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What we're reading

Find your new favourite book or recommend one on our Book forum.

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Original poster

Labyrinth by Kate Mosse

44 replies

DumbledoresGirl · 03/02/2007 10:43

Has anyone read it? Is it worth it? Dh bought me a copy for my birthday and I am part way through but am a bit reluctant about the whole thing really. I see it won the Richard and Judy book prize, but the wealth of French names and her irritating habit of including an obscure French dialect into the dialogue, totally unnecessarily and pretentiously, is really bugging me.

What did anyone else think of it? (without giving away the plot please!) Is it good or is it not worth the hype?

OP posts:

suedonim · 03/02/2007 12:51

Hehehe, I might just do that! Every time I come over to the computer the wretched book pins me down with a baleful glare. What's worse is that dd2 seems fascinated by it and keeps asking me when I'm going to read it.

Original poster

DumbledoresGirl · 03/02/2007 12:55

Hmm I am seething that I didn't ask you all about this book before I started reading it. Because, now I have started, I have to finish it... but it isn't gripping me.....and I am a slow reader (usually only a few pages a day). Damn.

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wheresthehamster · 03/02/2007 13:16

I liked the setting but the whole thing could have been done in half the pages and with much more likeable characters.

I kept expecting a last minute twist and felt let down at the end.

In fact, what everyone else has said!

bran · 03/02/2007 13:42

It does slightly speed up at the end, but it's still quite lame. I really couldn't work up any empathy with the modern-day heroine, the woman was as wet as a washing machine with a faulty spin cycle. I did finish it, but it would have been better if I'd never started it.

fortyplus · 03/02/2007 17:18

DDG - shall I tell you what happens?

Reckon I could precis it in 100 words -m but I can't promise that it will sound intellectual!

giraffeski · 03/02/2007 17:22

Message withdrawn

bundle · 03/02/2007 17:23

i too have this doorstop of a book on my ahem to read pile. and there it will stay...

Original poster

DumbledoresGirl · 03/02/2007 18:34

Errr, go on then Fortyplus. Just so I know what to concentrate on and what I can skim through!

Also, I am interested in seeing if you can do it!

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Original poster

DumbledoresGirl · 03/02/2007 18:35

Oh and btw, if it really is only half as bad as everyone here is making out, does anyone want to buy a copy of it from me? Will be available in a couple of weeks!

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Original poster

DumbledoresGirl · 03/02/2007 18:36

Makes good bottom wipes apparently.

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Blandmum · 03/02/2007 18:38

A review in not many words

A would-be clever version of the Da Vinci Code.

A really obvious twist at the end, written for the cinema.

Cardboard characters and a leading lady wetter than a fishes wet bits.

Utter Crapola!

Original poster

DumbledoresGirl · 03/02/2007 18:40

I have not read the Da Vinci Code either. Should I be embarrassed? It doesn't seem so...

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PanicPants · 03/02/2007 18:40

I've just finished it too - take ages, and it was the french language and names which I hated - couldn't remember who was who etc.

Liked the idea of the story, but the language and the narrative was completly unneccesary.

Original poster

DumbledoresGirl · 03/02/2007 18:42

Oh I so agree about the language bits. Why do people think it is clever to put in a word in an obscure dialect, only to have to provide the English translation immediately afterwards? If it is not apparent what it means, don't use it!

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McDreamy · 03/02/2007 18:43

It's proping up the broken leg of my computer table at the moment and doing a very good job

fortyplus · 05/02/2007 21:02

DDG - this is what I remember... you'll have to forgive me as the concentration did drift at times...

Modern Alice went off to find old bloke with last bit of book.

The young bloke who fancied 13thC Alice and lived with witch was still alive in modern times

All the goodies trying to help Alice kept getting killed

The baddie woman nearly caught up with modern Alice

Lots of flashbacks to the cave

12thC Alice turned out to be one of the skeletons along with her husband

The 800 year old bloke managed to save modern Alice and the cave blew up and killed the baddies.

Would definitely make a better film than a book!

Pruni · 05/02/2007 21:14

Message withdrawn

pipsqueak · 05/02/2007 23:34

agree utter crapola ..i like most books but his irritated beyond belief!

kokeshi · 10/02/2007 11:03

I read this book over Christmas and New Year..was a handy diversion at some points. It was totally arduous though and the one thing that irritated was how many of her male characters sported a "pale suit". It seemed like every other page there was one. Are they they French version of the Mao suits!?

I'd like to know a bit more about this period though so if anyone could suggest any further reading on the subject (mb?) I'd be most grateful.

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