Going beyond the text!

The Magician was an exciting adventure that captured my imagination.  As I mentioned in the previous post, Nicholas Flemal and the twins esaped Dee in Oaji through a leygate and was instantly transported to Paris, France.  Nicholas Flamel views Paris as his home town and in real history is documented to have lived there for many years.  In Paris, the reader is introduced to an old friend of Nicholas, Joan of Arc!  This is another historical figure to research!!   Sophie has had her powers awakened and learned three elemental magics, but Josh still is a normal human.  He is feeling jealous of his sister and also scared that they no longer will have a close bond.  He is determined have his powers awakened also and after some crazy events, he ends up with Dee.  Dee convinces that he can find an Elder who can awaken his powers.  Dee takes Josh deep under the city of Paris in what are called the Catacombs.  Deep under the city the God of War, Mars Ultor.  Mars awakens Josh's powers and also gives Josh all his war strategy knowledge.  A final battle take place between Dee and Nicholas and the twins at the historic, Notre Dame.  Dee uses magic to bring to life the stone gargoyles and monsters that decorate the gothic building.  Flamel and the twins escape and head to London in search of another person to help teach the twins another elemental magic.  The third book in the series, The Sorceress, was also great, but I will save that for another post. ;)

This book had me "googling" so much information!  From Joan of Arc to Notre Dame, but my favorite was the Paris Catacombs.  In the book, the characters go deep under Paris through tunnels and some are filled with human skeletons!  It turns out that this really does exist.  In the eighteenth century the local graveyards in Paris were overflowing, so the city decided to take out the old skeletons and  export them to these tunnels.  The walls are filled with skulls and bones and some are even in designs.  This tunnel is open to the public, so if you are ever in Paris, be sure to check them out.  I have officially added the Paris Catacombs to my "places to visit" lists.  I think I would be a bit nervous, but it would be worth it.

For more information check out this link- http://www.catacombes-de-paris.fr/english.htm


Here are a few pictures of the Catacombs.