I liked it. It's not really a horror novel, except for those moments when the historians who are the main characters are directly attacked by the ancient evil they're investigating. Instead it's almost like a multi-layered family history of an obsession passed from historian to historian, each one seeking the reality of an impossible idea, that the historic Dracula still lives and does not want the truth about him known. It is a subtle, compelling, intense book, with the stories told by the father's historian mentor, the father, his daughter, her mother, and occasional others. The voices, in tales or letters, keep the quiet tension going. You really don't know you're reading such a lengthy novel--there's no let-up in the suspense.

(Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted here illegally.)

So first, a disclosure: I actually received a free used copy of Elizabeth Kostova's 2005 modern vampire tale The Historian unexpectedly in the mail one day, from author Akmal Shebl at the same time he sent in his own book Prisoners in Paradise for review, not as a bribe I think but rather an example of what his own book is similar to. (My review of Shebl's book will be coming in a few weeks, by the way.) And I didn't mind receiving the book at all, to tell you the truth, because The Historian is a good book for me to review here at CCLaP; runaway bestseller, soon-to-be major motion picture, this was not only Kostova's very first novel but one that also garnered her a $2 million advance, an almost unheard-of amount even for established veteran authors. And indeed, now that I've read it myself, I can safely call it a faithful reproduction of a typical Victorian novel (also known as a "Romantic" novel), albeit one with a real "DaVinci Code" flavor to it, and can see why the "American Idol" crowd has been going so nuts about it. And in fact, because of the "CCLaP 100" series of "classics" essays I've been doing here this year, I've ended up reading quite a bit of Victorian literature, so can tell you exactly what it is about Kostova's novel that reminds me so much of the style...

--Extremely overwritten, flowery prose, one that sometimes literally uses entire chapters to serve only as elaborate introductions to the next chapters. (Hint: If you're reading this yourself for the first time, and ever come across the phrase "And then they stepped off the train at [fill in the blank]," you can safely skip the entire manuscript until the phrase "And then he said, 'Shall I continue my story?'")

--A sweeping global scope to the story, but with descriptions of cities that are no more insightful than simply describing a photograph of the place.

--A cheap moment of inconsequential dread added to the end of each chapter, mostly as a reminder to unsophisticated readers that the chapter is ending. ("And then she noticed a man menacingly staring at her on the train platform. Or was he? Maybe he was! Or perhaps he wasn't! And then f-ck it, she went to the hotel, end of chapter 13.")

--A superstitious, occult-based storyline that at all times pushes the limits of common sense: in this case, a literal retelling of Bram Stoker's 1897 Dracula, only more historical in nature, more expansive in setting, and with a fair dose of Indiana-Jones-style adventure thrown in.

--A personal style known as "epistolary," in which the story is told not through an omniscient narrator and traditional dialogue, but instead through a series of written documents such as letters, newspaper clippings, diary entries and more.

--And finally, a strong whiff of cheese to the entire thing, the exact kind of dumbed-down so-called "historical thriller" that all the Bubbas of the world mistake for a true story and great literature, the kind of book that makes many intellectuals sadly shake their heads and say, "Well, there goes a little more American culture and sophistication, right down the f-cking drain."

Now, all that said, this does not make Victorian-style literature like The Historian necessarily bad! It just means that you need to have a certain attitude going into it, a certain natural love for the elements mentioned above and a certain tolerance for extremely purple prose. The Historian is not exactly a bad read, although truthfully I can't exactly call it a good novel either; it is in fact a curious modern document from an older age, a novel that feels like it was written 150 years ago even though it was actually less than five. I myself found it difficult to even finish, simply because I grow tired of overwritten prose and gaping plot-holes very easily; but there are millions of others who are passionate fans, and they can't be entirely discounted in my review just because I in particular didn't care for it. It gets a limited recommendation from me today, although to be truthful I'm now looking forward to reading through Shebl's novel as well, to see how it compares.

Out of 10: 6.8, or 8.3 for fans of Victorian/Romantic thrillers

If there were negative stars, I would give them to this book. OMG, words fail me.

On second thought..they don't. Let me describe the ways this book sucked.

