Book Review: Labyrinth by Kate Mosse

The DaVinci Code brought the Holy Grail and the secrets of the early Catholic church back into popularity, and I have jumped right on that bandwagon, which is why Labyrinth appealed to me.

Alice Tanner, a volunteer on an archaeological dig in Carcassone, France, discovers a cave containing two ancient skeletons and other objects, including a ring with the symbol of a labyrinthe. She soon realizes that she has drawn the unwelcome attention of unscrupulous people who would do anything to get their hands on the objects contained in the cave. The narrative shifts back in time to the 13th century, where a young woman named Alais has been entrusted with the objects and pledges to keep them safe. This is played out against the backdrop of the Catholic crusade against the heretic Cathar sect in the French region of the Languedoc. As the story unfolds, the reader learns the nature of the Holy Grail, the books which lead to its location, and the people who have protected it throughout history including Alais in the past and Alice in the present.

This is the kind of book that makes you feel a bit self-satisfied in that you're reading pure fiction but you're getting a bit of real history as well, so that the next time the subject of the Albigensian Crusade creeps into the conversation (well, it COULD happen!), you'll remember this book and will be able to speak intelligently about it.

The pace was a bit slow, so much so that I was ready to stop reading in in the beginning, but it soon picked up and held my interest until the last exciting moments. All in all, I think it's a good read for anyone who likes to speculate on these ancient mysteries.