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The Joubert Family Chronicles #1
The Burning Chambers
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.
605 pages, ebook
First published May 3, 2018
3066 people are currently reading
21249 people want to read
About the author
Kate Mosse
90 books3,346 followersKate 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-Founder and Chair of the Board of the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction (previously the Orange Prize) and in June 2013, was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to literature. She lives in Sussex.
Kate is the Co-Founder and Chair of the Board of the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction (previously the Orange Prize) and in June 2013, was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to literature. She lives in Sussex.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,492 reviews
March 23, 2022
“You well know that if a lie is repeated often enough, in the face of the clearest evidence to the contrary, even the most level-headed of men start to believe in it. Falsehood easily becomes accepted truth.”
4.5 rounded down for an intense and powerful novel set around 1562, Kate Mosse’s The Burning Chambers takes its inspiration from the Political and Religious unrest in France, combines with an intriguing and fascinating plot and well-drawn characters to deliver a wonderful story that is gripping, exciting and tense from start to finish.
The Context
The story takes place in the mid 16th Century, during the so called ‘Wars of Religion’ when France sought to cleanse France from Protestantism and supress the Huguenot population, as it watched its neighbouring country England do their same to its minority population of Catholics. However, like many wars and civil uprisings at the time, politics and religion were inseparable as the many compromises agreed never held. The Politicians Religious Orders, and the Empires rulers brought destruction, unrest, treachery, and death to many from the streets to the seats of power across Carcassonne, Toulouse and the countryside of the Languedoc.
The reason I share this context is because this is what Mosse has woven perfectly into her novel of the Burning Chambers. There is an abundance of historical detail here that is stitched into the fabric of the novel so well, you feel it was written for the book. A superb historical fiction author and a brilliantly researched book that is rich with historical references. However, it is a novel and here is the plot.
The Plot
The feisty nineteen-year-old Minou Joubert receives an anonymous letter at her father’s bookshop. Sealed with a distinctive family crest, the ominous letter reading ‘She knows that you live’.
In an attempt to decipher the note and learn the truth behind the mysterious message, Minou sets herself on a path that endangers her own life and that of Piet Reydon. Or is that the other way round? Because Piet is on a mission of his own and the chance encounter proves perilous for both as loyalties are tested.
Meanwhile, there are powerful forces at play to recover the stolen fragment of the ‘Shroud of Antioch’ a relic with great significance in the Catholic Church, and there are those that will stop at nothing to get it back.
Review and Comments
A perfectly combined story of love, deceit, survival and war that draws on real historical events that are authentic and rich in detail. I say perfect because I do love history and the level of detail was just right and described with historical accuracy. The author did an excellent job at capturing the turbulence, the sense of mistrust and need for survival during a period of political instability.
In the story, we see the somewhat rebellious and spirited Minou and the cautious but driven Piet, but above all most of the characters, rightly or wrongly are shaped by their ideals, principles, and beliefs. It brought to life a time when democracy did not exist, and those at the seat of power had the control and means to promote and also suppress those views that were inconsistent with their own.
The plot and level of suspense was excellent and as gripping as any crime/thriller but for me the historical context made the book. So who is it for ? If you love crime / thrillers you might feel there is too much historical detail. If you love historical / crime thrillers then you should love this one.
Authentic, absorbing, tense, chilling and powerful. However, the 4.5 is because of the characterisation. I would like Mosse to have focused as much on the characters development as she did on the historical context, allowing us inside the head of the characters.
Excellent and well worth reading particularly if you enjoy this historical period.
And from a book full of lovely and meaningful quotes,
“harm can be done by those who proffer an opinion when they are only in partial possession of the facts. A man might do better to hold his tongue than scatter words without a care as to where they might land.”
4.5 rounded down for an intense and powerful novel set around 1562, Kate Mosse’s The Burning Chambers takes its inspiration from the Political and Religious unrest in France, combines with an intriguing and fascinating plot and well-drawn characters to deliver a wonderful story that is gripping, exciting and tense from start to finish.
The Context
The story takes place in the mid 16th Century, during the so called ‘Wars of Religion’ when France sought to cleanse France from Protestantism and supress the Huguenot population, as it watched its neighbouring country England do their same to its minority population of Catholics. However, like many wars and civil uprisings at the time, politics and religion were inseparable as the many compromises agreed never held. The Politicians Religious Orders, and the Empires rulers brought destruction, unrest, treachery, and death to many from the streets to the seats of power across Carcassonne, Toulouse and the countryside of the Languedoc.
The reason I share this context is because this is what Mosse has woven perfectly into her novel of the Burning Chambers. There is an abundance of historical detail here that is stitched into the fabric of the novel so well, you feel it was written for the book. A superb historical fiction author and a brilliantly researched book that is rich with historical references. However, it is a novel and here is the plot.
The Plot
The feisty nineteen-year-old Minou Joubert receives an anonymous letter at her father’s bookshop. Sealed with a distinctive family crest, the ominous letter reading ‘She knows that you live’.
In an attempt to decipher the note and learn the truth behind the mysterious message, Minou sets herself on a path that endangers her own life and that of Piet Reydon. Or is that the other way round? Because Piet is on a mission of his own and the chance encounter proves perilous for both as loyalties are tested.
Meanwhile, there are powerful forces at play to recover the stolen fragment of the ‘Shroud of Antioch’ a relic with great significance in the Catholic Church, and there are those that will stop at nothing to get it back.
Review and Comments
A perfectly combined story of love, deceit, survival and war that draws on real historical events that are authentic and rich in detail. I say perfect because I do love history and the level of detail was just right and described with historical accuracy. The author did an excellent job at capturing the turbulence, the sense of mistrust and need for survival during a period of political instability.
In the story, we see the somewhat rebellious and spirited Minou and the cautious but driven Piet, but above all most of the characters, rightly or wrongly are shaped by their ideals, principles, and beliefs. It brought to life a time when democracy did not exist, and those at the seat of power had the control and means to promote and also suppress those views that were inconsistent with their own.
The plot and level of suspense was excellent and as gripping as any crime/thriller but for me the historical context made the book. So who is it for ? If you love crime / thrillers you might feel there is too much historical detail. If you love historical / crime thrillers then you should love this one.
Authentic, absorbing, tense, chilling and powerful. However, the 4.5 is because of the characterisation. I would like Mosse to have focused as much on the characters development as she did on the historical context, allowing us inside the head of the characters.
Excellent and well worth reading particularly if you enjoy this historical period.
And from a book full of lovely and meaningful quotes,
“harm can be done by those who proffer an opinion when they are only in partial possession of the facts. A man might do better to hold his tongue than scatter words without a care as to where they might land.”
April 7, 2018
Kate Mosse has written her trademark gripping historical fiction packed with adventure, mystery, conflict and romance. Here she takes us back to France's Wars of Religion and the harrowing blood letting that took place in that historical time period, bringing back echoes of my studies of these events in European History long ago when the established Catholic Church was determined that no Huguenots should remain in the country. The story is set in Languedoc in 1562, in Carcassonne, where 19 year old Minou Joubert is minding her father's bookshop. She receives a rather odd letter in which there are just five words, 'She knows that you live'. Not being able to make any sense of this whatsoever, she puts it out of her mind, unaware she is in grave danger. This is a story of mystery, conspiracy, betrayal, love, and family secrets amidst the most turbulent of times.
Minou happens to meet a Huguenot convert, the young Piet Reydon who has his own personal quest in defending his faith to the utmost to fulfill, and is going to need her help in extricating himself from La Cite. Minou and Piet finds themselves irreversibly drawn to each other, in the most dangerous of times. Minou's father is not in the best of health and keeping family secrets from his daughter that have the power to destroy Minou and the family. There is the search for an old will, wanted by another to become more powerful. He sends her and her younger brother, Aimeric, to Toulouse, believing they will be safer there. He is mistaken, for in Toulouse, the fires of religious conflict are blazing out of control, with neighbour turning on neighbour, and where old friendships are destined to turn into fatal enmities. Mosse weaves a compelling fast paced historical novel that is atmospheric and evokes the time and place beautifully. A wonderful, entertaining and exciting mystery read which engaged and absorbed me. Many thanks to Pan MacMillan for an ARC.
