I bought The Map of Bones on a Waterstones’ buy one get one half price deal, and didn’t realise it was the fourth and final book in a series until later. The extreme version of my habit of reading sequels first. In the end, it didn’t matter as there is sufficient backstory to make sense of it all, and skillfully done too, as one would expect from this author.
Essentially, in 1687 Suzanne and her grandmother flee their home in La Rochelle after it has been taken over by dragonnades, Catholic soldiers given leave by the king to intimidate and abuse Huguenot households. They travel to the young Dutch Cape Colony, following the footsteps some 60 years before of Suzanne’s distant cousin, Louise, and with Suzanne determined to find out what had happened to Louise.
I enjoyed The Map of Bones, mostly for the historical detail about early South Africa, which Mosse brings very much to life – both the budding colony and the alien landscape beyond with its natural and human predators, and beauty. Beautifully written, with engaging characters, and women who refuse to let the tragedies which beset them and their world overwhelm them. Far from it. The story romps along at a good pace, and there are many moments of tension. However, it did give me the impression of ‘wrapping things up’ with the focus of filling in previous gaps rather than advancing the story itself. Still, a good read, and while I’m not tempted to rush off to buy books one to three, if one or two fell into my hands (say at a Waterstone’s sale) I’d likely buy it.
Find The Map of Bones here