First off, it sucked because it COULD have been a brilliant book....its IN there...somewhere in the 642 pages. I would venture to say....its about 300 pages too long. At page 201 into the book, it was still plodding along unmercifully.

They way it is written, in first person, is way too choppy. Some chapters are being told by the "dad" charachter- Paul. Some are being told by the "daughter" charachter.

So, the story is about vampires/Drakula and how a professor- Rossi - researched to discover more about an empty book with a dragon picture in it. Paul received the same kind of book, as do others woven into the story. The daughter finds papers and letters on her fathers bookshelf, and gets him to start telling his story.

There is a cast of charachters in the book that finally converge in the last chapter or two - about 300 pages too late if you ask me, to help the final story unfold. But at this point, you are expecting something grand and wonderful. Its just a big disappointment. I finished it thinking...THATS IT??. That is what I wasted 3 nights of reading on.

Remember the classic christmas movie - A Christmas Story - when Ralphie gets the Secret Decoder Ring in the mail and decodes the secret message "Drink your Ovaltine" and says, "Thats it?!? A CRUMMY COMMERCIAL"

That is how you will feel when you finish this Crap of a Novel. You will feel cheated.

Its a shame too - it has all the makings of a great story I think, but it just wasn't executed properly. I don't mind LONG books either - some of my favorites run in the 800 page realm. But this one just plodded and plodded along. YOu kept getting to the next chapter thinking...surely it will pick up now.

It NEVER DOES.

4.5 stars !!....

Gothic, romantic, richly researched and bloody (lol) interesting.
This book reminded very much of The Shadow of the Wind by Zafon in its rich detail, twists and turns and dreamy romantic feel.

I look forward to reading Kostova's second book at some time.

... sorta depends on what you read first!

There are lots of good things to say about Elizabeth Kostova's THE HISTORIAN! It's moving, suspenseful, creepy, deeply atmospheric, haunting and informative at the same time about a particular area of the world and a point in time that few readers will be familiar with.

The basic plot is beautifully summarized in Amazon's editorial reviews and, frankly, I don't think I can improve on it ... so I'll reproduce it here for the reader's convenience:

The story opens in Amsterdam in 1972, when a teenage girl discovers a medieval book and a cache of yellowed letters in her diplomat father's library. The pages of the book are empty except for a woodcut of a dragon. The letters are addressed to: "My dear and unfortunate successor." When the girl confronts her father, he reluctantly confesses an unsettling story: his involvement, twenty years earlier, in a search for his graduate school mentor, who disappeared from his office only moments after confiding to Paul his certainty that Dracula--Vlad the Impaler, an inventively cruel ruler of Wallachia in the mid-15th century--was still alive. The story turns out to concern our narrator directly because Paul's collaborator in the search was a fellow student named Helen Rossi (the unacknowledged daughter of his mentor) and our narrator's long-dead mother, about whom she knows almost nothing. And then her father, leaving just a note, disappears also."

Sounds exciting, doesn't it?

Kostova's superb writing skills will charge the reader with suspense and a delicious frisson of horror from the very first page. But, sadly, those heightened expectations are slowly deflated over the course of a rather lengthy novel . Indeed, as I turned the final page, the conclusion that had been building in my mind for more than a few chapters crystallized into a firm conviction! Bram Stoker did it first and, because of that, Bram Stoker unquestionably did it better! Kostova's a great writer but THE HISTORIAN is an average and frankly derivative novel that did little more than recast the hunt for Dracula's final resting place into a modern format.

Let's put it this way ... if you've not read Bram Stoker's DRACULA, then Kostova's THE HISTORIAN is liable to take your breath away. But, if you're looking for new insights into the Dracula legend or a different take on the story, I would submit that you're sadly set up for disappointment.

Paul Weiss

Fourth time for me to read this gothic novel about Dracula (both the historical figure and the vampire) and those hunting him, and boy does it still amaze me! And so despite all its happy coincidences, Dracula’s somewhat lackluster motivation to do what it is he does (won’t elaborate; no spoilers) and a few small plot holes here and there, I’ve decided to upgrade it to 5 stars.

