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Sepulchre
(Languedoc #2)
by
From the author of the New York Times— bestselling novel Labyrinth comes another haunting tale of secrets, murder, and the occult set in both nineteenth-century and twenty-first-century France.
In 1891, young Léonie Vernier and her brother Anatole arrive in the beautiful town of Rennes-les-Bains, in southwest France. They've come at the invitation of their widowed aunt, who ...more
In 1891, young Léonie Vernier and her brother Anatole arrive in the beautiful town of Rennes-les-Bains, in southwest France. They've come at the invitation of their widowed aunt, who ...more
Paperback, 739 pages
Published
2008
by Orion
(first published October 31st 2007)
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Start your review of Sepulchre (Languedoc Trilogy, #2)
”Compelled by the act of an innocent girl in a graveyard in Paris, something is moving within the stone sepulchre. Long forgotten in the tangled and overgrown alleyways of the Domaine de la Cade, something is waking. To the casual observer it would appear no more than a trick of the light in the fading afternoon, but for a fleeting instant, the plaster statues appear to breathe, to move, to sigh.
And the portraits on the cards that lie buried beneath the earth and stone, where the river runs dry, ...more
And the portraits on the cards that lie buried beneath the earth and stone, where the river runs dry, ...more
Jan 07, 2012
James
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
1-fiction,
3-multi-book-series
4 stars to Sepulchre by Kate Mosse, the second in the "Languedoc" historical fiction (maybe a little fantasy) series. After I read the first book, I had to follow through on this one. And recently, I learned the third one was published a few years ago. I didn't know there was another... but I will definitely finish this series. It takes place in the French mountains, how could you not love it?
The story is very complex, but very strong. The characters are memorable. The struggle between the past ...more
The story is very complex, but very strong. The characters are memorable. The struggle between the past ...more
Thank goodness it's over.
Léonie has to be one of the most irritating female characters I've read in a while: she wants to be considered an adult (being a 17-year-old girl in France in 1891) and yet consistently behaves like a child. When she is caught and (rightly) chided, she throws a tantrum worthy of a toddler. Every time, up until the last 50 or so pages, only a chapter is devoted to her actual emotion growth--which would have made a far more interesting story. Even Léonie's aunt Isodel had ...more
Léonie has to be one of the most irritating female characters I've read in a while: she wants to be considered an adult (being a 17-year-old girl in France in 1891) and yet consistently behaves like a child. When she is caught and (rightly) chided, she throws a tantrum worthy of a toddler. Every time, up until the last 50 or so pages, only a chapter is devoted to her actual emotion growth--which would have made a far more interesting story. Even Léonie's aunt Isodel had ...more
There are many types of ghosts. Those who cannot rest because they have done wrong, who must seek forgiveness or atonement. Also those to whom wrong has been done and who are condemned to walk until they find an agent of justice to speak their cause.
This book has been sitting on my bookshelf way too long. Because once I l started reading, I just couldn't stop! A dual narrative, alternating between 1891 and 2007, Sepulchre explores the supernatural world and those who try to bend it to their wil ...more
This book has been sitting on my bookshelf way too long. Because once I l started reading, I just couldn't stop! A dual narrative, alternating between 1891 and 2007, Sepulchre explores the supernatural world and those who try to bend it to their wil ...more
Eh, I've read worse. But I've also read much better.
Despite some intriguing motifs & settings, this book is bloated with extraneous detail & hampered by flat characters. Even the most dramatic moments never manage to engage the reader beyond a momentary blip of acceptance. Example: "Oops, that crazy dude is dead. Wait, what? You're saying some tarot cards & a vaguely-described devil killed him? ...Oh well." Somewhere in this book is a decent gothic novel -- but it's trying way too hard. People b ...more
Despite some intriguing motifs & settings, this book is bloated with extraneous detail & hampered by flat characters. Even the most dramatic moments never manage to engage the reader beyond a momentary blip of acceptance. Example: "Oops, that crazy dude is dead. Wait, what? You're saying some tarot cards & a vaguely-described devil killed him? ...Oh well." Somewhere in this book is a decent gothic novel -- but it's trying way too hard. People b ...more
Dec 25, 2014
B the BookAddict
rated it
really liked it
Recommends it for:
Highly Recommended
Shelves:
hist-fiction,
bingo-challenge
October 1891: a young Leonie Vernier and her brother, Anatole, are invited to leave gas-lit streets of Paris and travel to stay in the south at Domaine de la Cade, the home of their aunt. In the ancient, dark woods, Leonie comes across a ruined sepulchre and is drawn into a century-old mystery of murder, ghosts and a strange set of tarot cards that seem to hold enormous power over life and death.
October 2007; Meredith Martin decides to take a break from her research trip to Paris, where she is w ...more
I read Labyrinth by Kate mosse years ago but never got around to reading more of her books until now. Sepulchre is set in a similar SW region of France (mostly, there are some chapters early on in Paris) and has two timelines . The earlier timeline is 1891 and centres around Léonie and her brother Anatole. The modern timeline follows Meredith an American researching the composer Debussy and also her family history. The book alternates between the two stories and it is a chunkster. There’s lots o
...more
Loved it! Read it years ago too.
ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.
Kate Mosse's Sepulchre is a historical fantasy -- historical fiction with fantastic elements. I enjoy both genres, and this novel features a female graduate student (somebody I can relate to) as one of the main characters, and it's available on audiobook, so I thought it would be good entertainment on my commute. I got about ten chapters in before quitting.
The book seems well-researched, is competently written, the tone switches easily and successfully fro ...more
Kate Mosse's Sepulchre is a historical fantasy -- historical fiction with fantastic elements. I enjoy both genres, and this novel features a female graduate student (somebody I can relate to) as one of the main characters, and it's available on audiobook, so I thought it would be good entertainment on my commute. I got about ten chapters in before quitting.
The book seems well-researched, is competently written, the tone switches easily and successfully fro ...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
A Great Audio Book
Since I listened to snippets of this book over a couple of weeks commuting here and there,I can't testify to the writing as much as to the well-read presentation of the audiobook. I enjoyed the novel's 1890s sections more than the present-day story that overlaps setting and plot. Many times I lifted an eyebrow at the contrived plot or why characters did what they did, but the book kept me engaged enough that even when I wasn't in the car, I sometimes thought of the protagonist, ...more
Since I listened to snippets of this book over a couple of weeks commuting here and there,I can't testify to the writing as much as to the well-read presentation of the audiobook. I enjoyed the novel's 1890s sections more than the present-day story that overlaps setting and plot. Many times I lifted an eyebrow at the contrived plot or why characters did what they did, but the book kept me engaged enough that even when I wasn't in the car, I sometimes thought of the protagonist, ...more
Interesting. Surprising. Really good. Just shy of excellent...,
I looked forward to this 2nd novel (sort of, there are 2 other books no longer in print) from Mosse having read & enjoyed Labyrinth, her 1st. I wanted to read this based on Labyrinth & because one of the main characters was writing a biography of Claude Debussy, my favorite composer. Concerns of the French in the book didn't give me trouble after 4 years in high school, enough to help me through.
This is set up like Mosse's 1st novel ...more
I looked forward to this 2nd novel (sort of, there are 2 other books no longer in print) from Mosse having read & enjoyed Labyrinth, her 1st. I wanted to read this based on Labyrinth & because one of the main characters was writing a biography of Claude Debussy, my favorite composer. Concerns of the French in the book didn't give me trouble after 4 years in high school, enough to help me through.
This is set up like Mosse's 1st novel ...more
The things I didn't like about this book far oughtweighed the good that there was in it for me, I liked how it was based around a fictional tarot, characters included a violinist and an archaeologist (I like reading about what I do, then who doesn't?). I got it in easons on the 7.99 table on the premise of it being cheap, & that I liked the idea of it. Quelle erreur! the description at the back was misleading.
Characters contradiciting themselves frequently; there were many instances that sugges ...more
Characters contradiciting themselves frequently; there were many instances that sugges ...more
A very well constructed series, this book is a 'can't put down' page turner, enjoyed every page. Not a disappointment as the 2nd in the series either.
Read them all, it is worth it! ...more
Read them all, it is worth it! ...more
Okay. I would not have picked up this book, except for the fact that I'm currently in Cambodia and reading materials are thin on the ground, so one is forced to make do with whatever crosses one's path.
First of, be warned that this book contains a beautiful heroine whose "silken hair" falls to her "slender waist" - I generally take beautiful, slender-waisted, silken-haired heroines as a warning that there will be very little character development. Also that the writing will probably be trite, b ...more
First of, be warned that this book contains a beautiful heroine whose "silken hair" falls to her "slender waist" - I generally take beautiful, slender-waisted, silken-haired heroines as a warning that there will be very little character development. Also that the writing will probably be trite, b ...more
This one has a good story even if some of the characters are annoying, and the problems they encounter would have been completely avoidable had it not been for their own stupidity. One such matter is how one of the main characters, Leonie, is treated like a child but tries to prove she is not a child by asserting her independence, and then is berated for "acting like a child." No, she is acting like a young woman who has not been told her family is in mortal danger.
Also, Kate Moss uses a lot o ...more
Also, Kate Moss uses a lot o ...more
Saddened! I enjoyed the first novel but it read like an encyclopedia, I had hoped listening to this in audio would help...NOPE! Felt like I was sitting through a lecture, and listening to directions via Google...Who knew a tarot reading could be so boring...
This is a great book if you want something light and page-turning if you go on holiday to the south of France. If you're not, then don't bother. The description on the back is far more interesting than what you encounter inside the pages. Also, I found the author has a very awkward and cringe-worthy way of writing that really managed to get on my nerves very quickly. It's fine if you're writing from the point-of-view of a character from a different country than yourself (the main character is Am
...more
Although I found Labyrinth a bit of a struggle, I enjoyed the basic idea of it (two stories, seperated by time, linked in mysterious ways). Which is lucky, as this is more of the same, but - in my humble opinion - better written and more compelling. Gone is Labyrinth's constant repetition - that, I imagine, was symbolic of the story repeating through the ages but which, quite frankly, got on my nerves.
France is gloriously and passionately evoked, and the characters of the 1891 story are rounded ...more
France is gloriously and passionately evoked, and the characters of the 1891 story are rounded ...more
This was a reread for me, although I can't remember exactly how long ago I first read it. It was definitely several years ago. I have found that sometimes when I reread a favorite book it may or may not hold on to it's "favorite" status. I am happy to report that this one passed the test ;).
Mosse is a master at mixing up history, mythology, legend, and a little supernatural magic into creating a story filled with everything a reader could want.
This book gets my highest recommendation!! ...more
Mosse is a master at mixing up history, mythology, legend, and a little supernatural magic into creating a story filled with everything a reader could want.
This book gets my highest recommendation!! ...more
Sepulchre wraps its ghostly tendrils around you. Flee you may, escape you cannot. The book was so good that I finished it in two days.
The story is fascinating and the characters are interesting. Except Isolde, I detested her. I loved the atmosphere, it wonderfully Gothic. While the esoteric aspect held no interest for me, it certainly influenced many of the characters. Also I would have appreciated an English translation of all the French, since I don't speak French, some of the nuance of the di ...more
The story is fascinating and the characters are interesting. Except Isolde, I detested her. I loved the atmosphere, it wonderfully Gothic. While the esoteric aspect held no interest for me, it certainly influenced many of the characters. Also I would have appreciated an English translation of all the French, since I don't speak French, some of the nuance of the di ...more
* Grumpy spoilers! *
Arghhh. This book was readable, but all-in-all, pretty bad. Main gripes were:
1) Language. The constant French phrases in italics grated on me massively. Why italicise them? Or even better, why have them at all? The characters are French, yet speak English apart from to throw out the odd French word, like Anatole constantly calling Leonie 'petite'. Do it in English, or do it in French...no need for both. Definitely no need for italics as if the reader is so moronic that they w ...more
Arghhh. This book was readable, but all-in-all, pretty bad. Main gripes were:
1) Language. The constant French phrases in italics grated on me massively. Why italicise them? Or even better, why have them at all? The characters are French, yet speak English apart from to throw out the odd French word, like Anatole constantly calling Leonie 'petite'. Do it in English, or do it in French...no need for both. Definitely no need for italics as if the reader is so moronic that they w ...more
I was very disappointed by this novel. Having read Labyrinth, I was interested to see what Mosse decided to follow up with. Sepulchre follows on from Labyrinth in similar style, flipping back and forth through time between modern-day Meredith Martin attempting to research her family history in southern France and the late nineteenth century Leonie Vernier in the same place.
Meredith and her story are quite engaging. The mysteries of her family past and the hints at the connection back through tim ...more
Meredith and her story are quite engaging. The mysteries of her family past and the hints at the connection back through tim ...more
Music, Tarot cards, Victorian Paris, and the supernatural. Nice combination. Add family saga and you’ve got a winner for my money. Mosse alternates a highly detailed (overly so) saga of Leonie Vernier and her family (1890s) with the modern day Meredith Martin (2007) who is researching the biography of Claude Debussy. I found this back and forth between these two time periods to weaken the story and suspense because the Meredith storyline was so boring. And the constant backstories and long infor
...more
"Love—true love—is a precious thing. It is painful, uncomfortable, makes fools of us all, but it is what breathes meaning and color and purpose into our lives."
The research done for this book is amazing. And because of that, the ambience is fantastic. It captured 1890s Paris with its equally beautiful writing stunningly.
The character department didn't disappoint either. I felt for every one of them, and I must say that this has the most evil (though mortal) villain I've encountered so far.
The s ...more
The research done for this book is amazing. And because of that, the ambience is fantastic. It captured 1890s Paris with its equally beautiful writing stunningly.
The character department didn't disappoint either. I felt for every one of them, and I must say that this has the most evil (though mortal) villain I've encountered so far.
The s ...more
An atmospheric ghost story with a pinch of Da Vinci Code. Though I didn't get emotionally invested, I kept reading for the enjoyment of the French setting and the interesting tarot and musical angles. I'd have edited some things differently if it were down to me--we know we're in France speaking French, and that this is all in translation so to speak, so why sprinkle in so many phrases in French? It's like when there's a film set in France in which the characters are all meant to be speaking Fre
...more
Jan 01, 2012
✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans)
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
A surprisingly quick read, despite the thickness of the book! Sepulchre is quite entertaining and I actually enjoyed it a lot more than Mosse's first book, Labyrinth. That said, the plot is a bit clumsy sometimes and the present-day heroine is not a very interesting character. One more thing: there are so many mistakes in the French text that I'm wondering if anyone actually copy-edited the book (if they did, their French is obviously very poor!). There are also quite a few clichés about life in
...more
Okay, now that I’ve taken some time to think about this book, I might as well review it.
So, WHAT THE HELL? I am more than a little annoyed with historical fantasy as a genre, it always disappoints me. The former half of the narrative never meets with the latter. Do authors forget their own stories? Are they trying to pull a Dickens? Do they get money by the word? Why do I have to sit through 500 pages worth of sludge only to find out that I would’ve understood the denouement even if I had only ...more
So, WHAT THE HELL? I am more than a little annoyed with historical fantasy as a genre, it always disappoints me. The former half of the narrative never meets with the latter. Do authors forget their own stories? Are they trying to pull a Dickens? Do they get money by the word? Why do I have to sit through 500 pages worth of sludge only to find out that I would’ve understood the denouement even if I had only ...more
After labyrinth, this book was a kind of a major let down. All that information was also not new to me, as I have already researched quite a bit about Tarots. The information itself was pretty rudimentary, nothing deep or fascinating.
The major problem with this work was that, Mosse clearly had a nice interesting vision or premise in her mind. She inept at transferring that vision to paper or else, her vision was as skewed as her tale. There was too much of repetetion, lots of cliches, very predi ...more
The major problem with this work was that, Mosse clearly had a nice interesting vision or premise in her mind. She inept at transferring that vision to paper or else, her vision was as skewed as her tale. There was too much of repetetion, lots of cliches, very predi ...more
“Sepulchre” tells double story – one set in 1791, other in 2007
From the author of the bestseller “Labyrinth” (which I have not read), comes a chubby novel that mixes many elements of lost treasures, a crazed jilted lover bent on revenge, supernatural dabblings, romance, and a search for roots.
Meredith Martin is the modern-day researcher who is working on a biography of the French composer Debussy. Martin travels to Paris to acquaint herself with the places Debussy lived. She is especially inter ...more
From the author of the bestseller “Labyrinth” (which I have not read), comes a chubby novel that mixes many elements of lost treasures, a crazed jilted lover bent on revenge, supernatural dabblings, romance, and a search for roots.
Meredith Martin is the modern-day researcher who is working on a biography of the French composer Debussy. Martin travels to Paris to acquaint herself with the places Debussy lived. She is especially inter ...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Is it necessary to read Kate Mosse's Languedoc books in order? | 11 | 250 | Oct 02, 2015 04:01PM | |
| Read Labyrinth First? | 13 | 123 | Nov 14, 2012 01:45PM | |
| Historical detective fiction | 5 | 30 | Oct 31, 2012 05:28AM |
Readers also enjoyed
Kate Mosse is an international bestselling author with sales of more than five million copies in 42 languages. 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). Kate’s new novel, The Taxidermist’s Daughter is out now.
Kate is the Co- ...more
Kate is the Co- ...more
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Languedoc
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