I wasn't that familiar with the disaster - it happened in a French colony in the Caribbean - but it was remarkable with around 30,000 people wiped out in a few minutes due to an exploision, ash cloud and fire. The thing is the situation got bad for weeks and weeks earlier, mudslides and fires and mini exploisions and the town wasn't evacuated. This is an examination of inertia and denial, rulers swept up in petty politics (there was a local election at the time), the Church being useless, stiff upper lips, a weak press. All too many resonances today with climate change.
Film rights were purchased but it wasn't filmed, at least I don't think so. I can see why. The actions are so frustrating from humans. However tremendous action set pieces - mud, ash, snakes going mad and attacking humans, cats taking on the snakes, voodoo sparking up, gore of people being killed, lots of dead kids and babies. It's a harrowing read.
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