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A review by danubooks
The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Every great invention costs a few lives
On October 22, 1895, an express train left the station in Granville on the Normandy coast of France at 10:04 am, its destination Paris. Its passengers and crew ran the gamut of age and social class, their one commonality their need or desire to get from one destination to another. The train made its customary stops along the way, in places like Vire, Flers and Dreux, before arriving at the Gare Montparnasse at 4:00 pm. Over the course of the voyage the novel details the lives, loves and dreams of many of the passengers and crew, from a member of parliament who is rushing to make a vote to a medical student whose mind is focused on the condition of a patient, from two crew members engaged in a quiet relationship to a young woman unhappy with the state of the world who is plotting a violent act. What should have been a routine voyage by rail would become anything but ordinary when it ends in horrific fashion, and those on board would forever share a bond in the experience.
As I have found to be the case with many of author Emma Donoghue's works, this novel is far more engrossing and involved than the basic plot line suggests. The event described in the novel actually happened and was captured for posterity at the time in several stunning photographs. The author has taken that event, researched it in great detail, and woven fictional characters with real life passengers to form a microcosm of society. The story unfolds in chronological fashion, jumping from character to character, and becomes a portrayal of human drama within the train's walls. Each person is exquisitely drawn, their backstories and plans detailed as their paths intersect; having the train engine itself be one of the voices was a bit distracting for me though, to be honest. The pace starts out slowly but increases speed along with the train itself, the suspense building as the train nears its fateful end. The beauty of the prose and the level of detail offered brings this period of history to life, and themes of class differences, gender inequalities and the wonders and pitfalls of industrialization mix together to form a fascinating read. I found hints of both James Cameron's movie Titanic and Agatha Christie's novel Murder on the Orient Express within these pages, and I recommend The Paris Express to those who enjoyed either of those two works as well as to readers of Sarah Waters, Kate Morton, Anita Shreve and of course of Emma Donoghue herself. Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster/Summit Books for allowing me access to this though-provoking novel in exchange for my honest review.
On October 22, 1895, an express train left the station in Granville on the Normandy coast of France at 10:04 am, its destination Paris. Its passengers and crew ran the gamut of age and social class, their one commonality their need or desire to get from one destination to another. The train made its customary stops along the way, in places like Vire, Flers and Dreux, before arriving at the Gare Montparnasse at 4:00 pm. Over the course of the voyage the novel details the lives, loves and dreams of many of the passengers and crew, from a member of parliament who is rushing to make a vote to a medical student whose mind is focused on the condition of a patient, from two crew members engaged in a quiet relationship to a young woman unhappy with the state of the world who is plotting a violent act. What should have been a routine voyage by rail would become anything but ordinary when it ends in horrific fashion, and those on board would forever share a bond in the experience.
As I have found to be the case with many of author Emma Donoghue's works, this novel is far more engrossing and involved than the basic plot line suggests. The event described in the novel actually happened and was captured for posterity at the time in several stunning photographs. The author has taken that event, researched it in great detail, and woven fictional characters with real life passengers to form a microcosm of society. The story unfolds in chronological fashion, jumping from character to character, and becomes a portrayal of human drama within the train's walls. Each person is exquisitely drawn, their backstories and plans detailed as their paths intersect; having the train engine itself be one of the voices was a bit distracting for me though, to be honest. The pace starts out slowly but increases speed along with the train itself, the suspense building as the train nears its fateful end. The beauty of the prose and the level of detail offered brings this period of history to life, and themes of class differences, gender inequalities and the wonders and pitfalls of industrialization mix together to form a fascinating read. I found hints of both James Cameron's movie Titanic and Agatha Christie's novel Murder on the Orient Express within these pages, and I recommend The Paris Express to those who enjoyed either of those two works as well as to readers of Sarah Waters, Kate Morton, Anita Shreve and of course of Emma Donoghue herself. Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster/Summit Books for allowing me access to this though-provoking novel in exchange for my honest review.