Sepulchre -New tarot novel by Kate Mosse!

[Neely75]

It's on my birthday and Christmas wish lists this year. I'm loving Labyrinth so can't wait to get this one and read it. I've picked it up the last few times I've been to the book shop, but don't want to buy it in case someone has already bought it for me.

 

[Enchanted]

This is quite funny, I just logged on here to see if there was anything written about this book yet. It was released this week here and I picked it up on Thursday, as I loved Labyrinth and didn't even read the back cover of this one, so I didn't know it had tarot involved in the plot.

One thing is already worrying me about this novel. The "Vernier Tarot" has Strength at VIII and Justice at XI; at the time of the novel's earlier time-strand, the 1890s, this ordering would only have been known AFAIK to initiates of the Golden Dawn. A French deck would surely have been more likely to follow the Marseille ordering. I'm waiting to see if this apparent anomaly is explained later in the book.

Lleminawc I have stopped this afternoon at page 101, weird! And wondered about this too as it seems quite significant. But I don't want to say too much here and be a plot spoiler, so I'll just leave it that for now and keep reading.

 

[Aulruna]

I've started this book today, and as I was once again caught up in one of the atrocious train delays that seem to be the rule, I got through the first 200 or so pages... not sure what to make of it yet.

However, I did google the Vernier Tarot and found this link:
http://www.katemosse.com/content/tarot.asp
which looks rather more modern than how I imagined it!

 

[gregory]

I'm reading it now. I like it - but I don't know that it comes over as ALL that tarot..... (yet, anyway.) The cards are on the inner covers of the hardcover copy someone gave me - are they not on yours, Aulruna ? That must be frustrating when she says things about how alike they look and that.... I like the cards though - pity there are only the 8 ever made I wonder if Kate Mosse could persuade the artist....

 

[Sheri]

I read the book in 2 days and liked it.

I was a bit apprehensive when there was talk of demons and a Tarot reading... I was expecting the liberal use of stereotypes in the story. I was pleasantly surprised. One of my favorite parts of the book is the Tarot reading. The dialogue was believable and I could see myself or some of my friends who read say the same thing as this reader did.

The other part I liked about this book -- or that intrigued me -- was the idea of the cards of the Major Arcana associated with musical notes. They seem to have been associated with everything else Very interesting concept!

I was disappointed that they only made 8 cards also. I think this publisher really dropped the ball on a nice revenue stream by not creating at least a Majors deck to go with the book.

Sheri

 

[franniee]

I read it - I think last summer. I liked the set up and such but I thought it fell flat in the end. Kind of reminded me of the witching hour.... or taltos....I think authors get so excited at times with an idea and set it up wonderfully but they can't seem to end it with as much enthusiasm....

I've seen this countless times. Bugs me! What did the rest of you think?

 

[gregory]

I loved the reading, too. It was very true to life, I thought.

At the moment I am annoyed that a CHAPEL is being called a sepulchre...... but maybe it will make sense later; just when she went in I thought at once - this is NOT a sepulchre.....

I know what you mean about the author apparently losing interest - Labyrinth got to me that way.
But I was given both for free, so what the hell !

Sheri - look into the Parrot Tarot - that ties cards in with musical notes; it is fascinating.

 

[Sheri]

Sheri - look into the Parrot Tarot - that ties cards in with musical notes; it is fascinating.

Wow! Cool! I will Thanks, Gregory!

Sheri

 

[Sheri]

I just had a look at the Parrot and it's stunning. I would buy that deck if available!

Sheri

 

[Teheuti]

I wrote a very short review of the book (it didn't deserve more, in my opinion), and included an interesting youtube interview with Mosse that's all about the use of the tarot cards in the book. You can see the video and my comments at:
http://marygreer.wordpress.com/2008/06/01/sepulchre-the-novel/