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Kate Mosse: Labyrinth
- Thread starter staceass
- Start date
I don't want to put you both off but I found it very slow and laboured. I had no empathy for the main characters and found the story predictable. It felt like Mosse was trying to get on Dan Brown's bandwagon. Having said that, though, a friend of mine really enjoyed it so I may be in the minority. I'd be interested in what you both think when you've finished it.
pink shadow
New Member
Let me know what you think of this book. I've been picking it up from the shelves and putting it back several times already, and I can't decide if I have the energy to read it. It's not like I lack reading material...
staceass
New Member
it's starting to pick up a bit-- but that simply be because the (long and laboured) process of establishing 2 completely different settings is over (at, least, i hope it is.)
however, i'm starting to think that maybe all the conspiracy and espionage and whatnot was a bit too much for mosse to juggle-- seems every 10 pages now i'm given a new character with another view into the intrigue, which at this point, isn't all that intriguing...
i'll keep you posted as i go
however, i'm starting to think that maybe all the conspiracy and espionage and whatnot was a bit too much for mosse to juggle-- seems every 10 pages now i'm given a new character with another view into the intrigue, which at this point, isn't all that intriguing...
i'll keep you posted as i go
Gem
kickbox
Hello,
I just finished reading this one myself. Like Staceass (interesting name
) I thought it was extraordinarily slow - and it took me a while to get into it. It is predictable, the 'secrets' weren't exactly mindblowing - in fact at the end of the book i thought i must have missed something.
Having said that, I did for a while get immersed with the Alais character, and her story but even that ended predictably. Overall, I thought it was pretty disappointing.
But like Clara said, i've heard from many people who loved it, and maybe i just missed the whole point. So it would be interesting to know what you think of it when you're done Staceass.
I just finished reading this one myself. Like Staceass (interesting name
) I thought it was extraordinarily slow - and it took me a while to get into it. It is predictable, the 'secrets' weren't exactly mindblowing - in fact at the end of the book i thought i must have missed something. Having said that, I did for a while get immersed with the Alais character, and her story but even that ended predictably. Overall, I thought it was pretty disappointing.
But like Clara said, i've heard from many people who loved it, and maybe i just missed the whole point. So it would be interesting to know what you think of it when you're done Staceass.
staceass
New Member
an update -- i'm about 150 from the end of the book
it's picked up in pace some-- i stopped meeting new people a while ago, and now we're busy establishing who the bad badies are and what their motivations are, who the goodies are and how they're going to save the day. there's still a lot of seemingly superfluous characters that need trying in to the tapestry, so to speak, and the plotpoint spoonfeed fest is still running at full tilt, but at least i feel more like i'm getting somewhere now.
unless something groundbreaking happens in the climax, this one isn't gonna rank too high on my list.
it's picked up in pace some-- i stopped meeting new people a while ago, and now we're busy establishing who the bad badies are and what their motivations are, who the goodies are and how they're going to save the day. there's still a lot of seemingly superfluous characters that need trying in to the tapestry, so to speak, and the plotpoint spoonfeed fest is still running at full tilt, but at least i feel more like i'm getting somewhere now.
unless something groundbreaking happens in the climax, this one isn't gonna rank too high on my list.
pink shadow
New Member
staceass said:
LOL, very nicely put
ValkyrieRaven88
New Member
Hmm. I had been thinking about reading this, but I'm starting to have second thoughts...and too many books on my plate as it is. ^^ My eyes are SO much bigger than my stomach, too.
staceass
New Member
finished
well... i finished it.
the final verdict: meh.
while it's certainly not the worst book i've read (i'll nominate nick tosche's "in the hand of dante" for that 'honour'), it's definately not going to be on my recommended list, either.
after enduring a 50 page-or-so sum-up of all the stuff the author seemingly couldn't be bothered to bless with a decent delivery device, i was rewarded with a predictable climax and then a mercifully brief conclusion that could easily double for screen direction.