This novel is so well written and so riveting that I can well turn a blind eye to its flaws and just let myself be blown away again and again. Kostova has penned here the perfect armchair traveling book––also known as travelogue––taking us from the States to England, the Netherlands, Greece, France, Turkey, Romania, Hungary, etc., all that using different time frames and POVs and with the ease of a master storyteller who knows exactly when it is time to move the plot forward and when to take it slow and share with us readers bits and pieces of all the research she did to write her book. After all, it’s called The Historian for a reason. And last but not the least, Kostova's prose is absolutely beautiful––at times old-fashioned verging on the purple (but in a good way); at others downright effective and straight to the point. Again, perfect balance equals perfect rhythm. Equals a perfect story. Well, almost perfect...

Anyway, if you're into big fat Gothic books and you fancy yourself an armchair traveler, then don’t hesitate to pick this one up. You won't be disappointed. You're in for a treat!

OLIVIER DELAYE
Author of the SEBASTEN OF ATLANTIS series
n  n

The Historian, Elizabeth Kostova

Late one night, exploring her father’s library, a young woman finds an ancient book and a cache of yellowing letters addressed ominously to "My dear and unfortunate successor".

Her discovery plunges her into a world she never dreamed of – a labyrinth where the secrets of her father’s past and her mother’s mysterious fate connect to an evil hidden in the depths of history.

The Historian interweaves the history and folklore of Vlad Țepeș, a 15th-century prince of Wallachia known as "Vlad the Impaler", and his fictional equivalent Count Dracula together with the story of Paul, a professor; his 16-year-old daughter; and their quest for Vlad's tomb.

The novel ties together three separate narratives using letters and oral accounts: that of Paul's mentor in the 1930's, that of Paul in the 1950's, and that of the narrator herself in the 1970's. The tale is told primarily from the perspective of Paul's daughter, who is never named. ...

تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز یازدهم ماه اکتبر سال 2011میلادی

عنوان: مورخ؛ نویسنده: الیزابت کاستووا؛ مترجم: ژاله نوینی؛ تهران کاروان‏‫، 1388؛ در 830ص؛ شابک 9789648497984؛ موضوع داستانهای نویسندگان ایالات متحده امریکا - سده 21م‬

دختری جوان، در نیمه‌ های یک شب، در کتابخانه‌ ی پدرش می‌گردد، او کتابی کهن، و بسته‌ ای کاغذ زرد شده، پیدا میکند.؛ این کاغذها، نامه‌ هایی هستند که آغازشان رنگ و بویی منحوس دارد «به وارث عزیز و بداقبالم...»؛ این کشف او را به دنیایی می‌کشاند، که حتی به دورترین رویاهایش هم، خطور نمی‌کرد.؛ هزار تویی از اسرار گذشته‌ ی پدرش، و سرنوشتِ مرمروز مادرش، که علتش نیروی شرّ عظیمی است، که در ژرفای تاریخ نهفته است.؛ در همان لحظات، ناخودآگاه خویش را در آغاز راه جستجویی، برای یافتن پاسخ پرسشهایش، می‌بیند، که آنرا حق خود می‌داند: جستجو برای دانستن حقیقت، در مورد ولاد صلابه‌ گر، حاکم سده های میانی، که فرمانروایی وحشیانه، و سبعانه‌ اش، شالوده‌ ی اسطوره‌ ی «دراکولا» را شکل داد؛

افسانه‌ ی «دراکولا» با دنیای امروز، چه ارتباطی دارد؟

پاسخ این پرسش، از مرزها و زمان امروز، فراتر می‌رود، و قهرمان داستان را، از آرشیو کتابخانه‌ ی «آکسفورد»، به «استانبول» و «بوداپست»، و از آنجا به قلب اروپای شرقی می‌کشاند.؛ او نشانه‌ های ظلمانی، و متون پنهانی را، رمزگشایی می‌کند، و رازهایی را می‌بیند، که در روایات، و سنت‌های صومعه‌ های سده های میانی، هستند، و با دشمنانی سهمگین رودررو می‌شود، تا اینکه گام به گام، به بخش‌های پنهان گذشته‌ اش، نزدیک می‌شود، و در نهایت مجبور است، با خود اهریمن روبرو شود.؛

