A good labyrinth should curve around with so many twists and turns that you lose all sense of direction and aren’t sure where you’re headed. It should intrigue, stupify and ultimately lead to a satisfying end (and hopefully not at the mercy of a minotaur). Kate Mosse’s LABYRINTH, already a hit in her native UK, mostly succeeds.
In present day, Dr. Alice Tanner is serving as a volunteer at an archeological dig when a falling boulder reveals a crack in a mountain that leads to a pitch-black labyrinth. Inside, Alice finds two skeletons, an unusual ring and other artifacts. When she regains consciousness, the police are asking her questions and her friends soon find themselves in potentially fatal trouble. Meanwhile, in the year 1209, Alaïs – the daughter of a powerful Frenchman – finds a dead body floating in the river near her home, which sparks worry and devious plans amongst her father and his band of Crusade-fighting warriors. He entrusts her with one of three books containing the secret of the Grail.
As with similar novels of the thriller genre, Mosse jumps back and forth between these two stories, which we know are inexorably linked, even though we may not know how. Parallels can be drawn between the two strong female protagonists; however, there stories are markedly different, and it is to Mosse’s credit that both are commanding of your attention.
And attention you will need. Mosse’s prose is dense, but not dull. Full of historical detail (sometimes too much) and rich in character, this is not a book to be rushed through. Prepare to spend a lot of time with it, and you’ll want to. I’d argue that LABYRINTH is roughly 100 pages too long, but at least when it finally reaches its end, you feel rewarded. –Rod Lott
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