A review by minimicropup
Under the Surface by Diana Urban

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Iโ€™m not great with most survival thrillers but this one kept me hooked!
 
Energy: Gripping. Diabolical. Spontaneous. 
 
๐Ÿ• Howls
The Big Bad premise was good, but the execution was cheesy and too contrived, particularly how others connect and the history/rationale behind it. Having above-ground be from Sean's POV was such a bore, but he kinda grew on me after a while. 
 
๐Ÿฉ Tail Wags
The mix of above-ground and below-ground tension and drama. The characters and their personalities. How the group dynamics evolve. Exploring (and learning) about the Paris Catacombs. Class trip energy was kinda nostalgic. Character arcs and evolution. Balance of intense chase-escape scenes with slower psychological creepiness and existential dread. Realistic consequences. 
 
Scene: ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท Set in Paris, France
Perspectives (2): A teen on a class trip who aspires to grow their YouTube travel channel after graduation. Their friend, also on the class trip, whose parents expect them to attend the US Military Academy after graduation, without consideration for what they want. 
Timeline: Current (2020s). Linear.
๐Ÿ”ฅ Fuel: Character evolution. Escalating stakes race against time. Philosophical, thought-provoking discussions. Will they make it out of the catacombs? What else is down there with them? 
๐Ÿ“– Cred: Semi-realistic
 
Mood Reading Match-Up:
Eiffel tower. Class tour. Hotel room sneak outs. WhatsApp. YouTube filming. Flashlights illuminating tunnels. Slippery stone. Femur. Skulls. Murky water. 
  • Observing from the sidelines and being deep in the charactersโ€™ minds narration (first person)
  • Foreboding, easy to imagine (and Google) world building
  • Clear, straightforward YA writing style and dialogue
  • Fast-paced tense survival thriller
  • Class trip gone wrong
  • Quest for inner strength, dealing with loss and grief
  • Exploring the Paris catacombs
  • Psychological thrills, things that go bump in the night, urban legends
  • Escapes and strategizing + high school hierarchies
  • Mini-Bildungsroman
  • Culty vibes
  • Real world with a twist
  • Slow burn YA romance
 
Content Heads-Up: Loss of parent (at birth; recall). Confinement (lost, trapped). Asthma attack. Violent threats (chased). Existential thoughts, discussion. Authoritarian parent. Grieving parent (for spouse). Death (graphic; on page). Betrayal. Drugging. Spiders (arachnophobia; brief). Gun violence (brief). Injury, blood (graphic; on page). 
 
Rep: Americans. French peripheral characters. Alabaster, pale, and ambiguous skin tones. Cisgender. Lesbian. Bisexual. Heterosexual. Celiac disease. Asthma.
 
๐Ÿ“š Format: Library Audio
 
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