The Christmas Train by David Baldacci

THE CHRISTMAS TRAIN by David Baldacci

The Christmas Train is a funny, adventurous book that shows a lot of different feelings and emotions very well depending on the situation and the characters.
The main character, Tom Langdon, who is a reporter, departs on a train journey from the Washington to Los Angeles to meet his girlfriend Leila for Christmas. He was forced to take the train though after a certain misunderstanding with airport staff.
This book shows a lot of cleverly thought-about characters and all have small stories themselves which make it more interesting to read and find out more about all of the different characters.
On the train, the Capitol Limited, Tom meets his ex-girlfriend, Eleanor, who he’d shared many adventures with when he was younger. Some other characters include Max Powers, a famous film director, and young couple Steve and Julie, amongst many others. Another thing I enjoyed about this book was the unexpected twist at the end where all the mysterious happenings and coincidences are revealed!

I would recommend this book to people who are good at reading and want to read a book with a bit of romance, a bit of adventure and yet also a bit of mystery. It is a very gripping book to read and is written so that when you get to the end of one chapter you want to go on and read more! Thoroughly enjoyable, 8/10!

By Charles S. 7B

I have been a fan of the crime/thriller novels of author David Baldacci for some years, and was therefore intrigued to see how he would handle a subject that was not of his usual genre. It was therefore with interest that I picked up and read ‘The Christmas Train’ and I was not disappointed.

The book is a combination of a love story, a detective tale and an adventure. The main character in the story is a journalist called Tom Langdon who sets out to join his girlfriend Lelia for Christmas. Having been banned from travelling by air due to a previous ‘misunderstanding’ with airport security he joins a group of other travellers on a three thousand mile train journey across America from Washington DC to Los Angeles. He quickly meets up with his fellow travellers who range from a famous film director, a young eloping couple, a priest, the train’s colourful staff and a cast of other characters including, rather awkwardly, his ex-girlfriend Eleanor.

The story follows their rather eventful journey across America, first on the Capitol Limited to Chicago and then the Southwest Chief from Chicago to Los Angeles. The trip is interrupted by various incidents each of which cast light on the main characters and gradually weaves their individual fates together.

The story is well written with some good characterisation and a plot line which keeps the reader engaged right to the very end where (and without wishing to give too much away) an unseen twist is revealed!

In short an entertaining and heart-warming little story that will appeal to all ages. 8/10.

Iain S.