Minou happens to meet a Huguenot convert, the young Piet Reydon who has his own personal quest in defending his faith to the utmost to fulfill, and is going to need her help in extricating himself from La Cite. Minou and Piet finds themselves irreversibly drawn to each other, in the most dangerous of times. Minou's father is not in the best of health and keeping family secrets from his daughter that have the power to destroy Minou and the family. There is the search for an old will, wanted by another to become more powerful. He sends her and her younger brother, Aimeric, to Toulouse, believing they will be safer there. He is mistaken, for in Toulouse, the fires of religious conflict are blazing out of control, with neighbour turning on neighbour, and where old friendships are destined to turn into fatal enmities. Mosse weaves a compelling fast paced historical novel that is atmospheric and evokes the time and place beautifully. A wonderful, entertaining and exciting mystery read which engaged and absorbed me. Many thanks to Pan MacMillan for an ARC.
June 20, 2019
Wow, The Burning Chambers is epic historical fiction.
Taking place in France during the 1500s, our main character is Minou Joubert, a nineteen-year-old woman. Minou is working at her father’s bookshop (a bookshop!) when she receives a cryptic letter stating “She knows that you live.”
At the same time, a young Huguenot, Piet Reydon, needs Minou’s help to stay alive.
The religious divide between Catholicism and Protestantism is growing deeper and deeper, and this sets the dangerous and foreboding backdrop for Minou and Piet.
Also, not to be forgotten is mistress of Puivert Chateau who has some obsessions she can’t let go…
The Burning Chambers is a chunk of a read, no bones about it. That said, it reads like a dream. It’s gripping, with great tension, and there’s mystery and adventure everywhere you look. The atmosphere is on point, and I was transported to France during this unique and tumultuous time period.
Overall, I was completely absorbed in this exciting and well-written story, and I recommend it to all historical fiction lovers, especially for the religious war time period.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
Taking place in France during the 1500s, our main character is Minou Joubert, a nineteen-year-old woman. Minou is working at her father’s bookshop (a bookshop!) when she receives a cryptic letter stating “She knows that you live.”
At the same time, a young Huguenot, Piet Reydon, needs Minou’s help to stay alive.
The religious divide between Catholicism and Protestantism is growing deeper and deeper, and this sets the dangerous and foreboding backdrop for Minou and Piet.
Also, not to be forgotten is mistress of Puivert Chateau who has some obsessions she can’t let go…
The Burning Chambers is a chunk of a read, no bones about it. That said, it reads like a dream. It’s gripping, with great tension, and there’s mystery and adventure everywhere you look. The atmosphere is on point, and I was transported to France during this unique and tumultuous time period.
Overall, I was completely absorbed in this exciting and well-written story, and I recommend it to all historical fiction lovers, especially for the religious war time period.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
April 7, 2018
The Burning Chambers by Kate Moss is a story of set in the 16th Century during the religious wars. It's about family, secrets and lies. I found this book slow to start with but I liked the characters. Very atmospheric and informative of the times.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 21, 2018
What I wanted from this book was a historical mystery, what I got was a historical romance. Now, it's a decent romance, if a bit sappy for my liking, with the Romeo and Juliet style dividing line provided by the French Wars of Religion. As a fascinating and dangerous period, it effectively sets up the Catholic/Huguenot conflicts that are layered through the story, both in smaller character motivation and the larger social framework. This is done exceptionally well, the feeling of threat and uncertainty faced by ordinary people on both sides more than just a backdrop for the main plot- from les oubliettes to tortured confessions and street violence, it's a precarious time when anyone could be your enemy and every word you say might be monitored for blasphemy. One step awry, one wrong person trusted, one insult given to a vindictive neighbour...and you might be taken away, never to be seen again. It's making me wonder if Nazi Germany will be a step in this story.
However, the mystery aspect of the book is minimal. Clearly this is something that's going to be spread out over the series, but what it means is that you're going to get three romances with a side of somewhat flimsy (at least in this instalment) thriller. The prologue and part of the epilogue are the only two sections which relate to the larger series, the only bits which tell the reader there's more than this book as a standalone, and it's not clear that this is what they're for. On top of that, there's a lot of repetition of language and imagery, which is supposed to provide connection between the varying POV storylines, but which feel annoying and lazy. Especially as it's used to link that add-on future storyline (of the prologue/epilogue)- one more tenuous connection to make it seem like it should be in this book at all.
After a slow start, it's pretty pacey, and I have to give props for the seriously dark suggestion that those alive at the end of this book might visit Paris for the wedding of Henri III and the feast of Bartholomew. Yet the next book needs to seriously downplay the romance and up the excitement.
ARC via Netgalley
However, the mystery aspect of the book is minimal. Clearly this is something that's going to be spread out over the series, but what it means is that you're going to get three romances with a side of somewhat flimsy (at least in this instalment) thriller. The prologue and part of the epilogue are the only two sections which relate to the larger series, the only bits which tell the reader there's more than this book as a standalone, and it's not clear that this is what they're for. On top of that, there's a lot of repetition of language and imagery, which is supposed to provide connection between the varying POV storylines, but which feel annoying and lazy. Especially as it's used to link that add-on future storyline (of the prologue/epilogue)- one more tenuous connection to make it seem like it should be in this book at all.
After a slow start, it's pretty pacey, and I have to give props for the seriously dark suggestion that those alive at the end of this book might visit Paris for the wedding of Henri III and the feast of Bartholomew. Yet the next book needs to seriously downplay the romance and up the excitement.
ARC via Netgalley
April 16, 2021
One never knows where you will discover a book. One day I am listening to one of my favorite British podcasts and they are interviewing Kate Moss, the author of this book series and I was captivated by her discussion. So, I did some research and found that this book is the first of a series she is writing. The 2nd book, City of Tears, has just been released, but I wanted to start with this book and it certainly did not disappoint. The book deals with the beginning of the French Wars of Religion between the Catholics and Huguenots, and we learn a great deal of history (much of which I was unaware of) and follow the lives of the Joubert family, along with Piet (Huguenot) and Vidal (Catholic priest) along with Vidal’s mistress Blanche. What a great way to both have a wonderful read and learn of all the complexities of this time period (1561-72), and all the hostilities and difficulties that people had to live with. Cities divided but holy wars. People who were neighbors now become enemies - and many of these people are drawn into the conflict as unwitting victims. Of course there is a really good mystery that also plays a large part in this book and which is something that propels some of the plot even though through most of the book the mystery remains hidden from us.
I have City of Tears and she had a prior series that now may show up on my shopping list. A wonderful writer, a wonderful book and a great way to learn and understand the history of a topic I knew little about.
I have City of Tears and she had a prior series that now may show up on my shopping list. A wonderful writer, a wonderful book and a great way to learn and understand the history of a topic I knew little about.
June 16, 2019
Tl;dr: (gallic shrug)
Kate Mosse is back with a new series focusing on the persecution of Huguenots in France. It looks like the series will track not just the beginning and the infamous massacre, but also the migration of those who survived to other European countries and eventually colonial Africa (primarily South Africa, it seems)
This is a fantastic idea for a historical series--it focuses on a lesser known period of European history, it's about what it's like to live in a world where people fight over religion (some things never change, sadly)--but the execution doesn't work. It's clear that there's been lots of research, which is great, but Mosse is so building settings and explaining the politics and religious policies (and persecutions) that the characters are flat and way, way less interesting than they should be. The second book--teased at the beginning and at the end--seems like it will be more character driven. I'd give it a chance but this one is meh.
Kate Mosse is back with a new series focusing on the persecution of Huguenots in France. It looks like the series will track not just the beginning and the infamous massacre, but also the migration of those who survived to other European countries and eventually colonial Africa (primarily South Africa, it seems)
This is a fantastic idea for a historical series--it focuses on a lesser known period of European history, it's about what it's like to live in a world where people fight over religion (some things never change, sadly)--but the execution doesn't work. It's clear that there's been lots of research, which is great, but Mosse is so building settings and explaining the politics and religious policies (and persecutions) that the characters are flat and way, way less interesting than they should be. The second book--teased at the beginning and at the end--seems like it will be more character driven. I'd give it a chance but this one is meh.
