The Diabolicave

Jean Free, a library consultant, is a retired public-school teacher and
librarian in Whitby, Ontario.

Seven children ranging in ages from 8 to 15 survive a nuclear-plant
catastrophe by living underground in the diabolical cave near Saint-Paul
in Quebec. Ariane leads the group, which had been exploring near Lac
Saint-Jean, and brings them safely back until they are rescued by the
army in the aftermath of the devastation.

This book abounds with cutesy names (Bibi, Me-me, Yum), and the grossly
overblown style (“Ariane drank in Demon’s slender silhouette with a
single look”) makes it difficult to take the story seriously. Ariane,
the leader of the group, has remarkable powers of strength, beauty, and
intuition (she can detect invisible danger). Chapters are long and the
story is encumbered with unrealistic conversations, awkward phrasing,
and little character development. The book may have suffered in
translation—La Cavernale is the French title. The Grade 6 students who
would be a natural audience for this book could find alternatives that
are better written and more relevant.