August 05, 2008

Sepulchre - Kate Mosse


I have put off reading Sepulchre by Kate Mosse for quite a while now. I had read (and quite enjoyed) her previous novel, Labyrinth but for some reason the descriptions and summaries of Sepulchre weren't drawing me in. I finally did give in and purchased the book last week. I was looking for something relatively light and escapist and Sepulchre fit the bill. I really don't want to analyse the book too much - I think that would ruin the experience - but I'm going to compare Sepulchre to a really good (and by good I mean awful!) soap opera.

Sepulchre is told (as is Labyrinth if I remember correctly) from the perspective of two main female characters from two time periods, Leonie from 1891, Paris and Meredith, an American woman in France for work and personal reasons in 2007.

What connects the two characters across the time spans is a deck of tarot cards - which we are supposed to believe possess magical/mystical powers not wholly understood or controlled.

I found both female characters mildly annoying and always predictable and the plot childish and unbelievable - and yet I read this 730 page novel in under a week - I couldn't get enough!

I think what this is saying to me is that Sepulchre is a book I needed at this particular time - not a great book for me by any stretch of the imagination - but a definitely a great break from reality.

2 comments:

Danielle said...

I'm actually listening to this right now. It's just the sort of fluffy book that works for my morning walk to the bus, but like you am finding the characters a little annoying. I actually like the Meredith a bit more. I'm not sure I'll listen to the whole thing as I'm wavering now. The reader is a British lady and does a good job, but her American accent is horrible and I don't think I can take anymore. But I know what you mean by being sort of awful, but you keep reading anyway.

Karen said...

Hi Danielle - that's exactly it! I think I would have been even more frustrated with it if I had have been listening to it - I wouldn't have been able to skip over the boring descriptive bits a little!