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Number 12 Rue Sainte-Catherine: and Other Stories
Though unexceptional in every way, Klaus Barbie, a mid-level Gestapo chief, ruled Lyon, France, like a medieval tyrant from 1942-44. Crowds parted to let him pass; a table was permanently reserved for him at Le Lapin Blanc, Lyon' s raciest nightclub; and pretty young women slipped him notes inscribed with their phone numbers. But his glory days represented only a thin slice of his life. What prepared him for his role as the so-called Butcher of Lyon, and what became of him after the war ended? In an attempt to answer these and other questions, this collection of nine wide-ranging and skillfully written stories presents Barbie in a variety of guises, from that of a vulnerable young boy, to a preening young man on the make, to an enfeebled old man forced to confront his crimes forty years after the fact.Though wars and their excesses flare up and die down, evil is always with us, promising a god-like dominion over others that seduces those who are weakest. This book is a reminder of that.
222 pages, Paperback
Published September 9, 2024
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19 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 4, 2024
Number 12 Rue Sainte-Catherine: and Other Stories, by Roberta Hartling Gates, is a complex collection of short stories attempting to capture a controversial figure, “the Butcher of Lyon”. The novel follows Klaus Barbie as a young man and into adulthood through small vignettes that attempt to illustrate his multifaceted (but ultimately horrifying) life and actions.
Number 12 Rue Sainte-Catherine is honestly extremely impressive. Roberta Hartling Gates chooses to use a short story format which allows her to cover the life of Klaus more completely. If you expect a straightforward exploration of “the Butcher of Lyon” this really isn’t the book for you. Number 12 Rue Sainte-Catherine instead hops perspectives in an attempt to provide a more fluid portrait of the character. I prefer that fluidity better. It’s honestly incredible that short story character portraits are not used more often. Roberta Hartling Gates is running a masterclass in narrative.
Impressively, Roberta Hartling Gates is able to effectively convey nearly a century of human history from the perspectives of her characters. Due to Gates’s experience and knowledge, the reader never feels lost. For example, Anschluss is a term used during “The Man Who Wore Violets”. While still in the perspective of Regine, Gates explains the term. As a reader, I never felt removed from a scene to explain information to me. Everything was written within character. It’s just well constructed writing.
There were times, as a reader, I felt uncomfortable with the perspective of Klaus Barbie and his wife. The story of the novel follows the life of a truly horrible man, who was a part of a truly horrible organization, during one of the bloodiest periods in human history. I was thankful for the perspective shifts, because they provided reprieve from their generally hateful attitude.
Number 12 Rue Sainte-Catherine is a creative historical fiction piece that is well worth a read.
Number 12 Rue Sainte-Catherine is honestly extremely impressive. Roberta Hartling Gates chooses to use a short story format which allows her to cover the life of Klaus more completely. If you expect a straightforward exploration of “the Butcher of Lyon” this really isn’t the book for you. Number 12 Rue Sainte-Catherine instead hops perspectives in an attempt to provide a more fluid portrait of the character. I prefer that fluidity better. It’s honestly incredible that short story character portraits are not used more often. Roberta Hartling Gates is running a masterclass in narrative.
Impressively, Roberta Hartling Gates is able to effectively convey nearly a century of human history from the perspectives of her characters. Due to Gates’s experience and knowledge, the reader never feels lost. For example, Anschluss is a term used during “The Man Who Wore Violets”. While still in the perspective of Regine, Gates explains the term. As a reader, I never felt removed from a scene to explain information to me. Everything was written within character. It’s just well constructed writing.
There were times, as a reader, I felt uncomfortable with the perspective of Klaus Barbie and his wife. The story of the novel follows the life of a truly horrible man, who was a part of a truly horrible organization, during one of the bloodiest periods in human history. I was thankful for the perspective shifts, because they provided reprieve from their generally hateful attitude.
Number 12 Rue Sainte-Catherine is a creative historical fiction piece that is well worth a read.
September 9, 2024
Klaus Barbie truly defines tyranny and power. From 1942 to 1944, he was a ruthless leader, taking over every ground he walked on. But there is more than meets the eye, and how did he become such a ruthless, powerful, god-like figure? Roberta Hartling Gates answers these questions in her book Number 12 Rue Sainte-Catherine and Other Stories. I was blown away by this book, which contains historical facts and breathtaking stories about Barbie and those who influenced his life. I was also intrigued by the amount of manipulation, takeover, and evil exposed in this book to retain such power over others. I agree that this book is a reminder of that fact.
I was completely seduced with interest from beginning to end. I was glued to my Kindle at all the stories featured, and Roberta Hartling Gates did a remarkable job organizing and structuring the book to help the imagery come to life. The book was well-edited and written. For these reasons, I give this book five stars.
I was completely seduced with interest from beginning to end. I was glued to my Kindle at all the stories featured, and Roberta Hartling Gates did a remarkable job organizing and structuring the book to help the imagery come to life. The book was well-edited and written. For these reasons, I give this book five stars.
February 17, 2025
I read this book over the span of a day-and-a half last weekend but needed to “sit” in it for a while before writing this review. It’s one of those of books that stays with you for a while.
The author beautifully tells the ugly story of World War II German officer Klaus Barbie, the Butcher of Lyon. Gates skillfully weaves multiple storytelling techniques including small vignettes throughout the novel enabling the reader to feel entrenched in the moment.
Gates masterfully leads the reader to contemplate important but difficult questions: How does a man become known as the Butcher of Lyon? How can one love such a person? How can such a person live with oneself?
Overall, I highly recommend this book.
