Review: The Lost Seigneur by David Loux
Today, I'm delighted to welcome author David Loux to Ruins & Reading. I'm sharing my review of his absolutely enthralling novel, The Lost Seigneur. If you enjoy high-quality historical fiction combining an unusual plot with fascinating family history, read on!
The Lost Seigneur is currently on blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club. Find intriguing excerpts, and other interesting posts HERE!
The Lost Seigneur
A Chateau Laux Odyssey, Book #2
by David Loux
As someone with Huguenot ancestors, I was immediately intrigued by the premise of The Lost Seigneur, and – oh, boy! – I'm so glad I read this book. It's a superb novel!
Jean-Pierre du Laux is a seigneur, a lord, in the Languedoc region of southern France, where I live. So there was an immediate connection. The region was famously home to the Cathars, a religious group whose way of life clashed with the Catholic Church in the Middle Ages. The ensuing persecutions were horrific, and their ancient strongholds – now mostly ruined – still show commemorative plaques.
It's from that unruly southern environment, centuries later during the reign of King Louis XIV, that Jean-Pierre sets off to court, to petition the king against his retribution on Protestants. Jean-Pierre's wife, Eleanor, is a Cathar perfect, a fact not many people know. Knowledge means danger, as he finds out.
So when Jean-Pierre is abducted on the journey and held in a dark cell against his will for years, he has no idea what's happening outside his walls. Would Eleanor and their son, Pierre, be safe?
In Pennsylvania, on the other side of the Atlantic, we meet adult Pierre, now a farmer, and his family. His daughter, Magdalena, feels drawn to the Cathar doctrine, much against her father's wishes. But she isn't happy...
When Jean-Pierre is freed, and returns to his manor, he finds it empty. On the way home, he meets Gabriel, a youngster with a history of his own, and they form an unusual bond. Without the boy, Jean-Pierre would not have made it back alive, and soon he begins to search for Eleanor and Pierre.
Gabriel, meanwhile, has his own intriguing story to tell...
Will the family be united? Well, you should definitely read the novel to find out!
The Lost Seigneur is as compelling as it is heartbreaking in places. The ease with which people could disappear from the world in Louis XIV's days is well known (think of The Man in the Iron Mask and the Affair of the Poisons). So Jean-Pierre's disappearance is unusual, but not completely uncommon. His incarceration is realistic, and brutally depressing. But the narrative never delves deeply into unpleasant territories, ensuring readers can follow the plots without any deep upsets.
The pace is perfect for this kind of novel, and the author's descriptions of emotions, hopes, and motivations are outstanding – as is his research. At all times throughout the story, we are right there with the characters, who are very much people of their times.
I read this novel in two days, keen to know what happens next. The point of view changed, clearly defined, between several protagonists. It held my interest throughout with its captivating narrative, clever plots and sub-plots, and fascinating characters who make up a tale well worth reading. The writing is exquisite, clear and concise, and I was hooked right from the start.
The Lost Seigneur is a truly remarkable novel that readers of quality historical fiction shouldn't miss. Highly recommended.
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Blurb:
The Lost Seigneur is a sequel to the award-winning Chateau Laux.
It is the story of Jean-Pierre du Laux, a nobleman in southern France, who was wrongly imprisoned during a time of religious intolerance and subsequently endeavors to return to his family. Many years have passed since he saw them, and his long incarceration has broken his health.
Any reunion would clearly have been impossible, without the unlikely help of a youthful companion that he meets along the way.
Buy Links:
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About the Author:
He lives in the Eastern Sierra with his wife, Lynn.
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