Ricardo Henriquez

On its surface, first time novelist Ricardo Henriquez’s The Catcher’s Trap is a disturbing and, at times, extremely gruesome horror tale. But dig a bit deeper and you’ll realize Henriquez is cleverly working on many different levels here. Beneath the macabre veneer is a story about coming of age, the crippling effects of depression and the soul-crushing impact of conformity and complacency.

But have no fear…if you don’t come to your horror fiction seeking enlightenment - this book has enough blood, suffering and grisly deaths to satisfy even the most hard-core fright fan. Personally, I’m not much of a horror fan. I can take a cheesy slasher film, but suffering and torture are pretty much where I draw the line, so in that respect this one was pretty tough for me to take. But Henriquez sets a tone at the outset that suggests a more ambitious agenda so I [apprehensively] went along for the ride. Andres, the protagonist, is a young man crashing at a friend’s apartment while trying to establish himself in New York City. Growing up he was an outcast at school and his two macho older brothers’ efforts to toughen him up amounted to little more than torment for the sensitive boy, so as a result of these things he suffers severe social anxiety and depression. One night, in an attempt to push himself outside his comfort zone and maybe live a little, he goes to a bar and meets a charismatic stranger who brings him to a secret nightclub which turns out to be the entrance to Hell. Or something very like it.

The protracted scene in the nightclub, as Andres slowly realizes there’s no way out and no turning back, is truly horrific despite the fact that nothing particularly terrible happens. The author is expert at ratcheting up the suspense until it’s damn near unbearable. Which makes it the perfect segue for what’s to follow.

And, man oh man, the stuff that follows.

Rather than give away specifics, I’ll merely say that this novel owes as much to The Matrix, The Hunger Games and, believe it or not, Harry Potter, as it does to Stephen King and Dean Koontz. The hero undergoes the most hideous trials but learns to not only persevere but to become an inspiration and a leader to the other denizens of his hellish new home. Certainly this can be read as a metaphor for overcoming depression, but also for standing up for what you believe in, even in the face of resistance from those in control as well as from those who willingly submit to control.

This is an epic read. It is, by turns, suspenseful, repulsive, heartbreaking, moving and inspiring. If it weren't quite so shocking in places, I might even suggest it as a motivational story for the young misfits of the world (yearning to know that it gets better). My only qualm is with the ending, which seemed a bit rushed and left some rather enormous unresolved issues. I can only hope that means Mr. Henriquez is right now diligently working on a sequel.… (mehr)