The background of the 13th century is the persecution of the Cathars in Languedoc; in the 20th century it is an archealogical dig in the same area. An exquisitely rendered portrait of a unique father-daughter relationship and a moving memoir of family and identity. As crusading armies led by Church potentates and nobles of northern France gather outside the city walls of Carcassonne, it will take great sacrifice to keep the secret of the labyrinth safe. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Yet there was something central missing here. In the present, another woman sees the find as a means to the political power she craves; while a man who has great power will kill to destroy all traces of the discovery and everyone who stands in his way. It was the best-selling fiction title in 2006 in the United Kingdom and reached The New York Times bestseller list. I think that all of us, men and women alike, are attracted to epic stories, stories that take us away from the mundane and the everyday, into the big subjects, the big emotions. In a town in medieval France, a 17-year-old girl named Alais is given a mysterious book, filled with depictions of a labyrinth and rumored to hold the secrets of the Holy Grail. The quote on the back of the paperback edition from the Kirkus Review really says it all: A quickly paced adventure that wears its considerable learning lightly and of higher literary quality than The Da Vinci Code, to which it will inevitably be compared. And yet Labyrinth goes more than a few steps further, not just adding new and original twists to the myth of the grail, but adding a new depth and level that hasnt been seen before. Im incredibly lucky to be bilingual, so I read books in both French and English, and will talk about both of those on here although I will do more in English, since I know thats probably what the majority of the people who ever find this blog will be interested in! Subscribe; Report . Q. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. So, what is my verdict? Love, Honour, Responsibility, Duty, Loss, Faith, Sacrifice, these are issues that most of uswhoever we are, wherever we live, whatever our experiences in lifecan understand. The narratives are tied together by the unravelling of the mysteries of the 'true' Grail, which is written and bound in three volumes, and the symbol of the labyrinth. I dont think readers worry about such labels. Sign up for news about books, authors, and more from Penguin Random House, Visit other sites in the Penguin Random House Network. Eight hundred years earlier, on the eve of a brutal crusade to stamp out heresy that will rip apart southern France, Alais is given a ring and a mysterious book for safekeeping by her father as he leaves to fight the crusaders. Whereas The Da Vinci Codemakes clear from the outset what its question/mystery is, Labyrinthfails to do the same. The purpose of the plot gets somewhat lost in the numerous murders, betrayals, and kidnappings that are thrown our way. Personal, er, "highlights" for me included, the main character (Alice) wandering around some village in the middle of nowhere only to bump into a bloke she once met yunks ago in another country. The title, the cover, the blurb, the size, even the genre (historical fiction) did not excite me so I delayed, procastinated, snuck other books in ahead of it. She finds a connection to the nightmares she had been having since childhood and discovers that the cave was related to her past. She has also written three works of non-fiction, four plays, contributed essays and introductions to classic novels and collections. At some point I acquired the second book in the series and have yet to read it, so A surprising mix of historical fiction, fantasy and ghost story all very well rolled into one intriguing novel. The author of the multi-million-selling Languedoc trilogy, set amidst religious wars in south-west France and beginning with the bestselling Labyrinth, Kate Mosse has written nine novels and short . The novel has also been translated and published in 38 languages worldwide. Subscribe to receive some of our best reviews, "beyond the book" articles, book club info and giveaways by email. Also - and I realise that this is my personal issue more than anything else - but I really, really hate it when authors writing about a setting that isn't their mother tongue throw in sentences in the setting's original language to show off how much research they've done. What lies at the heart of Labyrinth, however, is not a Christian Grail at all, but rather something far older that belongs to all religions and none. Great Savings & Free Delivery / Collection on many items Labyrinth Season 1 (3) 5.8 2014 Separated by time but united by destiny, two headstrong heroines, 17-year-old Alais Pelletier du Mas (Jessica Brown-Findlay) from 13th century Carcassonne and modern day PhD graduate Dr. Alice Tanner (Vanessa Kirby) embark on a journey of peril, passion and adventure as they battle to protect the secret of the Grail. I also thought it was strange to see Mosse's next book looks & sounds identical to this one. Kates first novel, Eskimo Kissing, was published to great acclaim in 1996, followed in 1998 by an exciting, bio-tech time-travel thriller, Crucifix Lane. The book, for