"The Map of Bones" is the final novel in the Joubert Family Chronicles which started with "The Burning Chambers" and it ties up any loose ends in the saga. This book features 3 strong women in the family; Suzanne, Florence (her grandmother) and Isabelle. This time the main action is in the 1680's and the 1860's, and is mostly set in South Africa. Louis XIV has hounded most of the Huguenots out of France and this time our heroines flee to the newly established Cape Colony, which is controlled by the Dutch.

As well as the emigres some of the indigenous people feature in the story; like the Whites, some are good and others bad. Almost without exception the women are strong characters, fighting the restrictions imposed by men. The story-line is wonderful and far-ranging, and the book is a fitting finale to the saga.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this highly recommended book.

Although the fourth in a series about the Joubert family this book can be read as a stand alone, especially for anyone interested in the history of South Africa. The story, told in two time lines begins in 1688 when Suzanne Joubert, a Huguenot refugee from war-torn France, arrives in the Dutch territory of Cape Town, searching for her family history. Then in 1862, Isabelle, one of Suzanne's descendants makes the same journey seeking more answers to the origins of their family.
For me the most interesting aspects of the book were the historical details of setting up of the colony, day to day life and the relationship the Dutch and then the English had with those who had lived there before. The brutality and difficulties of daily life are well described and brought to life as Suzanne and then Isabelle leave the settlement and head into the interior of the country to discover what befell their ancestors.
The book refers to earlier events but with enough information for it not to matter if the previous novels have not been read. I found it was totally absorbed with Suzanne's story and somewhat disappointed when it switched to Isabelle's - I wasn't so invested in her mission - and for that reason I only gave the book four stars rather than five.
I loved the gusty female characters and the details of early life in the colony, and having been several times to Cape Town and the surrounds I could imagine much of what the author was describing. I may well, at some point, try and catch up on the earlier novels.
With thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for an early copy in return for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and PanMacmillan for the arc.

3.5 stars rounded up.
This is the final volume of the Joubert Family Chronicles, but it can be read as a standalone novel (I haven’t read any of the three previous volumes and didn’t feel the reading experience was adversely affected by not having any background to the story). It’s difficult to give much of a summary of the story without giving massive spoilers, but in a nutshell it covers the life of Suzanne, a French Huguenot refugee, as she escapes persecution and tries to recover from trauma by starting a new life in South Africa, tracing part of her family history in the process.
Mosse is an expert storyteller, and on the whole I did enjoy this story, but for me it felt like there was too much reliance on neatly tying up different strands of the multiple story timelines and far too much filler text - large chunks of the narrative just revolving around the main characters hanging around waiting for things to happen. If you like descriptive historical fiction then you will probably really enjoy this story, but I prefer novels where the plot moves along more quickly.

I decided to give Kate Mosse another chance after failing to engage with her second book in this trilogy. Whilst I enjoyed the first half I was bored by the second half as it seemed to go over old ground. Sorry but I don’t think this writer is for me.

The Map of Bones is a very satisfying final book in the Joubert Family Chronicles. Throughout the series Kate Mosse has created a family of strong women writing their own history in diary form. I really appreciated the ending of the series being the fictional publication of The Joubert Family Chronicles in 1872 by Macmillan publishers. This fourth novel in the series mostly concerns the stories of Suzanne in the late 17th century and Isabelle in the mid 19th century, both descendants of Minou from the first book in the series. Suzanne and Isabelle both set off on round the world boat journeys to South Africa to seek out what happened to their ancestor Louise, sea captain and commander of The Old Moon. In both cases though nearly 200 years apart, the women face misogyny and encounter life threatening dangers, human, animal and natural. They are also brought face to face with racism in the land taken from the local Khoi people by successive imperial powers. As in the previous books in the series the characters here are really well developed and stories are all followed through. The description of landscapes, architecture , climate, plants and animals are thoroughly realised as is daily life for the newly arrived white settlers and refugees in Cape Town. I highly recommend the complete saga but feel sure that if anyone reads The Map of Bones as a stand alone novel they will wish to return to the previous three books. I now look forward (having also really enjoyed the Languedoc trilogy) to l be Kate Mosse's next historical series. My thanks to Pan Macmillan via Net Galley for an ARC of this title.

Sadly the last book in the Joubert family saga that takes the story to South Africa where we finally find out what happened to Suzanne Joubert. Although a great stand alone I would certainly recommend reading The Burning Chamber’s, The City of Tears and The Ghost Ship first. Great historical novels spanning several countries and years and refreshingly filled with strong women living life on their own terms.

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for this ARC

Having read the third and this last episode of the Joubert saga back to back I was fully immersed in the story-until the last third. I enjoyed the continuation of the story,I appreciated the way that previous characters were explained which enables the book to be read as a stand alone novel and as throughout the four books the descriptions of the places ( this time in South Africa ) were a joy to read. However I thought that ,the final section about Isabelle was repetitive in plot and was used simply as a tool to bring all previous strands together. In my opinion I would have finished with Suzanne. I did also feel at times that there was too much insistence on the importance of women being heard and writing their story ( which I wholeheartedly agree with but it seemed quite laboured at times)
Overall an enjoyable novel and I’m grateful for the opportunity to review it.

