The Burning Chambers

PerFiction_ist Rating:

8.5 out of 10

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The first book in Kate Mosse's new series charting the Huguenot persecution and exodus from France during the Wars of Religion is a highly entertaining, insightful, action-packed, and exhilarating historical adventure novel that lives up to its hype.

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Set in the year 1562, The Burning Chambers follows the story of Minou Joubert and Piet Reydon as they confront the dangers of a world where tensions between Catholics and Protestants reach boiling point. Between the hunt for a secret Will, a priceless religious relic that goes missing, massacres, persecution, and war, a sweet love story emerges between Minou, the daughter of a Catholic bookseller, and Piet, a Huguenot convert born in Amsterdam. I really enjoyed their love story as it was different from the more typical passionate, reckless, whirlwind romances we tend to see in historical fiction. Kate Mosse has a knack for writing romances that are solid, honest, and true, without unnecessary drama.

The politics and historical context behind the Wars of Religion are complex and weighty, but Mosse has a way of weaving difficult politics and history seamlessly into the lives of her characters, in a way that helps you understand what they are facing and become invested in their lives. The effects of trauma are well-illustrated, from the horrors of the Inquisitional prison to the abusive and underprivileged childhoods that give our villains plausible reasons for becoming disturbed and dangerously obsessed with power and religion. Some readers might be daunted by the large cast of characters and frequent shifting viewpoints, but all the characters, main and secondary, are well written, distinct, and memorable. I enjoyed the shifting viewpoints because they overlap to gradually form the bigger picture. Sometimes you already know things that the protagonists don't and it ramps up the tension when they make uninformed decisions that you know will end badly. Everyone is connected in ways that they aren't aware of until the final act and there are lots of near misses and near meetings along the way. While this may be a bit fanciful at times I really enjoyed seeing how all the different strands came together in the end.

“Tolerance and dignity and freedom: Piet was ready to lay down his life to defend these principles. He was engaged in a battle for the very soul of France, a battle that would define how men could live and be free.”

This book is absolutely action-packed, it never lags and there were parts where I couldn't read fast enough. The historical accuracy and immersion are exquisite, with the backdrop of the Wars of Religion being fascinating. I am always saddened when I read about how, during religious wars, people skew the Word of God to suit their own agendas and to justify committing atrocities against their fellow man. In the book, the conflict between Catholics and Protestants was shown in a very real way, not being a clear-cut good vs. bad story where Catholics are bad and Protestants are good. Instead, we are shown that there is both treachery and honour on both sides.

“You well know that if a lie is repeated often enough, in the face of the clearest evidence to the contrary, even the most level-headed of men start to believe in it. Falsehood easily becomes accepted truth.”

I love that Kate Mosse writes about events in history that aren't always well known, and about an area of France that doesn't get as much attention as the more popular cities. I'm still obsessed with the Midi all these years after reading The Languedoc Trilogy (Labyrinth, Sepulchre, Citadel) and I am so excited that the next book in this series, City of Tears, is already available.

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First published in 2018 by Mantle an imprint of Pan Macmillian

ISBN: 978-1-5098-0684-3

Pages: 578