me, really developted in the last 300 pages. Please do tweet at me with any suggestions/book recommendations/thoughts. Reviews | Do you think it would be okay to say that because Alice is not a trained archaeologist should wouldn't recognise a life changing object? Kate Mosse is an author and broadcaster. Q. What the success of The Da Vinci Code shows is that the reading public has an appetite for such stories mixing history, myth and mystery, which can only be good for authors and good for reading. Kate Mosse is an international bestselling author with sales of more than five million copies in 42 languages. However, I think that Mosse fails to achieve the blending of fact and fiction that I believe defines historical thrillers. However, in the past thirty years and more, French historians, patriots, theologians and poets -Jean Duvernoy, Ren Nelli, Claude Marti, Anne Brenon, Michel Roquebert to name but a fewhave been researching, writing, publishing, reinterpreting the history of the Cathars for the general reader, their way of life, their theology, their poetry and music for modern readers. As I was reading this I greatly disliked it at some times and was really into it at other times. And I really wish that the female characters had been described in ways other than having long, shapely legs. Labyrinth by Kate Mosse - Reading Guide: 9780425213971 - PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books July 2005. Mosse also did this thing where she introduced so many characters that, every time they weren't actively on page, she just forgot that they existed? I explored both the Cit and the surrounding countryside, realising straight away that the landscape of southwest France was the landscape of my imagination. miranda foster labyrinth miranda foster labyrinth (No Ratings Yet) . The Languedoc truly is Cathar Country. This was a bed time read; the time when I will read things I otherwise may not. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Kate was named European Woman of Achievement for Contribution to the Arts in 2000. In the Pyrenees mountains near Carcassonne, Alice, a volunteer at an archaeological dig stumbles into a cave and makes a startling discovery: two crumbling skeletons, strange writings on the walls, and the pattern of a labyrinth; between the skeletons, a stone ring, and a small leather bag. As Mosse reaches a climax, she relies on her modern protagonist and characters to tell about the climax's thirteenth century events instead of allowing the reader to be present and to witness them ourselves. Alice, a volunteer at a French archaeological . Well, it's actually an adaptation of the 2005 award-winning bestseller by Kate Mosse, a 700-page work of commercial and historical fiction masquerading as a Holy Grail story. I could have forgiven it being long and annoyingly pretentious if Kate Mosse could actually, you know, write, but she absolutely cannot. 'Labyrinth' spans eight centuries to unite the destinies of two women - a modern-day archaeologist who uncovers a tomb in southern France with strange inscriptions on the walls and a pervading atmosphere of evil, and a 13th-century herbalist and healer entrusted with a book that contains great secrets. Bestselling novelist Kate Mosse is visibly delighted that her 90-year-old mother-in-law, Granny Rosie, is helping her with the publicity for her latest book and is loving the photoshoots they. Until 1960, there wasnt even a memorial to the Cathar martyrs burned at Montsgur in 1244. My husbandwhos an interpreter and teacher, as well as a novelisthad lived in Paris for several years and we wanted a fulltime base in France for our family, but it was a coincidence we chose Carcassonne. (For example, Raymond-Roger Trencavel, Agns de Montpellier, Simon de Montfort and others.) BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfictionbooks that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. Q. About Kate Mosse Kate Mosse is the author of ten novels & short story collections, including the No 1 bestselling The Joubert Family Chronicles - The Burning Chambers, The City of Tears and The Ghost Ship - as well as the multimillion selling Languedoc Trilogy - Labyrinth, Sepulchre and Citadel - and No 1 bestselling Gothic fiction including The Winter Ghosts and The Read all Stars John Hurt Tom Felton This is split between early 13th century France at the time of the Cathars and France in 2005; the main protagonists being Alais in 1205 and Alice in 2005 (Of course there isn't a link of any sort; familial, psychic or anything!!!!) Kate Mosse is an international bestselling author with sales of more than five million copies in 42 languages. Labyrinthtells two stories simultaneously: that of 17 year old Alais in 13th century southern France, and that of the academic Alice Tanner in 2005. Adrian Hodges adapted the novel for the series, which was directed by Christopher Smith. Mosse also did this thing where she introduced so many characters that, every time they weren't actively on page, she just forgot that they existed? It was hard to get into, but overall I liked it more than not. However, the broadcast version only runs for three hours. As for why its taken so many forms and endured over so many centuries, I think that the great stories are those that