نخستین رمان «الیزابت کاستووا» کتابی است، سرشار از ماجراهای باور نکردنی؛ قصه‌ ای مسحور کننده، که واقعیت و خیال، گذشته و امروز، آدم‌های حقیقی، و خیالی را، چنان قاطعانه در هم می‌آمیزد، که بی‌گمان داستانی تعلیق‌ آمیز، و فراموش‌نشدنی را، در ذهن خوانشگر ثبت خواهد کرد.؛ کتاب تا مدت‌ها در صدر فهرست پرفروش‌های بسیاری از کشورهای جهان قرار گرفت، به 28زبان ترجمه شد، و به سیاق کتاب «راز داوینچی» لقب «راز دراکولا» را، به آن دادند.؛

نقل نمونه از متن: «یادداشتی برای خواننده: هرگز قصد نداشتم داستانی را که در این کتاب میخوانید، روی کاغذ بیاورم.؛ اما اخیراً حادثه ای باعث شد، به گذشته نگاه کنم، به مغشوشترین، و پردردسرترین بخش زندگی خودم، و افرادی که خیلی دوستشان داشتم. این داستان، چگونگی کندوکاو من است، دختری شانزده ساله، به دنبال پدرم، و گذشته ی او، ماجرای جستجوی پدرم، به دنبال استاد راهنمای محبوبش، و تاریخ زندگی او، و ماجرایی که، ما را به تاریکترین اعماق تاریخ کشاند.؛ و همینطور داستان بقای کسانی است، که از این جستجو، جان سالم به در بردند، و آنها که مردند، و دلیل مرگشان.؛

در واقع، در مقام مورخ، فهمیده ام که الزاماً همه ی کسانی که، در اعماق تاریخ، جستجو میکنند، از آن، جان سالم به در نمیبرند، و فقط رسیدن به گذشته نیست، که ما را درگیر خطر میکند؛ گاهی خود تاریخ، سایه ی پنجه هایش را، بیرحمانه بر سرِ ما میاندازد.؛ در سی و شش سالی که از این ماجراها گذشته، زندگیم نسبتاً آرام بوده است.؛ در این مدت، زندگیم را وقف تحقیق و سفرهای بی حادثه کرده بودم، وقف دانشجویان، و دوستانم، وقف نوشتن کتابهای تاریخی، با ماهیتی اصولاً غیرشخصی، و پرداختن به امور دانشگاهی، که سرانجام سایبانم شده بود.؛ در مرور گذشته، خوش شانس بودم، که به مدارک شخصی مزبور، دسترسی داشتم، زیرا همه ی آن منابع، سالها جزو اموال خودم بودند.؛ جاییکه احساس کردم مناسب است، آنها را کنار هم گذاشتم، تا داستانی به هم پیوسته بسازم، داستانی که گاهی از خاطرات خودم، در آن استفاده کرده ام.؛

گرچه ابتدا، داستانهایی را ارائه کرده ام، که پدرم، شفاهاً برایم نقل کرده بود، به نامه های او نیز، به شدت تکیه کردم، نامه هایی که بعضی از آنها، تاثیر داستانهای شفاهی او را، دو برابر کرد.؛ علاوه بر بازآفرینی کلی منابع، در یادآوری و تحقیقاتم، از هر وسیله ی ممکنی، استفاده کرده ام، گاهی دوباره به جایی رفته ام، تا آن فضا را، که در ذهنم کمرنگ شده بود، دوباره به خاطر بیاورم.؛ یکی از بزرگترین لذتهای این تلاش، مصاحبه هایی ــ در بعضی موارد مکاتبه هایی با محققان بود، که به نوعی به این ماجراها مربوط میشدند.؛ خاطرات آنها، پشتبند بسیار گرانبهایی، به سایر منابعم افزود.؛ همچنین از تحقیقات و مشاوره ی محققان جوانتر نیز، در زمینه های متعدد، در این کتاب بهره جسته ام. منبع نهایی، که تنها هنگام ضرورت، از آن استفاده کرده ام، تخیلاتم است.؛