May 6, 2018
Nobody does the Languedoc like Kate Mosse! I didn’t realise the religious wars of France were just as viscious and prolonged as in Britain during the same time period ( Tudors and Stuarts). I was very interested to read this as I have been to Carcassonne and so could clearly visualise the scenes set there and its surrounds.
This is really the story of an everyday family living in Carcassonne with a secret. It is also a romance. The story is based in Carcassonne and then Toulouse where bitter battles were fought between the Huguenots and Catholics.
The mystery itself and the romance work quite well, but the strength of this book is Mosse’s extensive knowledge and evocative description of the beautiful region in which it is set and the intricacies of the religious problem. Within this she has created a wide cast of believable and fully drawn characters.
Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book. All opinions are my own.
This is really the story of an everyday family living in Carcassonne with a secret. It is also a romance. The story is based in Carcassonne and then Toulouse where bitter battles were fought between the Huguenots and Catholics.
The mystery itself and the romance work quite well, but the strength of this book is Mosse’s extensive knowledge and evocative description of the beautiful region in which it is set and the intricacies of the religious problem. Within this she has created a wide cast of believable and fully drawn characters.
Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book. All opinions are my own.
July 6, 2018
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 was what was read out at my Mother's Funrel in May 09 is at being of the book.
This starts in 1862 in Franschhoek at a grave the rest is in flashback to Carcassonne in the Winter 1562, Toulouse Spring 1562 & Puivert Summer 1562 ; during the Wars of Religion set around the Host ,transubstantiation as opposed to consubstantiation. The hundreds of thousands of people who died over bread & wine. In today's standards it is very difficult to under stand Transubstantiation as it sounds very illogical. But in early Roman Catholics faith it was very much a matter of faith.
Henry VIII still believed in transubstantiation & anyone else who did not was executed even though he was head of the church & split from the Pope he still did not follow consubstantiation .
This set in France around a Catholic Girl Minou Joubert sent a strange letter SHE KNOWS THAT YOU LIVE.
This about war, religion, blasphemy, wine & bread ,love & hate so much hate .
It is set after Martin Luther nailed his 77 Edicts to the church.
But most of all this about Religion started with war on 1st March 1562 with Massacre of unarmed Huguenots in Vassy by The Catholic forces of Francis Duke of Guise this religion at its worst.
This about the thief of The Shroud of Antioch in 1558 & the hunt by Piet Reydon to clear his name .
In the Time of The Inquisitional tourcher stealing holy shrouds was really bad idea. This book a mystery of divine thought & vast rich tapestry of people in War torn France.
The 'hero' The Duke of Guise mass murder of children who today would be classed as a international terrorist but then a Hero by The Queen thank God things have changed.
The huge shadow of darkness cast from Martin Luther's influence is biggest problem that most people who read this may not see because not read about Luther yet it is the visible darkness of this book that has made the book & the main Villain come through this story so much better. There is nothing like really good stinker like Lord Foul ,Saurman , Voldumore & The Master to pack a punch here we have Vidal a very naught dark over sexed Bishop who is not the main theme of the story yet he's so important. You'll love to hate & you'll never want him to end .You need more & more of him .Kate has created a real interesting stinker.
It's big Shame that volume two The City of Tears is not due tile 2020
Some people have called this a Romantic Historical but I personally don't like to label a book with word ROMANTIC specialy when it real isn't ,it as romantic under tons but only loosely but the word Romance can put people off. I was told that Forever Amber was sloppy Romance so for years I never tried it but when I did I made it book of the year. It's like ghastly term 'a woman's book' no such thing. Book should not be labeled like that.
This not Romantic story it's got love it it but so has the Bible & would not call that a Romance would you.
This as it says is only book one but don't worry as the next book is set in another time zone about different people . As for the wierd title that does make sense but I not tell you'll have read the book won't you.
TOP HISTORICAL FICTION 2018 & I THOUGHT THE STEPHEN KING WAS THE TOP BOOK HOW WRONG I WAS
This starts in 1862 in Franschhoek at a grave the rest is in flashback to Carcassonne in the Winter 1562, Toulouse Spring 1562 & Puivert Summer 1562 ; during the Wars of Religion set around the Host ,transubstantiation as opposed to consubstantiation. The hundreds of thousands of people who died over bread & wine. In today's standards it is very difficult to under stand Transubstantiation as it sounds very illogical. But in early Roman Catholics faith it was very much a matter of faith.
Henry VIII still believed in transubstantiation & anyone else who did not was executed even though he was head of the church & split from the Pope he still did not follow consubstantiation .
This set in France around a Catholic Girl Minou Joubert sent a strange letter SHE KNOWS THAT YOU LIVE.
This about war, religion, blasphemy, wine & bread ,love & hate so much hate .
It is set after Martin Luther nailed his 77 Edicts to the church.
But most of all this about Religion started with war on 1st March 1562 with Massacre of unarmed Huguenots in Vassy by The Catholic forces of Francis Duke of Guise this religion at its worst.
This about the thief of The Shroud of Antioch in 1558 & the hunt by Piet Reydon to clear his name .
In the Time of The Inquisitional tourcher stealing holy shrouds was really bad idea. This book a mystery of divine thought & vast rich tapestry of people in War torn France.
The 'hero' The Duke of Guise mass murder of children who today would be classed as a international terrorist but then a Hero by The Queen thank God things have changed.
The huge shadow of darkness cast from Martin Luther's influence is biggest problem that most people who read this may not see because not read about Luther yet it is the visible darkness of this book that has made the book & the main Villain come through this story so much better. There is nothing like really good stinker like Lord Foul ,Saurman , Voldumore & The Master to pack a punch here we have Vidal a very naught dark over sexed Bishop who is not the main theme of the story yet he's so important. You'll love to hate & you'll never want him to end .You need more & more of him .Kate has created a real interesting stinker.
It's big Shame that volume two The City of Tears is not due tile 2020
Some people have called this a Romantic Historical but I personally don't like to label a book with word ROMANTIC specialy when it real isn't ,it as romantic under tons but only loosely but the word Romance can put people off. I was told that Forever Amber was sloppy Romance so for years I never tried it but when I did I made it book of the year. It's like ghastly term 'a woman's book' no such thing. Book should not be labeled like that.
This not Romantic story it's got love it it but so has the Bible & would not call that a Romance would you.
This as it says is only book one but don't worry as the next book is set in another time zone about different people . As for the wierd title that does make sense but I not tell you'll have read the book won't you.
TOP HISTORICAL FICTION 2018 & I THOUGHT THE STEPHEN KING WAS THE TOP BOOK HOW WRONG I WAS
June 17, 2019
A very intriguing historical fiction read! This takes place in the mid-1500's during the time of the religious wars in France between the Catholics and the Huguenots. Mosse did a remarkable job in portraying the atmosphere and the climate of those times as well as imagining a fast-paced mystery that kept my interest - a family with a secret. I liked the strong female characters portrayed and enjoyed the romance between Minou and Piet. I don't know much about this period in France's history other than briefly touching on the period in high school history class, so I found the historical aspect really interesting.
Thanks to Kate Mosse and St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy.
Thanks to Kate Mosse and St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy.
May 9, 2018
I absolutely loved Kate Mosse’s Languedoc trilogy (Labyrinth, Sepulchre and Citadel) and the atmospheric The Winter Ghosts. The author returns to the setting of previous novels – Carcassonne – but this time without the dual time structure of Labyrinth and Sepulchre. Instead the reader is plunged into the sights and sounds of 16th century France, a time of religious strife between the Catholic Church and Protestant Huguenots. ‘The threat of being denounced terrified everyone; a man could be strung up for uttering the wrong prayer, kneeling at the wrong altar.’ However, as one character observes, “A war of faith is always about more than faith.” In this case, for some, it’s about power and influence.
The Burning Chambers contains all the elements a reader has come to love and expect from a Kate Mosse novel: strong female characters, secrets passed down through generations, an inheritance, a forgery, a Will, a labyrinthine but totally absorbing plot. There is love, passion and betrayal. There is murder, treachery and brutal interrogation. And, when it comes down to it, who can be trusted, even amongst those you believe your closest friends?
The story lines involving Minou and Piet are interspersed with extracts from the testimony of an unnamed woman who reveals herself as something of a Lady Macbeth character, prepared to stop at nothing to achieve her aims. Eventually, the various story lines and leading characters converge on the place that holds the key to one element of the mystery before building to a dramatic climax. However, ‘old crimes cast long shadows…’ so this is a feud that could continue down the generations.
If you gave Mary Berry flour, butter, eggs and sugar, you could be absolutely sure she’d create the perfect Victoria sponge cake. In the same way, in The Burning Chambers, Kate Mosse expertly combines all the ingredients necessary for a deliciously satisfying historical fiction novel…with the Prologue providing the promise of further appetising slices still to come.
I received a review copy courtesy of publishers, Mantle Books, and NetGalley in return for an honest and unbiased review.
The Burning Chambers contains all the elements a reader has come to love and expect from a Kate Mosse novel: strong female characters, secrets passed down through generations, an inheritance, a forgery, a Will, a labyrinthine but totally absorbing plot. There is love, passion and betrayal. There is murder, treachery and brutal interrogation. And, when it comes down to it, who can be trusted, even amongst those you believe your closest friends?
The story lines involving Minou and Piet are interspersed with extracts from the testimony of an unnamed woman who reveals herself as something of a Lady Macbeth character, prepared to stop at nothing to achieve her aims. Eventually, the various story lines and leading characters converge on the place that holds the key to one element of the mystery before building to a dramatic climax. However, ‘old crimes cast long shadows…’ so this is a feud that could continue down the generations.
If you gave Mary Berry flour, butter, eggs and sugar, you could be absolutely sure she’d create the perfect Victoria sponge cake. In the same way, in The Burning Chambers, Kate Mosse expertly combines all the ingredients necessary for a deliciously satisfying historical fiction novel…with the Prologue providing the promise of further appetising slices still to come.
I received a review copy courtesy of publishers, Mantle Books, and NetGalley in return for an honest and unbiased review.
March 5, 2025
3.75 stars
“You well know that if a lie is repeated often enough, in the face of the clearest evidence to the contrary, even the most level-headed of men start to believe in it. Falsehood easily becomes accepted truth.”
This is the first of a trilogy of historical novels set in sixteenth century France during the religious wars. The novel starts in 1562 and is set in Carcassonne in the Languedoc region, where a number of Mosse’s previous novels have been set.
It is a family chronicle that starts in 1562, I suspect we are heading towards the St Bartholomew’s day massacre in one of the trilogy (not this one). It is also a love story, inevitably we have a Catholic and a Huguenot to make it more interesting. There are a few mysteries and a significant cast of characters and no doubt a few strands to take onto the next in the series. The story shifts between Carcassonne, Toulouse and Puivert. There is plenty of betrayal, passion, murder, love and treachery. And of course there is the religious divide with a priceless relic thrown ion for good measure.
It is well written and well constructed. Mosse manages not to over-simplify and go with the Catholic bad Protestant good line, there is some nuance. This was ok. There were some niggles. Mosse does have a habit of asking rhetorical questions, quite a lot of them. I suspect it is meant to add to the suspense, but it can be an irritation.
“You well know that if a lie is repeated often enough, in the face of the clearest evidence to the contrary, even the most level-headed of men start to believe in it. Falsehood easily becomes accepted truth.”
This is the first of a trilogy of historical novels set in sixteenth century France during the religious wars. The novel starts in 1562 and is set in Carcassonne in the Languedoc region, where a number of Mosse’s previous novels have been set.
It is a family chronicle that starts in 1562, I suspect we are heading towards the St Bartholomew’s day massacre in one of the trilogy (not this one). It is also a love story, inevitably we have a Catholic and a Huguenot to make it more interesting. There are a few mysteries and a significant cast of characters and no doubt a few strands to take onto the next in the series. The story shifts between Carcassonne, Toulouse and Puivert. There is plenty of betrayal, passion, murder, love and treachery. And of course there is the religious divide with a priceless relic thrown ion for good measure.
It is well written and well constructed. Mosse manages not to over-simplify and go with the Catholic bad Protestant good line, there is some nuance. This was ok. There were some niggles. Mosse does have a habit of asking rhetorical questions, quite a lot of them. I suspect it is meant to add to the suspense, but it can be an irritation.
October 5, 2018
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Kate Mosse has returned to what she does best, the French Languedoc period, mixed with a dash of mystery, twists and violence.
As usual it’s Mosse’s apparent passion for this period of history that shines through here, with vivid descriptions of an extremely volatile time in French history. The story is highly atmospheric, which is only heightened by the wonderful detailed depictions of everyday life during a turbulent time. The underlying feeling of paranoia, mistrust and the threat of being called out as a blasphemer or nonbeliever is ever present and constantly played upon to great effect.
I admit, I did miss the mixture of past and present characters here, which has become so synonymous with Mosse’s storytelling, however, her ability to produce characters that are instantly relatable, down to earth and likeable still holds true. I particularly enjoyed the delicate way the seperate stories of Minou and Piet converged in a subtle way to a great climactic ending. However, I was less fond of this story than Mosse’s previous novels and I do think this mainly hinges on the romantic elements which sometimes descended too much into sloppy story telling and infatuation.
Great historical setting, which would have been greatly enhanced by downplaying the romantic elements.
Kate Mosse has returned to what she does best, the French Languedoc period, mixed with a dash of mystery, twists and violence.
As usual it’s Mosse’s apparent passion for this period of history that shines through here, with vivid descriptions of an extremely volatile time in French history. The story is highly atmospheric, which is only heightened by the wonderful detailed depictions of everyday life during a turbulent time. The underlying feeling of paranoia, mistrust and the threat of being called out as a blasphemer or nonbeliever is ever present and constantly played upon to great effect.
I admit, I did miss the mixture of past and present characters here, which has become so synonymous with Mosse’s storytelling, however, her ability to produce characters that are instantly relatable, down to earth and likeable still holds true. I particularly enjoyed the delicate way the seperate stories of Minou and Piet converged in a subtle way to a great climactic ending. However, I was less fond of this story than Mosse’s previous novels and I do think this mainly hinges on the romantic elements which sometimes descended too much into sloppy story telling and infatuation.
Great historical setting, which would have been greatly enhanced by downplaying the romantic elements.
May 16, 2021
"La historia de las injusticias perpetradas en nombre de la religión contra sus antepasados es prueba segura de que Dios no existe. ¿Qué dios permitiría tantas muertes agónicas, tanto miedo y terror por su causa?"
Emprendí con entusiasmo la lectura de esta nueva trilogía, después de haber leído, hace algún tiempo, El laberinto y Sepulcro de esta misma autora.
Esta novela histórica se desarrolla en Francia en el siglo XVI, y nos muestra la lucha de poder entre católicos y protestantes (hugonotes), siendo esta intolerancia religiosa, uno de los elementos más fuertes de la novela. Comienza con un prólogo fechado en 1862 en Sudáfrica, que nos permite entender cuales serán los nexos comunes de la trama de esta trilogía: un diario, un testamento, un antiguo secreto y dos familias enfrentadas desde hace 300 años.
A lo largo de una lectura llena de secretos familiares, lealtades y traiciones, la autora construye una impactante historia a través de personajes fuertes y muy bien desarrollados, que al igual que Los pilares de la tierra I de Ken Follett, encontraremos héroes, villanos, y las víctimas de todo enfrentamiento.
El ritmo de la novela es bastante ágil, contada a través de un narrador omnisciente (con pocas páginas narradas en primera persona), con continuos acontecimientos que cambian el rumbo de la historia y que nos conduce a un final tenso y dramático, pero muy emocionante. Se convirtió en una lectura bastante adictiva.
Definitivamente Kate Mosse tiene una habilidad impecable para construir una historia alrededor de hechos históricos reales, con lenguaje sencillo, pero muy cuidado, y una apasionante trama.
Según palabras de la autora, esta trilogía comienza con esta entrega desarrollada en la ciudad medieval de Carcasona en 1562 y concluirá, abarcando más de trescientos años de historia, en Sudáfrica en 1862.
Espero con ansias la publicación de la segunda parte: The City of Tears
Emprendí con entusiasmo la lectura de esta nueva trilogía, después de haber leído, hace algún tiempo, El laberinto y Sepulcro de esta misma autora.
Esta novela histórica se desarrolla en Francia en el siglo XVI, y nos muestra la lucha de poder entre católicos y protestantes (hugonotes), siendo esta intolerancia religiosa, uno de los elementos más fuertes de la novela. Comienza con un prólogo fechado en 1862 en Sudáfrica, que nos permite entender cuales serán los nexos comunes de la trama de esta trilogía: un diario, un testamento, un antiguo secreto y dos familias enfrentadas desde hace 300 años.
A lo largo de una lectura llena de secretos familiares, lealtades y traiciones, la autora construye una impactante historia a través de personajes fuertes y muy bien desarrollados, que al igual que Los pilares de la tierra I de Ken Follett, encontraremos héroes, villanos, y las víctimas de todo enfrentamiento.
El ritmo de la novela es bastante ágil, contada a través de un narrador omnisciente (con pocas páginas narradas en primera persona), con continuos acontecimientos que cambian el rumbo de la historia y que nos conduce a un final tenso y dramático, pero muy emocionante. Se convirtió en una lectura bastante adictiva.
Definitivamente Kate Mosse tiene una habilidad impecable para construir una historia alrededor de hechos históricos reales, con lenguaje sencillo, pero muy cuidado, y una apasionante trama.
Según palabras de la autora, esta trilogía comienza con esta entrega desarrollada en la ciudad medieval de Carcasona en 1562 y concluirá, abarcando más de trescientos años de historia, en Sudáfrica en 1862.
Espero con ansias la publicación de la segunda parte: The City of Tears
February 27, 2019
Languedoc, region in Southern France, was marked by Cathars Inquisitions before the 14th century and after the 15th century the region experienced another Crusade now against Huguenots (French Protestants), who seemed to be putting the strongest resistance in this particular region.
The story begins in 1562 Carcassonne with a 19 year old Minou, who works at her father’s bookshop. A bookshop known for “selling books to suit all religious tastes” and to be “out of step with the increasingly intolerant times.” Her father, Bernard Joubert, was a faithful Catholic, but it was her late mother, who was a true Languedocien, promoting tolerance through selling books expressing her believes. Five years earlier, the plague took her life and now her husband is troubled by the Inquisition.
One day, Minou receives an anonymous letter with only five words: “She knows that you live.”
Piet Reydon, originally from Amsterdam, is visiting Carcassonne to do business. He does charitable work for Huguenot community in Toulouse.
The Edict of Toleration, which was supposed to give Huguenots’ protection, seems to be meaningless. The Duke of Guise has no intention of honoring it.
Meanwhile, a fragment of the Shroud of Antioch, “in which the body of Jesus was laid in the sepulchre,” gets stolen from the Church in Toulouse. “It was an object of great and holy significance for the Catholic Church, a relic said to be able to work miracles.” And there is someone who will do anything to get it back.
A massacre at Vassy happens; a hundred Huguenots are slaughtered as they gathered in worship.
The attacks on Huguenots continue in other places, businesses and houses are destroyed. They are left homeless with no means to support themselves.
That’s why Piet’s charitable work is so important.
After a brief encounter of Minou and Piet in Carcassonne, their paths cross again in Toulouse. The tensions in the city of Toulouse, further take them to Puivert.
With a moving prose, the story engages three historical places of Carcassonne, Toulouse, and Puivert, bringing the richness of those places: their history and secrets of those who know those places well.
“Cathar belief and Protestant doctrine have little in common in terms of doctrine and theology. On the other hand, it is fair to suggest that the freedom of spirit and thought that led to Catharism taking so strong a hold in Languedoc in the eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth centuries, before being all but wiped out in the fourteenth century, was reflected in Huguenot communities during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.”
If you’re interested in reading about Cathars, highly recommend The Treasure of Montsegur: A Novel of the Cathars by Sophy Burnham.
The story also mentions Catherine, the Queen Regent and Calvin. Further recommendations: The Confessions of Catherine de Medici by C. W. Gortner and The Betrayal: A Novel on John Calvin by Douglas Bond.
@FB/BestHistoricalFiction
The story begins in 1562 Carcassonne with a 19 year old Minou, who works at her father’s bookshop. A bookshop known for “selling books to suit all religious tastes” and to be “out of step with the increasingly intolerant times.” Her father, Bernard Joubert, was a faithful Catholic, but it was her late mother, who was a true Languedocien, promoting tolerance through selling books expressing her believes. Five years earlier, the plague took her life and now her husband is troubled by the Inquisition.
One day, Minou receives an anonymous letter with only five words: “She knows that you live.”
Piet Reydon, originally from Amsterdam, is visiting Carcassonne to do business. He does charitable work for Huguenot community in Toulouse.
The Edict of Toleration, which was supposed to give Huguenots’ protection, seems to be meaningless. The Duke of Guise has no intention of honoring it.
Meanwhile, a fragment of the Shroud of Antioch, “in which the body of Jesus was laid in the sepulchre,” gets stolen from the Church in Toulouse. “It was an object of great and holy significance for the Catholic Church, a relic said to be able to work miracles.” And there is someone who will do anything to get it back.
A massacre at Vassy happens; a hundred Huguenots are slaughtered as they gathered in worship.
The attacks on Huguenots continue in other places, businesses and houses are destroyed. They are left homeless with no means to support themselves.
That’s why Piet’s charitable work is so important.
After a brief encounter of Minou and Piet in Carcassonne, their paths cross again in Toulouse. The tensions in the city of Toulouse, further take them to Puivert.
With a moving prose, the story engages three historical places of Carcassonne, Toulouse, and Puivert, bringing the richness of those places: their history and secrets of those who know those places well.
“Cathar belief and Protestant doctrine have little in common in terms of doctrine and theology. On the other hand, it is fair to suggest that the freedom of spirit and thought that led to Catharism taking so strong a hold in Languedoc in the eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth centuries, before being all but wiped out in the fourteenth century, was reflected in Huguenot communities during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.”
If you’re interested in reading about Cathars, highly recommend The Treasure of Montsegur: A Novel of the Cathars by Sophy Burnham.
The story also mentions Catherine, the Queen Regent and Calvin. Further recommendations: The Confessions of Catherine de Medici by C. W. Gortner and The Betrayal: A Novel on John Calvin by Douglas Bond.
@FB/BestHistoricalFiction
August 6, 2019
I haven’t read anything else by this author, but I was expecting more historical fiction and less romance novel. I knew nothing about this period of French history or the conflict between the Catholics and the Huguenots. I should have read a nonfiction book about it instead, because it definitely takes a back seat in this book. The book has instalove, a randy priest, a counterfeit shroud, secrets (of course), a stolen inheritance and one extremely melodramatic character (who devolves into totally batshit crazy by the end of the book). I did not realize that this was the beginning of a series until I got to the end of the book. I won’t be continuing with the series. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
June 8, 2018
My god. MY. GOD. If you’re book is going to be 600 pages long, it better be good and, bloody hell, The Burning Chambers by Kate Mosse is UH. MAY. ZING. Incredibly – and rather embarrassingly – I’ve never read one of Kate’s novels before. And I also know very little about the political landscape of 16th century France(!), yet this piece of historical fiction is gripping. Oh my word, it is gripping.
Love and betrayal, mysteries and secrets, war and adventure, conspiracies and divided loyalties… It’s all here and it unfurls with the brilliance of the most fantastic page-turner as we follow a man and a woman – a young woman in receipt of a mysterious message, and a Huguenot convert at the core of the resistance – as sectarian tensions threaten to set France alight. I could not put this down. One of the achievements of the year.
Love and betrayal, mysteries and secrets, war and adventure, conspiracies and divided loyalties… It’s all here and it unfurls with the brilliance of the most fantastic page-turner as we follow a man and a woman – a young woman in receipt of a mysterious message, and a Huguenot convert at the core of the resistance – as sectarian tensions threaten to set France alight. I could not put this down. One of the achievements of the year.
June 10, 2019
Kate Mosse's "Languedoc Trilogy": Labyrinth, Sepulchre, and Citadel are three of my favorite historical fiction novels, so I was oh so thrilled when I heard she was writing a new series set again in the Languedoc province of France and even more excited to get my hands on a review copy of The Burning Chambers (let me just say that there's some serious cover love going on between me and this book! Gorgeous!).
In this richly atmospheric, historical novel Mosse journeys back to the 16th century, to 1562 when France is teeming with strife between the Catholics and the Protestant Huguenots. Catherine de Medici, one of my personal favorite historical figures, is regent of France. This novel has everything you could ever want in a novel of this genre and time period: struggles for power, religious strife, torture, old family secrets, characters of noble birth, mysteries, danger, betrayal, poison, inheritances, villains and heroes, romance, love, and murder! Everything!
Minou Joubert is the young heroine of the novel and an outstanding female character. Her father Bernard is a Carcassonne bookseller and one day while at the bookstore, Minou receives a note she doesn't understand but that means she's in dreadful danger. Around the same time, Minou, who is Catholic, becomes deeply drawn to Piet Reydon, a Huguenot on a quest for his faith. The two become entangled in the most dangerous of situations, amid religious conflict, friend betraying friend, and forces pursuing Minou for their own end.
Although The Burning Chambers is 586 pages long, a lengthy novel, I read it in two days because I felt like I was part of a grand adventure thanks to her captivating, rip-roaring plot and the novel's gripping history. It's a novel where you have to pay attention because of the intricate, well-researched historical details Mosse puts in her novels, but I never felt like I was struggling to read it. The scenes are superb, and I think it's very difficult to find another author in the genre who can write imagery this well―you really feel transported to the 16th century! Also, the characterization is second to none. Superb all the way around!
I have to say that I've been struggling with historical fiction lately, but Mosse's newest novel not only pulled me right out of that struggle but reminded me why I have passionately loved medieval history for as long as I can remember and minored in medieval history while in college! This is an epic novel that I absolutely LOVED, and I am already (anxiously) waiting for book two, The City of Tears. I absolutely cannot recommend this intriguing, riveting read more if you love an epic, historical novel.
**Thank you Minotaur Books for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.**
In this richly atmospheric, historical novel Mosse journeys back to the 16th century, to 1562 when France is teeming with strife between the Catholics and the Protestant Huguenots. Catherine de Medici, one of my personal favorite historical figures, is regent of France. This novel has everything you could ever want in a novel of this genre and time period: struggles for power, religious strife, torture, old family secrets, characters of noble birth, mysteries, danger, betrayal, poison, inheritances, villains and heroes, romance, love, and murder! Everything!
Minou Joubert is the young heroine of the novel and an outstanding female character. Her father Bernard is a Carcassonne bookseller and one day while at the bookstore, Minou receives a note she doesn't understand but that means she's in dreadful danger. Around the same time, Minou, who is Catholic, becomes deeply drawn to Piet Reydon, a Huguenot on a quest for his faith. The two become entangled in the most dangerous of situations, amid religious conflict, friend betraying friend, and forces pursuing Minou for their own end.
Although The Burning Chambers is 586 pages long, a lengthy novel, I read it in two days because I felt like I was part of a grand adventure thanks to her captivating, rip-roaring plot and the novel's gripping history. It's a novel where you have to pay attention because of the intricate, well-researched historical details Mosse puts in her novels, but I never felt like I was struggling to read it. The scenes are superb, and I think it's very difficult to find another author in the genre who can write imagery this well―you really feel transported to the 16th century! Also, the characterization is second to none. Superb all the way around!
I have to say that I've been struggling with historical fiction lately, but Mosse's newest novel not only pulled me right out of that struggle but reminded me why I have passionately loved medieval history for as long as I can remember and minored in medieval history while in college! This is an epic novel that I absolutely LOVED, and I am already (anxiously) waiting for book two, The City of Tears. I absolutely cannot recommend this intriguing, riveting read more if you love an epic, historical novel.
**Thank you Minotaur Books for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.**
April 23, 2018
The first book in a new series of novels by Kate Mosse, The Burning Chambers is sublime historical fiction. It is set in France, in the year 1562, when the Wars of Religion were beginning to take hold. These were a sequence of eight civil wars between Catholics and Huguenots and the loss and destruction was profound, with several million people dead or displaced over the 36 years these wars raged on for. Such a very long time; what madness.
The Burning Chambers contains an impressive amount of historical detail woven into a story that is highly accessible and vividly engaging. I was instantly swept up into the suspense and richly detailed lives of the characters. It’s a huge book, but the pages just flew by for me, I really couldn’t put it down. Even my sleep was bookended with it, reading late into the night and waking up to read more over breakfast.
These brutal religious wars were just so terrible, and Mosse does an incredible job of bringing this dark history to life. The corruption threaded through society was rife, and each individual had to keep their wits about them at all times. You literally had no idea who you could trust. And yet, within this environment, neighbours would band together to protect their own against the forces that sought to crush them. Community was still rich and evident, albeit, a little more cautious though.
Against this volatile background is a mystery involving Minou’s heritage and a woman who thinks she hears the voice of God, a truly frightening woman who is pursuing Minou and will stop at nothing to achieve her end game.
The drama is high, the suspense even more so. There’s romance, crime, mystery, war, gothic themes, and history. The pages that head each part are adorned with photos that compliment the setting of the next section, a nice touch that firmly gives the reader a sense of time and place. The Burning Chambers is a novel that will appeal to a wide range of readers and it really is Kate Mosse at her very best.
Thanks is extended to Pan Macmillan Australia for providing me with a copy of The Burning Chambers for review.
The Burning Chambers contains an impressive amount of historical detail woven into a story that is highly accessible and vividly engaging. I was instantly swept up into the suspense and richly detailed lives of the characters. It’s a huge book, but the pages just flew by for me, I really couldn’t put it down. Even my sleep was bookended with it, reading late into the night and waking up to read more over breakfast.
These brutal religious wars were just so terrible, and Mosse does an incredible job of bringing this dark history to life. The corruption threaded through society was rife, and each individual had to keep their wits about them at all times. You literally had no idea who you could trust. And yet, within this environment, neighbours would band together to protect their own against the forces that sought to crush them. Community was still rich and evident, albeit, a little more cautious though.
Against this volatile background is a mystery involving Minou’s heritage and a woman who thinks she hears the voice of God, a truly frightening woman who is pursuing Minou and will stop at nothing to achieve her end game.
The drama is high, the suspense even more so. There’s romance, crime, mystery, war, gothic themes, and history. The pages that head each part are adorned with photos that compliment the setting of the next section, a nice touch that firmly gives the reader a sense of time and place. The Burning Chambers is a novel that will appeal to a wide range of readers and it really is Kate Mosse at her very best.
Thanks is extended to Pan Macmillan Australia for providing me with a copy of The Burning Chambers for review.
December 14, 2022
The Burning Chambers by Kate Mosse is an epic tale of a family in mid 1500s France set against the backdrop of the civil unrest between the Catholics and Huguenots. This is quite a hefty tome coming in at over 580 pages and while I don't mind a chunky read every now and again, I did find this one a little too long. I wanted the main character to spend more time at her father's bookshop and felt a little robbed when that was just a kicking off point to her story.
Containing a mystery and a love story amongst the turbulent political setting, the writing was evocative but sometimes a little repetitive (e.g. the word pernicious appears twice on page 123). The period seemed to be excellently researched though and those with an interest in the French Wars of Religion will thoroughly enjoy this historical fiction novel.
Overall I found it a good but slow moving story with the convergence of the characters at the end a little unrealistic. The Burning Chambers is the first in a series with the second novel The City of Tears due for publication in 2020. I'm pretty sure fans of Ken Follett will enjoy this series.
* Copy courtesy of Pan Macmillan Australia *
Containing a mystery and a love story amongst the turbulent political setting, the writing was evocative but sometimes a little repetitive (e.g. the word pernicious appears twice on page 123). The period seemed to be excellently researched though and those with an interest in the French Wars of Religion will thoroughly enjoy this historical fiction novel.
Overall I found it a good but slow moving story with the convergence of the characters at the end a little unrealistic. The Burning Chambers is the first in a series with the second novel The City of Tears due for publication in 2020. I'm pretty sure fans of Ken Follett will enjoy this series.
* Copy courtesy of Pan Macmillan Australia *
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July 6, 2024Una familia que esconde un peligroso secreto, una carta anónima con el sello de una poderosa familia y el enfrentamiento entre católicos y hugonotes.
Carcasona, 1562. A la vez que Minou Joubert, educada en el seno de una familia respetuosa y de mente abierta, intenta sacar adelante la librería familiar mientras su padre se recupera de un debilitamiento de su salud, la joven católica recibe una amenazante carta anónima cuyo origen desconoce por completo y que hará que los cimientos de su vida se tambaleen. En su destino se cruza Piet Reydon, un hugonote perseguido por sus ideas y que custodia un codiciado tesoro al que su mayor enemigo (y anteriormente mejor amigo) quiere atrapar. Ambos se ven atrapados en medio de la creciente tensión entre católicos y hugonotes, a la vez que la misteriosa señora de Bruyere amenaza el futuro de Minou.
"La ciudad del fuego" es la primera entrega de una trilogía en la que Kate Mosse nos lleva de la mano a la truculenta Francia de 1562. Es la historia de un país y de una religión a través de unos personajes que, en su búsqueda de sus propios sueños y objetivos, no dudan en llegar todo lo lejos que puedan y que invita al lector a reflexionar sobre el derramamiento de sangre que se produce, en este caso, en nombre de la religión. Una novela que se adentra en temas como la familia, el amor, la religión, la venganza, la traición, el poder, el secretismo y el perdón.
✔️ Puntos fuertes: lectura ágil y amena gracias a un lenguaje sencillo, diálogos y capítulos breves, una trama bien construida y la confluencia de diferentes subtramas, la envolvente y cuidada ambientación histórica, la intriga en torno a la protagonista y su pasado, personajes bien construidos, la prosa narrativa de la autora y el final.
❤ Te gustará si: buscas una novela histórica, si te gustan las historias ambientadas en la Francia de 1560, que se adentren en el conflicto religioso entre católicos y hugonotes o si te gusta el estilo narrativo de la autora.
Carcasona, 1562. A la vez que Minou Joubert, educada en el seno de una familia respetuosa y de mente abierta, intenta sacar adelante la librería familiar mientras su padre se recupera de un debilitamiento de su salud, la joven católica recibe una amenazante carta anónima cuyo origen desconoce por completo y que hará que los cimientos de su vida se tambaleen. En su destino se cruza Piet Reydon, un hugonote perseguido por sus ideas y que custodia un codiciado tesoro al que su mayor enemigo (y anteriormente mejor amigo) quiere atrapar. Ambos se ven atrapados en medio de la creciente tensión entre católicos y hugonotes, a la vez que la misteriosa señora de Bruyere amenaza el futuro de Minou.
"La ciudad del fuego" es la primera entrega de una trilogía en la que Kate Mosse nos lleva de la mano a la truculenta Francia de 1562. Es la historia de un país y de una religión a través de unos personajes que, en su búsqueda de sus propios sueños y objetivos, no dudan en llegar todo lo lejos que puedan y que invita al lector a reflexionar sobre el derramamiento de sangre que se produce, en este caso, en nombre de la religión. Una novela que se adentra en temas como la familia, el amor, la religión, la venganza, la traición, el poder, el secretismo y el perdón.
✔️ Puntos fuertes: lectura ágil y amena gracias a un lenguaje sencillo, diálogos y capítulos breves, una trama bien construida y la confluencia de diferentes subtramas, la envolvente y cuidada ambientación histórica, la intriga en torno a la protagonista y su pasado, personajes bien construidos, la prosa narrativa de la autora y el final.
❤ Te gustará si: buscas una novela histórica, si te gustan las historias ambientadas en la Francia de 1560, que se adentren en el conflicto religioso entre católicos y hugonotes o si te gusta el estilo narrativo de la autora.
January 14, 2021
2.5 stars rounded up to 3. I've read and enjoyed two of Kate Mosses' books before, but unfortunately I thought that The Burning Chamber was not of the same high standard. I loved learning about the time period and thought her descriptions of the places and historical events were very well done, but I found the characters in the story very one dimensional. I enjoy reading about people that are a bit more complex, and here you were either a hero (with no personality flaws) or a villain (with no redeeming qualities).
If you know of any books set in this same time period please let me know, especially one that focuses more on the marriage of Henry of Navarre and Marie de 'Medici.
The Story: Against a backdrop of conflict between Catholics and Protestants in 1562 France, 19-year-old Minou Joubert, the intelligent and spirited Catholic daughter of a bookseller, and Piet Reydon, a warmhearted Huguenot soldier, fall in love in this tense, atmospheric thriller, the first of a trilogy. The plot centers on a disputed inheritance and a stolen religious relic that ruthless men will stop at nothing to possess.
If you know of any books set in this same time period please let me know, especially one that focuses more on the marriage of Henry of Navarre and Marie de 'Medici.
The Story: Against a backdrop of conflict between Catholics and Protestants in 1562 France, 19-year-old Minou Joubert, the intelligent and spirited Catholic daughter of a bookseller, and Piet Reydon, a warmhearted Huguenot soldier, fall in love in this tense, atmospheric thriller, the first of a trilogy. The plot centers on a disputed inheritance and a stolen religious relic that ruthless men will stop at nothing to possess.
May 31, 2018
thanks to net galley and the publishers for a free copy in return for open and honest review.
interesting novel based in the times of the religious wars in 16th century France and the relationships between several families on both sides. felt the prologue could of been developed more at the start and end it felt out of place. felt that the book could of been slightly shorter and got bogged down towards the middle
interesting novel based in the times of the religious wars in 16th century France and the relationships between several families on both sides. felt the prologue could of been developed more at the start and end it felt out of place. felt that the book could of been slightly shorter and got bogged down towards the middle
August 2, 2022
Brilliant! I loved Kate Mosse’s Labyrinth years ago and so I thought I would enjoy The Burning Chambers. I was not disappointed.
Besides being a well-researched and well-written novel, the accumulating tidbits of intriguing mystery dispersed every few chapters was what ultimately drew me into the story. Who was the mysterious, tortured writer of the cryptic and meandering entries describing a horrible chain of events? And how was that tortured soul related to the main character? And, what part did the famed Shroud of Antioch have to do with a religious war between the Catholics and Huguenots? Just these two mysteries alone were enough to hook me and pull me into this novel.
Without a doubt, the background for The Burning Chambers was one of terrible religious persecution as the Catholic Church sought to not just fend off what it perceived as a threat against its faith, but also against its authority and power. And therein lay the problem throughout much of the late Medieval era into the early Renaissance. Hatred between one faith and another, and with horrific consequences. So much hatred, so much bloodshed and misery and death, and all of it in the name of God. No, that is not quite true. God never asked for any part of it. Surely, He must have closed his eyes and wept to see such atrocities performed in His holy Name. Rather, the wars were a subverted and twisted faith in God that was used as an excuse to main, torture, rape, steal, and kill, one that continued down through centuries, and to what end? What happened to the love God, through his Son, commanded of us toward our neighbor? It was completely ignored for the sake of riches and glory and fame—and power—wrapped up neatly in the guise of religious preservation and devotion.
In our story, nineteen-year-old Minou Joubert, our main protagonist, wishes only to care for her family and tend to the family bookstore. But when she is thrust into a conflict not of her choosing, it begins a cycle of misfortune and hatred where forces of evil and righteousness collide, fates are decided, and sacrifices made.