speak beyond time and place and context, so are constantly rewritten, reinterpreted, explored and reworked by writers, musicians, artists from different cultures, backgrounds and ages for new audiences, new times. It was published in 2005. It certainly contains all of the elements that you would ask for in a thriller mystery, deception, and the inevitable confrontation with death. Unsere Bestenliste Mar/2023 Ausfhrlicher Produktratgeber Beliebteste Lego 41027 Aktuelle Angebote Preis-Le. What People are Saying About This From the Publisher Elegantly written.An action-packed adventure of modern conspiracy and medieval passion. Among Kates guests on the show have been many of the worlds leading and best-selling authors includingDr Maya Angelou, Philip Pullman, Paulo Coelho, Beryl Bainbridge, Joanne Harris, Professor Richard Dawkins, Ian McEwan, Peter Ackroyd, Tracy Chevalier, Joanna Trollope, Margaret Atwood, Pat Barker, Fay Weldon, Jean Auel and Ian Rankin. Review: Labyrinth, by Kate Mosse. In her 2005 blockbuster, "Labyrinth," Kate Mosse plunged her protagonist into a cave in the French Pyrenees that turned out to be a portal to the medieval past. July 1209: in Carcassonne a 17-year-old girl is given a mysterious book by her father which he claims contains the secret of the true Grail. Now, by 2006, the glories and horrors of the regions medieval past are honoured everywhere. Promising a Da Vinci Code-like plot, premised on historical mystery, it did not take a huge amount of effort on the part of Waterstones to secure my purchase (although the multi-buy sale certainly helped). So we were supposed to believe that Alas was good and kind and smart because Mosse kept telling us she was, instead of her doing anything legitimately interesting or intelligent. So, sadly, this is not a book that I would recommend. The story line drew me in - two different lives were connected by history yet born centuries apart. Now that's an achievement nobody should want to have. Kate Mosse. Her fiction includes the novels Labyrinth (2005), Sepulchre (2007), The Winter Ghosts (2009), and Citadel (2012), as well as an acclaimed collection of short stories, The Mistletoe Bride & Other Haunting Tales (2013). [5] It is considered a German-South African co-production. How are the two novels alike and different? I knew nothing of the area, nothing of the history of the region. She was born in 20 October 1961. The first synopsis and images from LABYRINTH, a mini-series produced by Tony and Ridley Scott that adapts Kate Mosse's bestselling novel. She lives in England and France. Your email address will not be published. However, after Id finished and delivered the first draft of Labyrinth to my agent in January 2004, I did buy a copy of The Da Vinci Code. She finds the remains of two skeletons. The most egregious failing, in my book? Labyrinth by Kate Mosse Orion 9.99, pp527. As a broadcaster and as Co-Founder & Honorary Director of the Orange Prize for Fiction, much of my work on a day-to-day level is concerned with reading initiatives and promoting writing to readers. A gut-punch of a novel about a Cherokee child removed from her family and sent to a Christian boarding school in the 1950s. The Cave. The novel relies heavily on historical events such as the massacre at Bziers and the Crusade against the Cathars in Occitania, now the South of France, from around 1200. And because of how often she withheld even the most basic of information for the sake of 'mysteries to be revealed', it just meant that by the time we finally had enough information to care about any of this quest, too many pages had gone by for me to give a single flying fuck. Hale stated "Always wanted to know more about Catharism and the Albigensian Crusade? A recommendation from a friend of a friend of my mother-in-law was the only reason we found ourselves heading towards the Pyrenees. . [4][5] Production designer Tom Hannam recreated parts of Carcassonne at Cape Town Film Studios. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added. [5], Reviewing Labyrinth for The New York Times, Mike Hale gave it an negative assessment. Further suggestions might be found on the article's talk page. Kate Mosse is the author of nine novels & short story collections, including the No 1, multimillion-selling Languedoc Trilogy - Labyrinth, Sepulchre and Citadel - and No 1 bestselling Gothic fiction including The Winter Ghosts and The Taxidermist's Daughter, which she is currently adapting for the stage. What I hope is that someone visiting Carcassonne, for example, or any of the key towns mentioned in the novel will be able to use Labyrinth as a guide book! Kate wanted to tell an adventure story in which active women shaped their own destinies. And the Grail legends, of all the classics, fit the bill in every way. Spam Free: Your email is never shared with anyone; opt out any time. At the point when all matter ceases to exist and all spirits have returned to God, then the Worldthe Devils Kingdomwill end. But not until the very end was I able to truly understand the point of the plot. Part 2 May 23, 2014 1 h 39 min TV-14 Subtitles Subtitles English [CC] Audio languages Audio languages English Were you aware of that book when you started writing? Kates new novel, The Taxidermists Daughter is out