Reviews

The Burning Chambers by Kate Mosse

ppppaula's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.5

Maybe it’s just my mood but I just couldn’t get invested in the characters at all. It is an interesting subject but this version didn’t do it for me sadly. I found the pacing slow, and expected more of a link back to the prologue but that never came. 

liyanna's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

sianyp's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

evelyn_jung's review against another edition

3.0

Okay so this was a three and a half out of five stars for me.
I liked the plot but the romance came out of nowhere. I like the idea of Piet and Minou but transitioning from literal strangers to 'my sweet love' with only a ten minute conversation, a kiss, and some notes back and forth? I wasn't buying that at all, but I suppose times were different back then.
At the end of the day, this was enjoying to read and didn't feel like a chore at all, which is all I really want out of a book.
Oh and Vidal can choke and die.

mlcf's review

mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

grosegreen's review

adventurous challenging dark hopeful mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

The inevitability of political turmoil and war, the preciousness of our close relationships and the strangeness of how we entertwine, the reality of violence, loss, and death, hope for how we recover, the reality that there are good people. 

readhaileyread's review

Very slow. Not interested enough to keep reading. 

candacesiegle_greedyreader's review against another edition

2.0

I was very excited about this book because so many people love Kate Mosse and this was promised as a historical novel without the supernatural aspect.. I've always gotten hung up on that with her other books, not being a fan of that kind of stuff.

But with "The Burning Chambers" I found that i just don't like her writing. There's a lot of historical detail--a lot-- but the characters are cardboard with every romantic trope in the book trotted out. Does simplistic sound right? Even with all the historical noise. Not gripping at all.

This book may satisfy her existing fans but I doubt it will win her any new ones.

~~Candace Siegle
Greedy Reader

jacbradley's review

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

janinevduijn's review against another edition

2.0

This was entertaining enough, but I was frustrated by the fact that something kept being referenced from one of the earliest chapters all throughout the books (which is the mystery to be resolved I suppose - though obvious to guess after 1/3 of the way through this book) through the personal narrative of some of the characters, without them actually mentioning what is is they are thinking or speaking about. Quite amateuristic way of trying to keep the suspense going... But the plot was fast-paced enough for me to make it through to the end of this chunky book, so I guess it has it's merits!