The more one reads literary books based on history, the more one wants to see nuances.
Mosse amazes me with her meticulous world-building that transports you into the past, and her curious prose.
The transitions between the timelines is smoothly done, and the prose is 4.5.

This is the latest novel in Kate Mosse’s stories about a French Huguenot family's struggle for freedom from persecution, opening in 1688. It takes the reader from La Rochelle to Amsterdam and Cape Colony, South Africa. This is a quest. Suzanne, descendent of Minou from the initial novel, has a mission to discover what happened to her relative Louise. Louise disappeared into South Africa’s interior half a century before. Suzanne, this novel’s protagonist has possession of a diary scribed by Louise and an intriguing tarot card.

The novel is a wonderful collection of vivid scenes linked by a great adventure undertaken by a courageous determined personality. I was as a consequence utterly transported by the characters and their narrative; this is as well as Mosse’s evocative, beautiful writing. The characters represent nobility , strength and determination to survive as immigrants in an alien landscape. They withstand the machinations of dangerous characters such as the brutal Lars Elthrop, ruthless Pieter Odendaal and cruel Kmane. Will Suzanne realise her quest ? Against all odds this is a thrilling journey with many surprises and much jeopardy along the way.

The pace is relentless. The atmosphere is evocative- noisy waterfronts , the castle, the interior, the flora and fauna and weather. There are gentle and brutal contrasts. Always we are reminded of a resourceful people fleeing persecution, not easily accepted in the Dutch colony. We encounter superstition, formidable mountain passes with dangerous shadowy valleys. History and politics inform this novel but are worn lightly and subtly integrated into the narrative. The Map of Bones is a meaningful and apt title. It is my favourite of these books. Page turning and completely original.

This is the last book in the Joubert family chronicles and takes the continuing story to Southern Africa. First Suzanne Joubert arrives after a perilous journey in 1688, determined to find out what happened when her ancestor, the sea captain and pirate Louise Reydon Joubert, arrived at the Cape of Good Hope eighty years earlier and promptly disappeared . Then 180 years later Isabelle Lepard is equally determined to find the story of the intrepid women she is descended from. This fantastic saga is underpinned as always by immaculate research creating an absorbing story that transports the reader to Southern Africa centuries ago.

The Map of Bones continues the story of the She- Pirate from The Ghost Ship( review here )Louise Joubert and concludes the saga of the Joubert women- a story which spans several generations, and we finally find out who the identity of the kidnapped woman introduced in the earlier books.
As with all of Kate Mosse’s books, the story is rich with historical detail, but this never slows the pace or action. The book is mainly based in an early South Africa where Huguenots have sought refuge from persecution. The story focuses on another strong and independent Joubert woman, Suzanne- a descendent of Minou from The Burning Chamber. But this book felt a lot darker and more tense than the other books.
Suzanne herself is trying to forget her own trauma while investigating what happened to Louise and Giles, sometimes putting herself in danger in a hostile world.
This book can be read as a standalone, the author’s weaves in relevant details from the previous book into the story but I would recommend reading all the books in the series to truly enjoy the conclusion. I found Isabelle Joubert Lepard, the last Joubert woman journey to the discover the truth particular satisfying.
My only disappointment with The Map of Bones is that I have no more books to look forward in the amazing series.

As always, Kate Mosse delivers another compelling entry in the Joubert family chronicles with her latest novel, following The Ghost Ship. This installment navigates two timelines—one in the 1600s and the other in the 1800s—focusing on two formidable female protagonists.

Blending historical fiction with a gripping family saga and suspenseful narratives, this book stands strong on its own while enticing readers to delve into the rest of the series. The rich storytelling and intense drama will keep you hooked from start to finish.

3.5/5.

As ever Kate Mosse dependably provides us with a captivating installment of the Joubert family chronicles, following The Ghost Ship.

We follow two timelines from the 1600's and the 1800's following 2 strong female characters.

The strong mix of historical fiction and tense family epic with strong suspenseful storylines will keep you gripped as a stand alone book that makes you want to pick up the other 3 books in the series.

Highly recommended.

To say I cried over the ending of the Joubert Family quartet is an understatement. I ugly cried, sobbing when I read the conclusion to a work of historical fiction that only confirmed my appreciation for Kate’s work. in this final instalment, readers will be taken from France to Southern Africa and the Cape of Good Hope where Suzanne and her grandmother look for a new life… and a life they want to know more about. Suzanne in particular is keen to understand the story of her ancestor she-captain Louise Reydon-Joubert. The story jumps to almost 180 years later where, in 1862, Isabelle Lepard, also of the Joubert family, is also tracing Louise’s life, determined to put the women in her family back in the history books. Both stories are daring and courageous, both women showing their family traits of determination and strength in the most difficult of circumstances. It’s a fantastic read and completes the quartet perfectly, almost 400 years of history. Wonderful.