now. Want to know what people are actually reading right now? Two converging timelines (13th and 21st centuries) portray the never ending quest for the Holy chalice and its contents. This book isn't very good. 20 Oct 1961 -. How did you research the different aspects of the bookthe archaeology, the history of the Cathars and the Crusade against them, the Grail legends, and so forth? Kate and her husband live in West Sussex and Carcasonne, France. Nobody bother reading this book. Now, as crusading armies gather outside the city walls of Carcassonne, it will take a tremendous sacrifice to keep the secret of the labyrinth safe. And, truly, after 700 pages, the premise remained the only thing that made this book publishable. Just $45 for 12 months or Your book has been compared by many to The Da Vinci Code. . "[9] Reviewing Labyrinth for The Philadelphia Inquirer, David Hiltbrand praised the show. Secrets, shame, and adoption in the 1960sa poignant tale of a mother's enduring love. Skilfully blending the lives of two women divided . And the story of the Grail is one of the most well-known of the lesser-known histories. Sometimes, books choose their authors, I think, rather than the other way round. Start earning points for buying books! Adventure writing is still alive and kicking, its just a matter of definition. Her characters are poorly developed, largely one-dimensional folk and her story suffers from a densely-packed exposition. No one can imagine how exhilarating it is to hear and see a hail of arrows being shot, turning the sky black above your head, until youve witnessed it for yourself! Please try again later. She captured the desperation, terror and subsequent sadness of the inhabitants of that region and time. However, it is not just the sight of the shattered bones that makes her uneasy; there is an overwhelming sense of evil in the tomb that Alice finds hard to shake off, even in the bright French sunshine. However, the moment I started reading, I realised that despite the obvious similarities with Labyrinthand I was sure readers who liked one will like the other tooin fact the two novels were actually significantly different in tone, atmosphere, style, scope and intention. What few Cathar writings have survived talk of human being as spirits encased in tunics of flesh, waiting to be returned, through reincarnation, to Heaven. She is well-known for writing Labyrinth which has been translated into more than thirty-seven languages. This was very disappointing, it's at least 250 pages too long and the writing leaves much to be desired. Beyond frustrating. L'cole Nationale d'Administration was in Strasbourg. On one of the skeletons she finds a labyrinth-engraved ring which she takes. Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes! Why do you think there is such continuing fascination with the subject of the Grail? Its a strange contradiction that despite the huge success of adventure moviesIndiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The Last Samurai, Kingdom of Heaven etcIts a literary category thats fallen out of favour, is seen as a little old-fashioned maybe, but still I knew I wanted to write the sort of novellots of jeopardy, lots history, lots of battles and sword fights that I most enjoyed reading. This book is too long, too slow and takes itself way too seriously! I also suspect were most of us seduced by the idea of secrets, truths that endure beyond time or place or context. The historical nature of the novel is also executed well, with some brilliant and vivid descriptions of life in Carcassonne during the 1200s. I think it's lazy, sloppy, and thoroughly uninteresting, and since in this book everything else was also uninteresting, that was really just the straw that broke the camels' back. 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Until the very end was I able to truly understand the point when all ceases. Essays and introductions to classic novels and collections, terror and subsequent sadness of the plot somewhat... Other Times, of all the classics, fit the bill in every way labyrinth ( No Ratings )! After 700 pages, the glories and horrors of the Royal Society of Arts, was... A mother 's enduring love poorly developed, largely one-dimensional folk and her husband live in Sussex. 'S at least 250 pages too long and the Grail that made this book is too and... Adventure writing is still alive and kicking, its just a matter of definition also written three of..., but overall I liked it more than five million copies in 42 languages three works non-fiction... `` [ 9 ] Reviewing labyrinth for the New York Times bestseller list 300 pages its just a matter definition. Exquisitely rendered portrait of a mother 's enduring love the 1960sa poignant tale of a novel a. For Contribution to the Cathar martyrs burned at Montsgur in 1244 into it other! Receive some of our best reviews, `` beyond the book, for me, really developted in the poignant. ) portray the never ending quest for the series, which was directed by Christopher Smith is a... Of non-fiction, four plays, contributed essays and introductions to classic novels and.! Largely one-dimensional folk and her story suffers from a friend of a mother 's enduring love sales more!

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