The Paris Express

The Paris Express ~ Emma Donoghue

A full cast of characters ride the express train from Granville, Normandy to Paris in October of 1895. Among them are a young physiologist, a painter, an aging Russian housekeeper, a young boy traveling alone, a (very) pregnant woman, a few parliamentarians, and a young anarchist with dreams of glory for her cause (and a bomb). The train itself is a character and has some consciousness of the danger, but no emotions nor any control over preventing it.

As we travel along the route, we learn more of each character, of their secrets and hopes. Mado, the anarchist, has made a bomb and is thrilled to learn that there are going to be parliamentarians aboard the train. She is sorry that her bomb will also kill the pregnant woman, the child, the kind Russian, but while these lives matter, they do not matter as much as her cause. What she can’t decide is when is the best time to detonate…in a tunnel? On a bridge? At a station?

I really enjoyed this quick thriller and was engrossed, wondering how it would end. I looked up Granville, and wow, what a beautiful seaside city! I knew nothing about this book going in, I don’t know who recommended it or if it just popped up as a suggestion because I have read other works by Emma Donoghue. I recommend this approach, if you know too much, I feel like it will take away from the story. If you’re not likely to read it, or if you like to read the end of a book before the rest, you can spoil the surprise here. It’s historical fiction, so the author has combined real events, real people who were there, real people who could potentially have been there, and fictional people. Highly recommended.