I had an interesting experience while reading The Paris Express. I hadn’t seen the blurb at all, so didn’t know what it was about, but while reading this historical fiction set – yes, on a train, Engine 721 to be precise, going from Granville on the north-west coast of France to Paris, I realised I recognised one or two of the character names and The Paris Express took an intriguing twist.
Opening sentence: Half past eight in the morning, on the twenty-second of October, 1895, in Granville, on the Normandy coast.
From reality to fiction
Author Emma Donoghue says in the book notes that she was inspired by this iconic picture of the real 1895 Montparnasse train crash and while some of the characters on her version of Engine 721 were actually on the real train, she has woven in others to drive her story and capture the air of unrest and revolution that was prevalent in turn-of-the-century Paris. Arguably, still there today.
The first thing you have to get your head around is the high number of characters that are introduced in quite quick succession. Think Agatha Christie style when she’s giving us all the potential murderers in a closed-box situation. Although this isn’t a murder mystery.
The Paris Express is a snapshot of French society and human nature – from the rich and powerful in first class to those struggling to get by in third class and all in-between.
A railway carriage is as intimate as a dinner party, but one with no host and guests assembled at random.
I really enjoyed the blend of characters we meet, like painter Gaugin’s muse, young revolutionary Mado with so much anger and drive for change but unsure where to really channel it, world-wise Blonska and the guard and drivers of the train, who were under such pressure to make sure the train was never late, at all costs…
Great historical research
That’s the paradox of trains, he supposes; they show you what you’d never have seen otherwise, but only for a tantalising second.
The Paris Express conjures up really lovely flashes of the French countryside and the scenes depicting the train and how it all works are very insightful. There are one or two chapters from the POV of the train too, which adds to the charm of this read.
This was a very pleasant way to spend an afternoon, and I felt I’d learnt a little more about this extraordinary moment from history, as well as enjoying a thoughtful story.