استفاده از تخیلاتم نیز، با دقت، و با وسواس بوده است، چیزهایی را برای خواننده، از تخیلم آورده ام، که میدانستم بسیار محتمل بوده، و حتی در آنموقع هم این نکته را، در نظر داشتم، که باید گمانه زنی آگاهانه ای باشد، تا بتواند در کنار این اسناد، و متناسب با متن قرار بگیرد.؛ هر جا نتوانسته ام، اتفاقات یا انگیزه ها را توضیح دهم، بدون در نظر گرفتن واقعیت پنهانشان، آنها را، بدون توضیح رها کرده ام.؛ تمام تحقیقات، از دورترین زمان تاریخ، که در این کتاب آمده، کاملاًَ براساس تحقیقات دقیق بوده است، به همان دقتی که برای تحقیقات متون دانشگاهی، به کار میبرم. برداشتهای کلی از ادیان، و کشمکشهای اقلیمی، بین شرق اسلامی و غرب مسیحی ـ یهودی، این کتاب به طرز دردناکی، برای خواننده ی دنیای مدرن آشنا خواهد بود.؛

برایم بسیار سخت است آنطور که شایسته و درخور است، از آنهایی که به من در این پروژه کمک کردند، تشکر کنم، اما دست کم میخواهم، از چند نفر در اینجا نام ببرم.؛ امتنان و سپاسگزاری عمیقم، نثار افرادی است، که در زیر نام میبرم، و بسیاری دیگر: «دکتر رادو جُرجسکو از موزه ی باستان شناسی دانشگاه بخارست»، «دکتر ایوانکا لازاروا از آکادمی علوم بلغارستان»، «دکتر پتر استویچف»، از کتابداران کتابخانه ی موزه ی «رادرفورد» و کتابخانه ی «فیلادلفیا»، «پدر واسیل از صومعه ی زاگرافو در کوه آتوس» و «دکتر تورگوت بورا از دانشگاه استانبول»؛

امید بزرگم برای انتشار و قرار دادن این کتاب در معرض دید عموم این است، که شاید خواننده ای پیدا شود، که این کتاب را آنچنان که واقعاً هست درک کند: فریادی که از دل بر آمده است؛ تاریخ زندگی ام را تقدیم تو میکنم، به خواننده ی ژرف نگر؛ آکسفورد، انگستان؛ روز 15، ماه ژانویه ی سال 2008میلادی

بخش اول: علت قرار گرفتن این اوراق به این ترتیب، در هنگام خواندن آنها روشن میشود.؛ تمام جزئیات غیرضروری حذف شده است تا تاریخی که تقریباً با احتمالات و باورهای دنیای آینده تفاوت دارد، به شکل حقیقتی ساده باقی بماند.؛ در سراسر آن هیچ گفته ای از وقایع گذشته گنجانده نشده که در آن احتمال اشتباه برود، زیرا همه ی گزارشهای انتخاب شده، دقیقاً معاصر است و از مواضع خاص و از دایره ی دانش گزارش دهندگان برآمده است.؛ برام استوکر، دراکولا، 1897میلادی»؛ پایان نقل

تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 28/08/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی

3.5 Stars
I really enjoyed the premise and setup of this historical horror novel. It reminded me of what I wanted from the Discovery of Witches.

Letters are not my favourite format of storytelling but I understand it is a nod to the novel of Dracula.

As a horror reader. I wished this one had leaned more into the horror elements because it reads more like historical fiction than I expected. I loved the start but the second half didn't quite grab me the same way. Or at least, the story chose to focus on the details I felt were a little less interesting.

This novel would have done well to have large parts of the first half culled. Although the first half is pleasant enough as a travelogue, especially the Eastern European scenery and impressions of Budapest that we are treated to, it soon began to feel tedious and I was pretty bored by the time the book began to pick up again.

The last third is the best part of the book, so do try and push through until you get there.

The biggest aspect I found to complain about, is that I'd expected a bit more solid history from it, taking in account the title and the premise of the book.

I found the few scraps and tidbits the author threw at us about Count Dracul/ Vlad Tepes rather unsatisfying. I'd learned nothing from this book about Vlad that Wikipedia hadn't already told me.

I enjoyed the polished, almost Victorian prose, which seemed in character with the setting of the book, though of course not all modern readers enjoy such a detached style.

I also rather enjoyed the sub-plot about the protagonist's parents.

