Sepulchre

By: Kate Mosse

Narrated by: Lorelei King

Length: 20 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

Set against the tumultuous backdrop of southern France, Sepulchre is the stunning new novel of obsession and revenge from the number-one best-selling author of Labyrinth.

October 1891: A young girl, Léonie Verniern, and her brother, Anatole, abandon the gas-lit streets of Paris for the sanctuary of the Domaine de la Cade, some miles south of the medieval city of Carcassone. But, in the ancient woods that surround the isolated country house, Léonie stumbles across a ruined Visigoth sepulchre - and a timeless mystery whose traces are written in blood. As she peels back the layers of the past, she uncovers the existence of a unique deck of tarot cards that are rumoured to hold the power of life and death.

October 2007: Researching a biography of the composer Claude Debussy in the apparent tranquillity of the Pyrenean foothills, Meredith Marin also seeks the key to her own complex legacy. Armed with a haunting piece of piano music and a sepia photograph, she soon becomes immersed in the story of a tragic love, a missing girl, an unquiet soul, and the strange events of one cataclysmic night more than a century ago.

As the Feast of All Saints approaches - when the veil between life and death is at its thinnest - Meredith is drawn inexorably to a secluded forest glade where the secrets of the past are far from buried.

©2007 Mosse Associates Ltd (P)2008 Orion Publishing Group Ltd

Critic reviews

"The latest from the the author of best-selling Labyrinth, this adventure will keep you engrossed." ( Eve)
"Sexy, modern adventure." ( Saga)

Enjoyable Overall

For me, this book was just enjoyable, nothing more. It was easy to get into, fun to listen to, I didn't think it dragged out, though I did find the constant mention of Debussy, when the composer had nothing to do with the story, kind of misleading. Overall, I enjoyed listening to it as something to read when I didn't want to think to hard. A fun book.

The end I found to be rushed and kind of tacked on when the author discovered she might not have known how to close the two stories, but it still worked for me, I just would have liked to relish the ending as much as the opening of the book took to develop.

As for the performance, it was mostly fine, except for one thing: the fake French accents. As an ESL teacher in France I can safely say no one has the French accent made famous in movies like Monty Python and the Holy Grail. So it was enervating to listen to the accent at times and I found myself wishing the performer would stop and read normally.

Though the book was an average book, I gave it four stars because, despite some flaws, I did find it a good, easy read.

Templars, Tarot and Rennes Le Chateau

An ambitious writing project, brilliantly accomplished. The title is apt, referring to both a tomb and also a repository for religious objects.

The novel has the feel of an epic with family and genealogy as one of the main themes. Kate Mosse successfully manages to coherently draw references from such vast fields as classical music and Debussy, Templars and Tarot, Solomon’s temple, and magical correspondences, amongst others. She weaves all this together into a symphony of words and actions, and into dual timelines of past and present.

An intriguing mystery, with a magical-musical essence, the book has depth, and is well-researched and coherently written.

It's not a 'happy' book, but it ends as well as may be expected.

There are one or two repetitious phrases (such as "blue eyes") which I found slightly irritating, but this feels like nit-picking after 20 hours of superb entertainment.

A special word of praise must be included here for the transparent narration by Lorelei King. She does masculine voices very well, and never falters in maintaining an individual voice-persona for each character.

A bit disappointed

A lot of description with very little plot movement which could drag then the end felt cut short in contrast to most of the book. It's not a bad book but left me a bit disappointed.

Amazingly Brilliant

I must say I was a bit skeptical about listening to this book because of all the reviews that turned me off. They said that Mosse's Labrynth was much better and this one was not all there. I did enjoy her first book and with that assurance (you can't write a bad book after a good one) I did start listening. I must agree that the book is a bit slow in the beginning, but that's only because it's such a long book. Otherwise the book is amazing. It is very sad and moving too, the closure is not one that I would have wanted. Not your usual happily ever after but still.... The narrator also does the naration very well with all the French names and places.

I would recommend this book to someone who likes long but a bit slow moving and very emotional books.

Sepulchre

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend all of Kate Mosse's books to anyone who like an original and brilliant novel.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Sepulchre?

One was near the end, where Lenore is in the Sepulchre.

Which scene was your favorite?

There are many, the gunfight and aftermath.

Who was the most memorable character of Sepulchre and why?

Lenore, in the 1890s Her story was slightly the best.

Any additional comments?

I rarely comment or give reviews, as they can be so subjective, but I love the way all her books tie in, Labrynth being the first of the series, neatly ties in with Sepulchre and Citadel, and even Citadel ties in with the Winter Ghosts.
I was sorry to have finished reading the books, I have purchased the actual books, and I got the Audio books to put a different slant on what I had read.
Sepulchre had me get my Tarot cards out for another look, and buy some apps.
I am looking forward to her next book.

Narrated by Stephen Hawking’s voice automaton

Unfortunately this was the only version available for download. It’s appalling. Each sentence is read out in the same cadence in a flat accent which makes it hard to listen to.

The story doesn’t really connect with the first book - just two characters overlap.

I’d avoid if I were you.

A lot of uncomfortable Cliches. Very very long for a mediocre (at best) story.