Review: Queen’s Catacombs

Queen’s Catacombs

Written by: Jordan H. Bartlett

CamCat

2023

Queen’s Catacombs continues to highlight the strength and fortitude of women while following Jacs fend off enemies from every corner.

Bartlett continues telling a fantastic story with Queen’s Catacombs, continuing the role reversal and a masterful story on classism and sexism.

Storytelling

What I loved most about this novel is the role reversal in the novel. The women are the knights; they hold positions in court and are the ones with power. I loved seeing this because it really puts things into perspective. There are discussions on men’s rights, which is humorous because that’s not the reality. But it makes one think about power and how having it without equality affects how the ruling class or party makes its rules. Who are they protecting? Why are they making the decisions they are making?

The role reversal is an exciting spin.

But there is also this spin on sexism and feminism. While women have the power, some are more adept at tearing others down than lifting one another up. Any reader will be familiar with this theme. But Bartlett does an excellent job of showcasing both the good and the bad.

Jacs has a small circle of friends who lift her up, stand by her side, and give her the support she needs in this uncertain time. And Jacs reciprocates. But then you have those looking down on her because she was from below.

Jacs tried to bring about equality by allowing the spy glasses to be destroyed, giving the people some semblance of privacy and control over their own lives. Unfortunately, those in power are tricky, and it worked against Jac’s home. Furthering the rip between those with power and those without it.

Final Thoughts

Bartlett did a fantastic job of tackling social topics within Queen’s Catacombs, a story that began as a retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk has become so much more.

Cynthia Ayala

Cynthia Ayala-Bujnicki majored in Writing and Publishing from Emerson College. Editor-in-chief of Cyn's Workshop, she loves to read and write while tending to her pepper plants. She currently lives in South Florida with her husband, two kids Dante and Selene and two furbabies Mr. J the Kitten who Thinks He's Batman (yes, that is his full name) and Nyx.