Welcome to the final stop on the blog tour for The City of Tears by Kate Mosse, which was published in paperback on 20th January 2022. My thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part in the tour and to Pan Macmillan for my digital review copy. Do check out the post by my tour buddy for today, Hayley at The Lotus Readers.
About the Book
August 1572: Minou Joubert and her family are in Paris for a Royal Wedding, an alliance between the Catholic Crown and the Huguenot King of Navarre intended to bring peace to France after a decade of religious wars. So too is their oldest enemy, Vidal, still in pursuit of a relic that will change the course of history. But within days of the marriage, thousands will lie dead in the streets and Minou’s beloved family will be scattered to the four winds…
A gripping, breathtaking novel of revenge, persecution and loss, the action sweeps from Paris and Chartres to the city of tears itself, Amsterdam.
Format: Paperback (560 pages) Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Publication date: 20th January 2022 Genre: Historical Fiction
Find The City of Tears (The Burning Chambers #2) on Goodreads
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My Review
The City of Tears is the follow-up to the best-selling The Burning Chambers and the second book in a planned series following the fortunes of a cast of characters from 1562 to 1862. (The prologue gives a brief glimpse of the final part of the series.) If you’ve not read The Burning Chambers you need not worry because the author includes brief recaps of events in the first book and if, like me, you have limited knowledge of the Wars of Religion that are the backdrop to events in the book, the author’s Historical Note will tell you everything you need to know.
The book blends actual historical events, such as the St. Bartholomew’s Massacre, with the story of Minou and Piet Reydon, and their family. In this turbulent period of history, during which the conflict between Catholics and Protestants over religious doctrine swept across Europe, few families were left unaffected and the Reydon family are no exception. Forced to flee France, the family become separated and Minou and Piet are left not knowing whether some of their loved ones are alive or dead. The decisions they are forced to make even threaten their previously strong relationship. Yet, through it all, Minou never gives up hope of a reunion. ‘Even in the worst of times, it was a miracle how the human heart kept beating.’
In addition to wider geopolitical events affecting their lives, Vidal, their implacable enemy from the first book, remains in the picture. Now in a position of power within the Catholic faction, he is totally ruthless and a force to be reckoned with. A ‘malignant and vengeful man’, his actions are fuelled by a lethal combination of a desire for revenge, fanatical religious zeal and a sense of injustice. Although responsible for some unspeakable acts, one has to admit he does make a fantastic villain!
As might be expected from a series that will span three hundred years, the theme of inheritance features strongly, whether that’s by way of physical features, blood ties or ownership of assets and property. Alongside Vidal’s pursuit of relics of religious significance, objects handed down through the generations feature as well, precious memories of those who have gone before. Issues of displacement, the plight of refugees and religious intolerance remain, regrettably, only too familiar.
The historical detail in The City of Tears is evidence of the meticulous research for which the author has become renowned. The book has a great sense of place such that you can easily imagine yourself walking the streets of Paris or Amsterdam, the city of tears of the title. (To find out more about how Kate goes about research for her books you can read my write-up of her appearance at Henley Literary Festival 2021 here.)
To plagiarise part of my review of The Burning Chambers, if you gave Mary Berry flour, butter, eggs and sugar, you could be absolutely sure she’d create the perfect Victoria sponge cake. In the same way, in The City of Tears, Kate Mosse skilfully combines all the ingredients necessary for a deliciously satisfying historical fiction novel, including a thrilling and dramatic climax (even if, perhaps appropriately, there is the threat of soggy bottoms).
In three words: Gripping, authentic, dramatic
Try something similar: The Silver Wolf by J. C. Harvey
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About the Author
Kate Mosse is a number one international bestselling novelist, playwright and non-fiction writer. The author of eight novels and short story collections – including the multimillion-selling Languedoc Trilogy (Labyrinth, Sepulchre and Citadel) and Gothic fiction The Winter Ghosts and The Taxidermist’s Daughter, which she is adapting for the stage – her books have been translated into thirty-eight languages and published in more than forty countries. She is the Founder Director of the Women’s Prize for Fiction and a regular interviewer for theatre & fiction events. Kate divides her time between Chichester in West Sussex and Carcassonne in south-west France.
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About the Book
About the Author
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