be invested in their stories. It was hard to care about any of them on a deeper level, even the bomber, who we meet up with most often in The Paris Express.
Should you read The Paris Express?
Eh…I’m not sure if I recommend reading The Paris Express. It’s not a bad story, but it’s nowhere near as good as Donoghue’s other books that I’ve read (see below).
The Paris Express also didn’t feel as polished as her previous books. It felt like a rough draft of a story that could be great if Donoghue worked on it more. I know what great storytelling she’s capable of, and this was not it. Most of the time it felt like she was pushing me towards how she wanted me to feel about her story. But, she didn’t write the story in a way that made me feel that way on my own.
My favorite Emma Donoghue books
Here are some Emma Donoghue books that I do recommend reading:
The first by book Emma Donoghue that I read was Room, and it blew me away. It’s about a contemporary woman and her son who are held captive for years in a storage shed. The premise itself is intense, but it was the way Donoghue wrote their story that made an impact. Room is told through the boy’s point of view, which is extremely limited because of how sheltered he grew up. Donoghue uses incorrect spellings, random capitalizations, and gives emotions and feelings to animate objects, just like a kid would do. You really need to read Room if you haven’t already.
I also loved The Wonder, which is a slow-moving but compelling story about an 1800s nurse called out to monitor a girl in rural Ireland who seems to miraculously subsist without eating or drinking. She logs the girl’s daily activities in an attempt to medically prove that the “miracle” is false. The Wonder was made into a Netflix movie starring Florence Pugh.
The Pull of the Stars was another great tale from Emma Donoghue. You can read my full book review of that one here.
Although I received a complimentary advance copy of The Paris Express from Simon and Schuster, all opinions expressed in this review are my own, and I was not compensated in any way for this review or for any other promotion/publicity I’ve done related to this book.
Aww bummer. I clicked on this because I’m currently reading books set in Paris but this is really a book set on a train anyway. Could you imagine going on a literary date on a train? Not very exciting.
This book sounds so confusing. I would never be able to follow along with all of that.
I am currently reading an epic 830 page book, Paris, which will probably follow along many different families through time. It’s interesting. Can’t get too attached I think because once time moves on, that story is done and it’s moved onto the next. I like it so far. Only 16% through it. I had no idea it was so long when I picked it up!
Thanks for this review! Maybe I’ll read one of her other books.
OMG, 830 pages. You’re a trooper! I don’t think there’s any book I would want to read that much, lol.
I have much better Paris book recommendations!
–I’M MOSTLY HERE TO ENJOY MYSELF by Glynnis MacNicol (one of my fave writers; nonfiction/memoir)
–THE LIGHT OF PARIS by Eleanor Brown (https://www.wellreadtart.com/quick-look-books-vacation-destinations/)
–A BAKERY IN PARIS by Aimie K. Runyan (https://www.wellreadtart.com/book-review-of-a-bakery-in-paris/)
–THE BALLERINAS by Rachel Kapelke-Dale (Think Center Stage, but darker.)
–THE PERFECT NANNY by Leila Slimani (https://www.wellreadtart.com/book-review-the-perfect-nanny/)
And, in case you want to venture away from Paris and into the French countryside:
–THE CHATEAU by Jaclyn Goldis (suspense/thriller)
–THE MEMORY OF LAVENDER AND SAGE by Aimie K. Runyan (https://www.wellreadtart.com/the-memory-of-lavender-and-sage-book-review/)