The Catacombs (Book 2 of World’s Scariest Places)
The Catacombs
By Jeremy Bates
The Sexton’s musings (spoilers are likely):
The Paris catacombs is a location that, if you have kept up with my posts, you know something about. We have visited these halls of bones before. During my research for those posts I was able to watch the famed video. I have to admit it is rather creepy. If it is genuine then I worry for that person’s safety because it is obvious that they are panicked. The drawing on the wall is uncomfortable in the way that art can be but the location really clenches it. I have also seen movies where they go looking for this person as these cataphile’s (as our author refers to those that illegally explore these tunnels) came upon the video camera while exploring. This book follows a similar path only there is a lot more detail about the people who spend time down there. And there are a whole lot of them apparently. Or group consists of two, very well seasoned, cataphile’s and two first timers and the dynamic is an interesting one.
Will
Our main character is one that comes with a whole cargo load of baggage that he is having a hard time coping with. It makes him a bit frosty when it comes to Daniele occasionally. What I don’t understand is why he is not up front with her about why he is somewhat standoffish with her. Especially at first. He has every reason to be a bit gun shy with relationships considering the events surrounding his last serious one but like I said Daniele seems like a smart woman, I think she would understand. I love how close he becomes with Katja. He may have used her at first to escape but in the end he saw her for what she was and that’s a beautiful soul that deserves so much more than what she has been given. He wants to give that to her and is willing to take risks to give it to her. Really sweet and somewhat unexpected. He didn’t strike me as the paternal type but I would be wrong. It’s amazing what life and death situations can bring out of a person.
Daniele
At first she really annoyed the hell out of me but as the story moved forward she kinda grew on me. She proved to be a lot stronger than I suspected she was going to be. At first I was like why can’t this bitch just leave Will alone but then I learned why Will was the way he was with her. Not because he didn’t like her but because he has his own demons the he is dealing with. Daniele is as well but she seems to be dealing with them better. In the end I was glad that they got it together. She’s a very strong female character with moments of being almost overbearing but at least she seems to be who she is. Sometimes a bitch but I suppose we all have our moments.
Pascal
What a whiny little bitch this guy is. He has a serious crush on Daniele that he just will not let go of. She has made it quite clear that she only wants to be his friend but he just can’t seem to let her go. Quite frankly his attitude problem with Will gets old very quickly. The girl does not like you romantically, she does like Will in that way, either let her go and be happy for her or find a bathtub, a razor and do us all a favor. It becomes pretty pathetic. I was actually relieved when he was no longer part of the land of the living. Best thing for him really. I mean it’s a gruesome death but ultimately a mercy. He’s a pretty one note character but that’s okay. This is one way to let the reader know that he is not long for this world. And really Daniele is a bit of a bitch when she blatantly rubs her relationship in his face with loud sex. That was just a tad insensitive.
Rob
This dude cracks me up. On the surface he is a joker with a macho attitude but under it all he is really a decent guy the loves his kids with everything in him. He secretly gives a shit making him a deeper character than the initial impression that you probably have for him. I never really disliked him and hoped that he would make it through the story with all his bits intact.
Katja
What a beautiful and tragic character. So smart and intuitive. Honestly considering that she has never set foot outside the catacombs really says something about her. Knowing what you end up knowing about Zolan you would think that this child would be less grounded but she’s amazing. She’s one of those characters that you both weep for but also root for. She’s about as strong as people get.
Zolan
When this dude shows up you just get a feeling that the brief encounter is not the last time we will see him. That is an accurate feeling and his connection to the disappearances and deaths is crazy. While I’m not shy about spoilers I feel like this one needs to be discovered on one’s own. It’s tragic and completely insane all at the same time.
Closing thoughts:
While many of us were already familiar with the Paris Catacombs we have not all asked the question “What if?” Bates asks this question and what he came up with is fascinating and potentially possible. It’s true that Nazi war criminals fled Europe to South America but what would happen if they never left and just hid out in the 200miles of tunnels under the city? Apparently atrocities were not just for those of the Jewish persuasion for one man who took his family underground. Never letting them leave. A really interesting idea and one that made for a great story. While it is not all action packed, sometimes claustrophobic, and definitely annoying (mostly Pascal and Zolan) it’s a story that flows well, is well written and relatable. Recommend picking this one up!