The author beautifully tells the ugly story of World War II German officer Klaus Barbie, the Butcher of Lyon. Gates skillfully weaves multiple storytelling techniques including small vignettes throughout the novel enabling the reader to feel entrenched in the moment.
Gates masterfully leads the reader to contemplate important but difficult questions: How does a man become known as the Butcher of Lyon? How can one love such a person? How can such a person live with oneself?
Overall, I highly recommend this book.
February 12, 2025
Understanding evil in a person like Klaus Barbie is not an easy thing. By providing several vignettes and perspectives throughout this collection, the reader can appreciate his complexity. Not only do we see Barbie from many different angles, the structure of the short stories also varies, with the last taking the format of an interview. Each adds a bit to our understanding of the man. Thorough historical research adds authenticity and the occasional French words, anchor the stories in time and place.
I thought it was very well-written and give it five stars!
I thought it was very well-written and give it five stars!
September 27, 2024
The first part of Number 12 Rue Sainte-Catherine was laid out in an easy-to-read manner, however, in parts two and three, it was confusing because the characters changed so much that I had a hard time knowing if it was an officer who was being discussed or a prisoner or someone from a resistance group. Also, I thought the story was being told from a female's point of view but at the end, it appeared to be a male's.
The book's title, Number 12 Rue Sainte-Catherine, was the street where the prisoners were kept before being deported. In the later part of the book, we see how Klaus Barbie got his name, the Butcher of Lyon as he tortured his prisoners and killed them. He was a vile and evil man.
Overall, it's well-written so that you feel like you're standing in a corner, watching the events unfold. I wish it wasn't quite so confusing when it comes to the characters and who is who.
The book's title, Number 12 Rue Sainte-Catherine, was the street where the prisoners were kept before being deported. In the later part of the book, we see how Klaus Barbie got his name, the Butcher of Lyon as he tortured his prisoners and killed them. He was a vile and evil man.
Overall, it's well-written so that you feel like you're standing in a corner, watching the events unfold. I wish it wasn't quite so confusing when it comes to the characters and who is who.
September 26, 2024
Odd read
Realizing about Barbie in his early years was informational and easy to follow along. Then you get to the warand there is so much jumping around it is hard to follow if you are reading about the resistance or the Germans. Whether it is about Barbie anymore and his life or someone else. Then, all of a sudden, there is a male author when I thought the author was a female and the story is about Moulin, and trying to remember the characters and the roles they play in the first part of the book was frustrating and hard to follow. This is the reason I could not give 5 stars. There is too much going on in one book.
Realizing about Barbie in his early years was informational and easy to follow along. Then you get to the warand there is so much jumping around it is hard to follow if you are reading about the resistance or the Germans. Whether it is about Barbie anymore and his life or someone else. Then, all of a sudden, there is a male author when I thought the author was a female and the story is about Moulin, and trying to remember the characters and the roles they play in the first part of the book was frustrating and hard to follow. This is the reason I could not give 5 stars. There is too much going on in one book.
October 22, 2024
History comes to life
The author uses snippets of people's lives to give a glimpse into history. While not all the stories take place during WWII, they all are bound by events in that time period.
Although the book contains the horrors and desperation of that time, the author manages to show the human qualities of those we see as monsters.
I liked the way the story flipped between characters and focused on their inner thoughts and motivations.
This is a good read for historical fiction fans and any WWII fanatics.
The author uses snippets of people's lives to give a glimpse into history. While not all the stories take place during WWII, they all are bound by events in that time period.
Although the book contains the horrors and desperation of that time, the author manages to show the human qualities of those we see as monsters.
I liked the way the story flipped between characters and focused on their inner thoughts and motivations.
This is a good read for historical fiction fans and any WWII fanatics.
October 14, 2024
Oh wow, where do I even start with this one? Roberta Hartling Gates has crafted a collection that draws you into the lives of her characters. It’s based on the occupation in 1942, which makes it a bit tough but definitely keeps you hooked on the pages.
The stories are beautifully written, each one a little gem filled with rich descriptions and relatable emotions. One of the standout features of this collection is how it explores complex themes like love, loss, and the bittersweet nature of memory. It’s like taking a journey through different facets of human emotion.
If you're looking for a collection that resonates deeply and stays with you long after you've turned the last page, Number 12 Rue Sainte-Catherine is a must-read. It’s a heartfelt tribute to the human experience, and I can't recommend it enough!
The stories are beautifully written, each one a little gem filled with rich descriptions and relatable emotions. One of the standout features of this collection is how it explores complex themes like love, loss, and the bittersweet nature of memory. It’s like taking a journey through different facets of human emotion.
If you're looking for a collection that resonates deeply and stays with you long after you've turned the last page, Number 12 Rue Sainte-Catherine is a must-read. It’s a heartfelt tribute to the human experience, and I can't recommend it enough!
December 9, 2024
This book is a gorgeous surprise. Set in Nazi occupied France, it centers around the life of Klaus Barbie, known as "the Butcher of Lyon." Despite the grim setting, each story is an eye-opening gem,
focussed on a "small" incident in the lives of people both ordinary and in some way exceptional.
The stories illustrate the mundanity of evil and heroism alike. The beauty of the writing and the variety of story forms make each chapter a fresh reading experience, while the plot twists and tensions keep the reader turning the page. Highly recommendd.
focussed on a "small" incident in the lives of people both ordinary and in some way exceptional.
The stories illustrate the mundanity of evil and heroism alike. The beauty of the writing and the variety of story forms make each chapter a fresh reading experience, while the plot twists and tensions keep the reader turning the page. Highly recommendd.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews