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I looked forward to this 2nd novel from Kate Mosse (sort of, she has 2 other books that are no longer in print, apparently from another life) having read and enjoyed Labyrinth, her first effort. Reviews from other reader gave me pause, but I finally deciced I wanted to read this after I saw that one of the main characters was writing a biography of Claude Debussy, my favorite composer. Concerns of the French spoken in the book didn't give me cause for concern after 4 torturous years of the language in high school which was enough to help me through this novel. The book is set up much like here first effort with connections between a present day "heroine" and one of an earlier time. The story folds out, bouncing between present day and turn-of-the-century southern France, in the Languedoc (literally, "language of Oc" which was what was spoken there hundreds of years before). The characters, despite other reviewers beliefs, were, in my opinion, quite well written. I, again personally, found the characters of the past to be more interesting than those of the present. The characters are tied by a secret that revolves around the ancient "art" of tarot. I don't personally believe in tarot or astrology or things of the sort, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the book in the slightest. If anything, my lack of knowledge on the subject made it all the more interesting. I have seen comparisons to Mosse's first novel, though I failed to see anything too redundant in this novel; past and present heroines aside. It is hard to write a review of this book with any detail without spoiling the story so I shall not give my usual summary so as to leave the mystery there when, should you decide, you do read. All I will say is that the book is thick with suspense, bouncing forward or back at just the right moment so that you remain frustrated at the moment that you must wait to return to the applicable characters or timeframe. Mosse has a gift, in my humble opinion, obviously not shared by other reviewers, for writing characters with substance. I felt a pang of sadness as I read the last page because I had grown to know the characters and I liked, or hated, them very much. I eagerly await Kate Mosse's next novel as these first 2 have firmly placed her as a writer of mystery tinged with historical fiction. And, the Claude Debussy information, surprising though perhaps it should not have been so, was detailed and accurate. There was some creative license taken as Achille-Claude Debussy did play in to the novel, but his person and his music remain untarnished by the tale. My biggest regret from this book is that I don't play the piano. A piece from the book, written especially for the book, and which plays in to the story is left to be read at the end of the book; how I wish I could play the tune and hear it's haunting permeations. Alas, perhaps I shall find someone who can play it for me. Enjoy!!!Read full review
She does an amazing job weaving a mystery in old France and present day-very suspenseful and entertaining.
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