The Paris Express
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Table of Contents
About The Book
From the bestselling and “soul-stirring” (Oprah Daily) author of Room, a sweeping historical “nail-biter” (People) of a novel about the 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.
Reading Group Guide
The latest historical novel from New York Times bestselling author Emma Donoghue is inspired by the true story of an infamous 1895 disaster at the Paris Montparnasse train station.
TOPICS & QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1. The epigraph reads: “The occasional disaster, what does it matter? Let’s take necessary evils in our stride—every great invention costs a few lives!” How does this set up the novel and what is to come for the passengers? After reading the novel, do you think lives lost to great inventions are worth the cost?
2. This book was inspired by an iconic photograph. If you were to write a historical fiction novel, what photograph would you base it on and why?
3. How many of you were aware of the Montparnasse Train Crash before reading the book? How did that knowledge of the book’s ending affect your reading experience? For those who did not know about the train crash, were you able to predict at any point how the story would end?
4. One of the most interesting aspects of this book is the wide range of characters whose lives we get a peek into. Which of these characters did you love or resonate with the most and why?
5. What are some of the moral dilemmas that occur throughout the book? How do the characters handle these dilemmas, and do you approve of their choices?
6. In Room, The Pull of the Stars, and The Wonder, Emma captures audiences in an enclosed space—a hospital room or a vigil in a small village—and takes readers on an unexpected journey. What do you think the enclosed setting adds to (or removes from) the story?
7. Mado deliberates on her decision throughout much of the story. What do you think tipped her over the edge and influenced the choice she made?
8. The train ends up being one of the most fascinating characters in the book. What did you think about her (and her desire to be famous)?
9. Henry Ossawa Tanner, one of the first African American artists to gain international acclaim, is part of Paris Express’ grand cast. Henry, in real life and as depicted in the novel, is one of many African American artists who immigrated to Paris to escape American racism—see Josephine Baker, James Baldwin, Nina Simone, etc. France was at the peak of its colonial exploits during this time—another point depicted in the novel. What do you think made France a safe haven for some marginalized people and not others?
10. Emma is known for being brilliant at historical research. What did you learn reading this book that surprised or amazed you?
ENHANCE YOUR BOOK CLUB
1. Host a French inspired book club meeting with French cuisine and wine.
2. Watch Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché, a documentary about the Mother of Cinema featured in the book.
3. Play a train inspired game like Train to Ride in addition to discussing the book with your book club group.
About The Author
Born in Dublin in 1969, Emma Donoghue is an Irish emigrant twice over: she spent eight years in Cambridge doing a PhD in 18th-century literature before following her partner to London, Ontario. She is best known for her novels, which range from the historical (Learned by Heart, Haven, The Pull of the Stars, The Wonder, Frog Music, Slammerkin) to the contemporary (Akin, Landing). Her most recent novel, The Paris Express, was a finalist for the 2025 Giller Prize. Her international bestseller Room was a New York Times Best Book of the Year and a finalist for the Man Booker, Commonwealth, and Orange Prizes. Donoghue also wrote the screenplays for Room and The Wonder and adapted Room and The Pull of the Stars for the stage. 2026 saw the premiere of her first musical, The Wind Coming Over the Sea. Her most recent film (adapted with Philippa Lowthorpe from Helen Macdonald’s memoir) is H Is for Hawk.
About The Reader
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio (March 18, 2025)
- Runtime: 7 hours and 15 minutes
- ISBN13: 9781668123973
Raves and Reviews
"This thrill ride of an audiobook tells the many stories of those onboard Train 721, which crashes in Montparnasse station in October 1895. British narrator Justin Avoth narrates the drama at a good pace and keeps the story moving. Donoghue brings her plotting skills, eloquent style, and eye for social mores to the cast of fictional people who are on the train. To the group she adds the real-life playwright John Synge and American painter Henry Trainer, among others. Tension mounts as a young anarchist carries a homemade bomb, a baby is born, and, inexorably, the train plows into the station. It’s remembered in a famous photo of the engine dangling out of a parapet."
– AudioFile magazine
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
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Book Cover Image (jpg): The Paris Express
Unabridged Audio Download 9781668123973
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Author Photo (jpg): Emma Donoghue Woodgate Photography(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit
