Kate Mosse - Labyrinth

[Michelle]

Great review from Kell here. (http://bookclubforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=663)
Richard and Judy Book Club info here (http://www.richardandjudybookclub.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=15201&storeId=10101&productId=21030&langId=100&categoryId=16555&fromPage=home&top_category=16555).

I'm just over 200 pages in, and I have to say, it's really drawing me in. I'm getting to know the 2 main characters, and the story is evolving nicely. The size of the book was worrying me, but I think I'm going to enjoy it.

Richard and Jusdy's site sell it for £5.99 plus £3.50 postage, but there are better bargains around...

Buy from Amazon £3.99 + £2.75 postage (http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/redirect?link_code=ur2&tag=thebookclub-21&camp=1634&creative=6738&path=ASIN%2F0752877321%2Fqid%3D1139512673%2Fsr%3D2-1%2Fref%3Dsr_2_3_1)
Buy from BOL £3.19 + £1 postage (http://www.uk.bol.com/index.asp?e=s201&aff_id=TD)

Is anyone reading, has read etc?

[Michelle]

If anyone is interested...

In the prologue, Mosse gives glimpses of several leading characters. But she doesn’t tell you who is who, which to sympathise with and which to condemn. What effect does this have on how you, as reader, begin the novel?

l Also in the prologue, there are glimpses of the two time periods. Do you think it is important that, after the prologue, the author starts the novel proper with 10 chapters set in the medieval past? How did you feel when the action moved to contemporary France in chapter 11?

l How quickly did you discover that some of the modern characters mirror or echo characters from the past? Which ones did you spot first? What were the clues?

l Do you see Guilhem as an unhappy character who never fully atones for his betrayal of Alaïs, or does he finally put things right?

l Have you ever felt, like Alice, such an affinity with a place that you seem to know who must have previously lived there and the emotions they enjoyed or endured?

l There are very few scenes of violence in Labyrinth, but those few are extremely severe. Do you think they were too much, not enough or just right?

l Some of Kate’s medieval characters are real, in the sense that people with those names lived and breathed in the circumstances narrated in the novel 800 years ago. Did you notice anything different about the ‘real’ characters? (For example, Raymond-Roger Trencavel, Agnès de Montpellier, Simon de Montfort and others.)

l Although the Labyrinth story and the trilogy of special books have a spiritual element, they exist alongside Catharism, Christianity, Judaism and Islam, not as part of any of these religions. How do you think the author handles questions of faith?

[Kell]

l Have you ever felt, like Alice, such an affinity with a place that you seem to know who must have previously lived there and the emotions they enjoyed or endured?
I've felt like this a couple of times - once in York when I was just a kid (I can't remember when exactly but I know Prince Andrew was marrying Fergie that day - LOL!) - i'd never been before nor have I been since, but I remember thinking "I know this place".

Also felt like that in Kendal in the Lake District back in 1992. It was relaly strange. The day we arrived I told my dad there was this little coffee shop round the corner & described it down to a tee. There it was, right where I'd said it would be. There was a book shop next door & I got Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton & The Carpet People by Terry Pratchett, which sparked my obsession with the Discworld!

[Maureen]

[. The day we arrived I told my dad there was this little coffee shop round the corner & described it down to a tee. There it was, right where I'd said it would be. !

Wow! That's a bit creepy

[Michelle]

I'm nearly finished.. and this book is amazing! Thank you Kell!

Kell, did you have a favourite story and character? I just adored Alais, and her story.

[Kell]

I'm nearly finished.. and this book is amazing! Thank you Kell!

Kell, did you have a favourite story and character? I just adored Alais, and her story.
Yes, i loved that part of it too. Not saying I didn't like the modern-day Alice bit too, but the historical part of it seemed to ring very clear for me. I dunno, maybe it's because I've been getting very much into historical fiction lately, but I really felt I was there more than I did in the modern-day bits.

[Anonymous]

I think I'm going to have to buy this one, especially as Tash has just informed me that she's bought it now, LOL

[Tash]

4.99 in Sainsburys. I had to get it, everywhere I go people are raving about it lmao

[Anonymous]

LOL Tash, I'll have a look to see if Asda have it tomorrow. :mrgreen:

[Michelle]

Don't forget Bol have it for £3.19 plus £1 postage ;)

[Anonymous]

Whats Bol Michelle, I'm having a *dense* moment, lol

:?

[Maureen]

Don't forget Bol have it for £19 plus £1 postage ;)

Wow! That's a leap!

[Michelle]

http://bookclubforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=850

It's the cheapest place I've seen it so far... unfortunately their site appears to be down right now. :grr:

[Angel]

I picked this one up by chance in Tescos for £3.73 - I don't normally buy from supermarkets, (preferring to support proper bookshops) but I remembered this thread and couldn't resist!!

You lot are influencing me to buy yet more......................!!

[Anonymous]

ooooooooooo thanks for that Angel!

I shall be going to Tescos' tomorrow methinks!

:run:

[Kell]

Look at that, we've started something big on the Labyrinth thing - got a nice trend goingt there - LOL!

[Anonymous]

Well, I bought it today for £3.73 from Asda, it was the last one on the shelf too, hehe!

Looking forward to reading it now, I may put the other book I'm reading on the back burner and start this instead.

:D

[Michelle]

Don't forget Bol have it for £19 plus £1 postage ;)

Wow! That's a leap!

Oops - I've only just seen this! hehe

Bol's site is up again. It's a good price for Labyrinth, as well as some others. Plus, new members going through my link really helps the site. :D

[Lilywhite]

My mum is currently reading this one and I've asked to borrow it when she's finished.

So. of all those that bought it (at bargain prices I might add :wink: ) what did you think of it? Did it live up to all the hype?

Kat
:catlove:

[Inanna]

I have it, but its waiting to be read and I have ignored as much of the reviews as possible, that way I hope to be pleasantly surprised :D

[Emma]

My mum is currently reading this one and I've asked to borrow it when she's finished.

So. of all those that bought it (at bargain prices I might add :wink: ) what did you think of it? Did it live up to all the hype?

Kat
:catlove:

My Mum is reading it at the moment too, she's said she'll pass it on to me when she's read it.

I've heard it's very good but like Inanna I haven't read any reviews about it, looking forward to the unknown :D

[Michelle]

I read it before it was hyped.. it was on Kell's recomendation. And it's my 2nd fave book this year. :)

[Kell]

I read it pre-hype too. I'd been tpying with the idea of buying it, but only spotted it AFTER my birthday funds had been spent, so I popped it on my Xmas list. My Grom got it for me & I read it pretty much immediately. Loved it. It's certainly one of y faves this year so far. Of course, after I'd read it, it got put noto Richard & Judy's book club list & the media attention exploded around it.

It's still an excellent read though. :)