She is not alone in the struggle. Piet Reydon, a half-Dutch, half-French Huguenot, fighting on behalf of his religious brethren, is always just one step ahead of capture at the hands of unscrupulous men. It is his secrets, and those of Minou, that will determine the future of their lives, and perhaps, countless others, as France devolves further into war and bloodshed.
The only thing stronger than hate is love, and even in the midst of persecution and bloodshed, romance can flourish. Perhaps, it is the only thing that can keep despair from drowning out any chance of hope, especially when your world crumbles around you. And in this story, against the hopelessness war and bloodshed, it becomes the light that draws our heroes forward toward an unknown destination. A story that begins with a cryptic message: She knows that you live.
Such simple words. Words scribbled hastily in a letter and left for Minou. But are they a horrifying threat… or words meant to comfort and offer hope? It is hard to say for certain, and Minou, upon receiving the anonymous message, begins to feel their weight as events unfold toward the truth and her life turns upside-down. And in Carcassonne and Toulouse, in the midst of a terrible war, it could mean anything. But not what she believes, but rather… well, you’ll have to read the novel for yourself to discover the meaning of those ominous words.
Besides being a well-researched and well-written novel, the accumulating tidbits of intriguing mystery dispersed every few chapters was what ultimately drew me into the story. Who was the mysterious, tortured writer of the cryptic and meandering entries describing a horrible chain of events? And how was that tortured soul related to the main character? And, what part did the famed Shroud of Antioch have to do with a religious war between the Catholics and Huguenots? Just these two mysteries alone were enough to hook me and pull me into this novel.
Without a doubt, the background for The Burning Chambers was one of terrible religious persecution as the Catholic Church sought to not just fend off what it perceived as a threat against its faith, but also against its authority and power. And therein lay the problem throughout much of the late Medieval era into the early Renaissance. Hatred between one faith and another, and with horrific consequences. So much hatred, so much bloodshed and misery and death, and all of it in the name of God. No, that is not quite true. God never asked for any part of it. Surely, He must have closed his eyes and wept to see such atrocities performed in His holy Name. Rather, the wars were a subverted and twisted faith in God that was used as an excuse to main, torture, rape, steal, and kill, one that continued down through centuries, and to what end? What happened to the love God, through his Son, commanded of us toward our neighbor? It was completely ignored for the sake of riches and glory and fame—and power—wrapped up neatly in the guise of religious preservation and devotion.
In our story, nineteen-year-old Minou Joubert, our main protagonist, wishes only to care for her family and tend to the family bookstore. But when she is thrust into a conflict not of her choosing, it begins a cycle of misfortune and hatred where forces of evil and righteousness collide, fates are decided, and sacrifices made.
She is not alone in the struggle. Piet Reydon, a half-Dutch, half-French Huguenot, fighting on behalf of his religious brethren, is always just one step ahead of capture at the hands of unscrupulous men. It is his secrets, and those of Minou, that will determine the future of their lives, and perhaps, countless others, as France devolves further into war and bloodshed.
The only thing stronger than hate is love, and even in the midst of persecution and bloodshed, romance can flourish. Perhaps, it is the only thing that can keep despair from drowning out any chance of hope, especially when your world crumbles around you. And in this story, against the hopelessness war and bloodshed, it becomes the light that draws our heroes forward toward an unknown destination. A story that begins with a cryptic message: She knows that you live.
Such simple words. Words scribbled hastily in a letter and left for Minou. But are they a horrifying threat… or words meant to comfort and offer hope? It is hard to say for certain, and Minou, upon receiving the anonymous message, begins to feel their weight as events unfold toward the truth and her life turns upside-down. And in Carcassonne and Toulouse, in the midst of a terrible war, it could mean anything. But not what she believes, but rather… well, you’ll have to read the novel for yourself to discover the meaning of those ominous words.
May 19, 2019
Kate Mosse writes really good historical fiction and does a lot about the Huguenots in 15th century France. This is not a part of her recent trilogy but a stand alone still centered around that time. It is very good. It concerns Minou Joubert and her small family of father, Bernard, and siblings, Aimeric and Alis living in Cacassonne.
Not only is this an excellent historical novel that captures the flavor of the time but it is a mystery story with someone going around and murdering people in secret ways that are not readily obvious. Not only is that a conflict but long time friends Piet, now a Huguenot, and Vilad, a Catholic priest, are fighting over the purported shroud of Christ. Minou also has a big secret in her past that she knows nothing about.
Bernard sends Minou and Aimeric to Toulouse to stay with his dead wife's sister and her important husband, a Catholic town official to keep them safe but that doesn't work. There she meets Piet and learns about his Huguenot cause. The town is involved in a full out Catholic-Huguenot battle and the family is in a real struggle to survive.
This book has so many layers and is so engrossing that I finished it in no time. It's great to have the mystery wrapped up in the story. It's a entertaining book start to finish.
Thanks to Net Galley for a copy of the book is exchange for a fair review.
Not only is this an excellent historical novel that captures the flavor of the time but it is a mystery story with someone going around and murdering people in secret ways that are not readily obvious. Not only is that a conflict but long time friends Piet, now a Huguenot, and Vilad, a Catholic priest, are fighting over the purported shroud of Christ. Minou also has a big secret in her past that she knows nothing about.
Bernard sends Minou and Aimeric to Toulouse to stay with his dead wife's sister and her important husband, a Catholic town official to keep them safe but that doesn't work. There she meets Piet and learns about his Huguenot cause. The town is involved in a full out Catholic-Huguenot battle and the family is in a real struggle to survive.
This book has so many layers and is so engrossing that I finished it in no time. It's great to have the mystery wrapped up in the story. It's a entertaining book start to finish.
Thanks to Net Galley for a copy of the book is exchange for a fair review.
July 24, 2020
The French Religious Wars are not as frequent a topic as WWII and the Holocaust in the Historical Fiction genre. Kate Mosse did a super job of bringing this time period to life. Loved the story.
May 27, 2021
The Burning Chambers is about the vanished worlds of religious worlds. It was challenging to read about the scenes of Catholics, Huguenots, Protestant killing each other because of the faith. This historical fiction shows a past time of France history when a similar battle between the neighbours took place. It didn't felt kind to acknowledge that people could be so cruel or are even nowadays in some parts of the world. The love story between two young people from different parts of religion took place. Also, the is a theme of the importance of the gender of the heir to the estate, where the newborn girls were murdered to save as much possible wealth. At the end of the book, all ends well for the heroes, and they're beloved, and most villains are defeated.
I cannot say that I liked the style of Kate Moss writing so much. I don't know what it is, plot it styles that I can give only three stars.
The next book in the series is book two, called The City of Tears. I cannot say I would include it to read one.
I cannot say that I liked the style of Kate Moss writing so much. I don't know what it is, plot it styles that I can give only three stars.
The next book in the series is book two, called The City of Tears. I cannot say I would include it to read one.
December 16, 2021
This was a wonderfully intricate story about a little-known period in history. Ms. Mosse has previously tackled the Cathar plight in the Languedoc, but this time it is the Huguenot period that is the backdrop. The players are the poor, the rich, the mediocre, the innocent, the powerful and the corrupt. Minou finds the truth of her birth amidst the struggle and bloodletting between Huguenots and Catholics -- her father has been keeping secrets and keeping her safe for years. It all comes to a head in the most exciting and terrifying manor. Very well-researched and a colorful background to this story. The author is a master of her craft.
August 28, 2018
Set in the 16th Century during the wars between the Catholics and Huguenots Mosse brings alive the story with the descriptive attention to detail giving a real sense of the period. At times I felt it quite hard going because of the religious aspect but I ploughed on to be rewarded with a entertaining story based around this of divided loyalties, conspiracies, love and betrayal.
A book I would recommend. My thanks go to the author, publisher and Netgalley in providing a arc in return for a honest review.
A book I would recommend. My thanks go to the author, publisher and Netgalley in providing a arc in return for a honest review.
did-not-finish
January 24, 2019For some reason I am not capable to get through this with any kind of pace or experiencing any reading-pleasure. Maybe one day I will be able to, but as somebody wise said "stop reading books you don't actually enjoy" and right now that is definitely the case. It might be just a tad too complicated for me to keep up with at the moment.
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