The Paris Express

De: Emma Donoghue

Narrado por: Justin Avoth

Emma Donoghue, the “soul-stirring” (Oprah Daily) nationally bestselling author of Room, returns with a sweeping historical novel about an infamous 1895 disaster at the Paris Montparnasse train station.

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.

From an author whose “writing is superb alchemy” (Audrey Niffenegger, New York Times bestselling author), The Paris Express is an evocative masterpiece that effortlessly captures the politics, glamour, chaos, and speed that marked the end of the 19th century.

©2025 Emma Donoghue (P)2025 Simon & Schuster Audio

Great character building, great plot and a mastery of language

Wow, yet another masterpiece from an amazing seasoned writer. I am always fascinated with the topics that Emma Donoghue chooses to write about. And the most important for me is the author's note at the end of the book, :), where you always learn something new!
Such an enjoyable read!

Outstanding narrator

This book was riveting, heightened by the truly exceptional performance of the narrator. I started it in the late afternoon and ended up staying awake until it was finished. Highly recommended.

Need to be told?

I got to the end of this book and felt that this was a story that did not need to be told. A relatively minor train crash. I would have liked more historical info or to follow the characters more before or after the event. For such a short book too many characters and i felt like the characters were chosen for today’s social causes instead of representative of France at the time.

blah

I wanted to like this, but it was boring and blah. I fell asleep listening to it and had no desire to go back and hear the parts I missed. The narration was just OK.