by Claire_Wolfe

Created on: July 30, 2011   Last Updated: August 03, 2011

Sepulchre is the second book by Kate Mosse in her Languedoc trilogy and it was published in 2008, following the success of Labyrinth in 2006. The third book in the trilogy is due for release in 2012.

The book is set in France, in the Rennes les Baines region and covers two different time frames – 1891 and 2007. The story switches between the two time frames throughout the book and the two stories correspond with each other.

The story in 1891 is that of Leonie, who grew up in Paris but shortly after the story begins, she flees to Rennes les Baines with her brother. In the gardens of the big house she is living in with her brother and her aunt, she stumbles across an ancient Sepulchre full of ghosts and ghouls.

In 2007, Meredith is writing a book about Debussy and is carrying out some research in France as to his past. She starts in Paris but then heads on to Rennes les Baines because there are rumoured to be links to Debussy and this area of France. However, she also has another project on the go too – to find out more about her family history, which also leads her to Rennes les Baines.

This book is steeped with history and is perfect for the reader who loves historical fiction. Although the book does alternate between the different eras, the story does not become confusing and each time there is a time change, the sections and chapters are clearly marked.

There is a lot of detail in this book and some may say that Mosse goes into too much detail in parts, but this adds to the story and sets the scene for the reader. It enables the reader to really believe they are in 1891 and to get right into the history of the story. Some readers may find that the detail is too much, but don’t be put off by because it it’s all relevant.

As you read through the book it becomes apparent that things in the past are going to impact on the happenings in the present time, but it is written in such a way that the reader is not quite sure how. There are glimpses to the connections throughout the book but it ensures that the reader needs to carry on with the story in order for all the ends to be tied up.

Although the sepulchre is the title of the book, it doesn’t play too much of a big role in the story. Leonie does stumble across it and also finds it written about in a book, but other than that it does not feature much more. It is certainly not the cause of the events that take place in 1891, which the title may lead the reader to believe. The book is also described as being full of ghosts but there aren’t as many ghosts in the story as some may like.

The characters in the book are built up very well and because of the description involved, the reader really does get to know what the characters are like. Leonie is the most interesting of the characters and is the main person in the story – both from the past and the present. At only 17, she is quite an adult and looks up to her older brother. However, as the story progresses, the child within her shows through and she actually turns out to be quite childish. Once she has learnt the error of her ways, she regrets her decisions and does something very brave to save the one she truly loves.

Overall, this is a very tragic story. There are events that happen in both 1891 and the present day that could have been prevented but actually lead to it being a very sad book. As well as the few ghosts that feature there are also themes of love and bravery involved as well. Together with the description and the language used in the book, Mosse has produced a brilliant novel that has been widely read and loved by many people. A perfect read for those who love adventure, but also tragedy too.

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