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Les Catacombes (2013)

by Toby Ball(Favorite Author)

3.37 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

2264054263 (ISBN13: 9782264054265)

languge

English

genre

Historical Fiction

publisher

10/18

review 1: I bought this book because one of the character is an archivist (like me) and it's uncommon in literature. But after a few pages I was annoyed because he is completely caricatural : anti-social, short-sighted, like to spend time in a basement,... I really dislike this character and the image he represents.For the story, I have to admit it's, for me, disappointing. I thought this book was about a mystery and an investigation made by an archivist, a journalist and a private together. But in fact it's a story about corruption, conspiracy and gangsters and, as a fan of whodunnit, it's not my cup of tea. There are not a real mystery, we almost immediately know what's going on, without suspense. The plot didn't blow me away and I wasn't particularly interested by the characters... more. A pleasant read, well written, probably great for people who love this kind of story but it's not for me.
review 2: While I enjoyed the atmosphere, this book was disappointing. The plot doesn't make a lot of sense on closer examination and there isn't anything else to pick up the slack. The author did his best to diffuse the tension at every turn, which was an odd choice for a noir-ish thriller like this. Perhaps he thought he was subverting the damsel-in-distress cliche but he drained all forward motion from the text by repeatedly stressing that the damsel was in absolutely no danger. If there is no tension, and the mystery of the plot is poorly thought out, and the characters aren't particularly memorable, what do you have left?An intriguing setting that was ultimately wasted on an unsatisfying story. less

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