The Burning Chambers by Kate Mosse

Hardcover: 608 pages

• Publisher: Mantle (3 May 2018)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1509806830
• ISBN-13: 978-1509806836

Synopsis

Carcassonne 1562: Nineteen-year-old Minou Joubert receives an anonymous letter at her father’s bookshop. Sealed with a distinctive family crest, it contains just five words: SHE KNOWS THAT YOU LIVE.

But before Minou can decipher the mysterious message, a chance encounter with a young Huguenot convert, Piet Reydon, changes her destiny forever. For Piet has a dangerous mission of his own, and he will need Minou’s help if he is to get out of La Cité alive.

Toulouse: As the religious divide deepens in the Midi, and old friends become enemies, Minou and Piet both find themselves trapped in Toulouse, facing new dangers as sectarian tensions ignite across the city, the battle-lines are drawn in blood and the conspiracy darkens further.

Meanwhile, as a long-hidden document threatens to resurface, the mistress of Puivert is obsessed with uncovering its secret and strengthening her power . . .

Review

OMG was my immediate reaction after, and during, reading The Burning Chambers. I really just want to use superlative after superlative to describe this book but I guess that may be too much, so here is my review.  I really can’t believe that it has been thirteen years since Kate Mosse released Labrynth, the book that made her famous and made me a life long fan.  In her first series we were first introduced the beautiful landscape of Carcassone, scarred by the religious wars that took place there.  In The Burning Chambers we are back in Carcassone but in the sixteenth century, during the Reformation in Europe.  Wars in the name of Religion were still being fought and into this we follow the stories of Minou and Piet, one Catholic, the other a Heugenot whose lives cross during this time of turmoil.  This is a book that has it all; a love story, action, adventure, secrets, a mysterious piece of paper, war and a fabulous cast of characters.

Kate Mosse’s attention to detail in time, place and character are remarkable.  Her characters are vivid, believable and fully rounded.  I loved Minou’s tenacity and naturally caring persona.  She not only brings up her younger brother and sister but also during the turmoil of war has more concerns for others than herself.  Piet has the belief that the two religions can work alongside each other and live together, but this belief puts him in jeopardy and makes an enemy of his friend from college Vidal, a Catholic Priest trying to climb the ranks. The other enemy is the mysterious lady whose writings describe a mysterious Will and a legacy that is slowly revealed through out the narrative. These characters jump the page making the reader invested in their outcome.

The historical research is impeccable, there is so much detail, and fact and fiction combine seamlessly in this book. This is one of my favourite periods in history, it was a time of great change, people began to question authority, especially where religion was concerned, wars were fought, and  countries boarders changed frequently, a renaissance in many ways. The descriptive writing brings the sounds, sights and smells of Carcassone, Toulouse and Puivert to life.

Reading this book really made me happy, which was a mean feat after having a bad week with my health.  It is a truly outstanding read, the writing flowed so seamlessly and lyrically and that made this a joy to read.  I fell into this book and lost myself in it, and that is what a a good book should do; take you away from your daily troubles and take you to another place, to be part of someone else’s story for a while.  It is always a bonus for me as well if I learn something when reading a book, and with the historical research I learned a lot more about this period in French history.

My final words are simple, just go and buy The Burning Chambers, it is simply a brilliant, accomplished and superb book. And the final bonus for me is that this is the first in a new series that will span three hundred years from sixteenth century France to nineteenth century Southern Africa; I think I may have gone to book heaven!!

Thank you for reading my review of The Burning Chambers by Kate Masse.  I guess you can tell I loved this book.  If you liked my review please share and like and leave me some comments.