I'd say the blurb is rather deceptive, though, because exciting, nailbiting stuff this is not.

I really wanted to like this book but God is it boring as hell. I hate not finishing a book but I just can't waste one more minute reading something akin to watching paint dry. I kept waiting for the story to take off and for something, anything, exciting to happen. This felt like an exercise in cold war geography and a self-indulgent author letting us know how smart she is and how much research she'd done. Who cares?! The premise for this book was really intriguing but the story gets lost in page after page of unrelenting descriptions and cryptic dialogue. I didn’t care about these characters and found them frustratingly rigid and emotionless. This was just too much history and geography and not enough action for me. The first few pages include quote after quote from reviews raving about how “thrilling” and “gripping” and “terrifying” it is. Excuse me? It’s so boring I could hardly stay awake while reading it. This book is going straight to the used book store.

Не бих казала, че сюжетът на " Историкът" е кой знае какво-тривиална вампирска драма с исторически елементи-, но пък начинът, по който пише Елизабет Костова, езикът ѝ, е очарователен и пленителен. Точно по тази причина реших да прочета докрай книгата- заради удоволствието да чета красивия и хармоничен изказ на авторката.
Елизабет Костова ни показва една различна перспектива на историята на Влад Цепеш и го прави по много увлекателен начин.
Прочетох доста негативни мнения за книгата, с които аз лично не мога да се съглася изцяло. Историята прикова интереса ми, не заради до болка познатите версии за Дракула, а заради мистериозния, вълнуващ и приключенски начин, по който е разказана...
Но...
Повествованието е малко по- протяжно и разтеглено, отколкото е необходимо, което дотяга на моменти.  Небрежно и донякъде нескопосано подхвърлените в отделни части вампирски доказателства, стояха доста повърхностно и неубедително.
Историята започна сравнително  интригуващо, но след това се развиваше на приливи и отливи. Имаше части, в които препусках с трескав интерес през страниците, и такива, които се проточваха отегчително. Историческите факти бяха много умело включени в повествованието.
"Историкът" е конструирана изключително вълнуващо, подобно на матрьошка- няколко истории, вкарани една в друга.

Въпреки излишното разводняване на сюжета, като цяло "Историкът" ми допадна много. Елизабет Костова пише толкова трогателно, че си затварям очите за всички неща, които не са ми били точно по вкуса. Оценката за мен е около 3.5, но този път закръглям в полза на 4 :))

Wow, was I ever disappointed in this one! I initially read the dust jacket on one of my many excursions to the book store and was very excited. It had been a long time since I read a really good scary story with vampires. The dust jacket alluded to sleepless nights filled with suspense and horror. I eagerly bought my very own copy and returned home to crawl into bed and begin reading this tale of terror.

Okay, so sometimes books have to start slow. You've got to get the setting right, introduce the characters, outline the plot.... all of this takes a lot of hard work, and sometimes hours of research. While the research is necessary (especially for a story involving an actual historical figure), it is NOT, I repeat: NOT, a requirement to include every scrap of research as part of the novel itself. Oh, how angry I got when the story finally started getting good, Ms. Kostova would interject a 20-30 page dissertation on the history of the church in the times of Vlad the Impaler! It did nothing to further the plot, and only served to make me feel like I was back in college studying for an exam. Where's the entertainment? Where are the sleepless nights I was promised? When do we get introduced to Dracula?????? Don't worry, he's somewhere in those 686 pages, but if you blink you might miss him!

The research goes so far as to include a number of "fake" source documents. Had these "documents" been merely mentioned and perhaps summarized, I would be all for it. Heck, I AM an archaeologist and historian, remember? But NOOOOO. The author had to create these "documents" and then insert each one WORD-FOR-WORD. One even takes an entire chapter. UGH.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all about well-researched books. In fact, a well-researched and planned book only brings credibility to your story. However, The Historian proved to be nothing more than an over-zealous researcher's attempt to create a story from a subject that she is obviously passionate about. The voluminous research is a real turn-off. I don't want to read a vampire story and have to sit through a hundred "mountainous countryside" descriptions. There are mountians. The Carpathians. I get it. Get on with the story. Unfortunately, she never does.