THAT SAID-- i am not wishing for my week's worth of reading back. there's some nice if unidimensional characters here, and the book does give you a generous helping of medievil french history, something i always enjoy. so while this book might not have entertained me to expectation, it did satiate my love of history. i'd put it on the same shelf as Elizabeth Kostova's "The Historian" -- not bad for pop fiction, but nothing to write home about.
well... i finished it.
the final verdict: meh.
while it's certainly not the worst book i've read (i'll nominate nick tosche's "in the hand of dante" for that 'honour'), it's definately not going to be on my recommended list, either.
after enduring a 50 page-or-so sum-up of all the stuff the author seemingly couldn't be bothered to bless with a decent delivery device, i was rewarded with a predictable climax and then a mercifully brief conclusion that could easily double for screen direction.
THAT SAID-- i am not wishing for my week's worth of reading back. there's some nice if unidimensional characters here, and the book does give you a generous helping of medievil french history, something i always enjoy. so while this book might not have entertained me to expectation, it did satiate my love of history. i'd put it on the same shelf as Elizabeth Kostova's "The Historian" -- not bad for pop fiction, but nothing to write home about.
ValkyrieRaven88
New Member
I don't know. I liked The Historian. I found it extremely entertaining at the same time it was a slow read. Anyway, what'll probably happen is I'll read a couple pages in it at Borders and then make up my mind.
pink shadow
New Member
Thanks for the update staceass! Your review confirms my suspicions: an ok read, but maybe not enough to put in the effort. Although, when you compared it to The Historian I was a bit more intrigued. You see, I agree with Valkyrie on that one! But still, I don't think I'll put Labyrinth on my TBR-list. It's not like I don't have anything else to read...
ValkyrieRaven88
New Member
Yeah, it's not like I have nothing else to read, either. Me being the genius that I am, I went to a flea market today and bought 6 books for 5 bucks. While that's a great deal and all, I am running out of room on my bookshelves...there will be books piled on the floor, under my bed, under my desk, in the closet, scattered all over the place again soon.pink shadow said:
blueboatdriver
Member
OH come on this book isn't so bad. I was worried I'd be bored stiff with it after a couple of comments on this thread. I started a couple of days ago and I'm on p.126; The story's bumbling a long quite nicely, not great literature but I don't think it claims to be. The glossary of Occitan words in the back is a bit annoying but most of the words are explained in the text anyway.
It would make a good holiday read if it wasn't to heavy to read whilst lying on your back in hte sun.
I think I'll make it to the end unless it changes drastically anyway.
It would make a good holiday read if it wasn't to heavy to read whilst lying on your back in hte sun.
I think I'll make it to the end unless it changes drastically anyway.
staceass
New Member
i think that's exactly the concensus, though: the book isn't SO bad.
it's simply not so good either. whether you look at it from a half glass full or half empty perspective probably has a lot to do with other factors like how full your TBR shelf is, or weather or not you have the patience to see it through.
what kinda has me scratching my head is the number of people out there that were given the impression that this was going to be a great read. i know i did (and perhaps that's why there's not much in the way of praise coming from my end-- disappointment is sometimes the worst review a thing can get...). where we got this idea, i don't know. i don't personally know any one else that has read this book other than myself, so i don't think it was word of mouth that put it in my hands. so what was it?
it would be interesting to figure out WHY this happens. could end up a better 'mystery' than the one Mosse was writing about
it's simply not so good either. whether you look at it from a half glass full or half empty perspective probably has a lot to do with other factors like how full your TBR shelf is, or weather or not you have the patience to see it through.
what kinda has me scratching my head is the number of people out there that were given the impression that this was going to be a great read. i know i did (and perhaps that's why there's not much in the way of praise coming from my end-- disappointment is sometimes the worst review a thing can get...). where we got this idea, i don't know. i don't personally know any one else that has read this book other than myself, so i don't think it was word of mouth that put it in my hands. so what was it?
it would be interesting to figure out WHY this happens. could end up a better 'mystery' than the one Mosse was writing about
pink shadow
New Member
Yes! I wish someone would write a doctor's thesis on "the book buzz": how it gets started, how it spreads. I think I read about Labyrinth on Amazon, but I don't know what it was about it that caught my eye.